In politics, more can happen in a week than a year – and 2025 was packed with plenty of twists on both the global and national stage.
From the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk, to political leaders dipping their toes into conversations about faith, Christianity was etched into the political conversation.
Here’s a look back on the key faith and politics moments of the last year.
Keir Starmer talks to Premier Christian News
At the tail end of the year, the Prime Minister sat down for a Christmas exclusive with Premier Christian News, where he shared his festive plans and described church workers as the heart of “true Britain”.
“I think they're [Christian values] really important for two reasons," he told news editor Tola Mbakwe. "One, because of that sense of looking after other people, not seeing anybody as a lost soul, and working to ensure that we support and get the best out of everybody."
“The second thing I'd say is we are living in a period of, certainly across the world, greater conflict and instability than we've known for a very long time," Starmer continued. "In our own country, there's still a cost-of-living crisis that is bearing down on people."
In the autumn, his government’s removal of the two-child benefit cap was praised by Christian organisations, such as CAP and the Trussel Trust. For many Christian organisations, it was a welcome move after a series of Labour decisions which have been heavily criticised – including the party’s tough language on migration.
“Our concern is that the current narrative... will only drive public anxiety and entrench polarisation,” read a letter to Starmer in the spring, signed by senior faith leaders.
Kemi Badenoch and 'Cultural Christianity'
After revealing in August that she lost her faith as a teenager, the Conservative leader has made some bold statements around faith – and her version of “cultural Christianity”.
Addressing believers in her party during autumn’s ‘Wilberforce Address’, she said that cutting benefits was in line with Christian values, paraphrasing 1 Timothy.
“St Paul, we read, in the first Epistle to Timothy proclaims that: ‘Anyone who does not provide for his own household … is worse than an unbeliever,’” Badenoch said.
Donald Trump: 'Not heaven-bound'
The US President was inaugurated in January, with the ceremony's prayers led by Rev Franklin Graham.
Speaking in an exclsuive with Premier, Graham said that he believed Trump to be surrounded by Christian influence in his cabinet. He also asserted the the President had intended to place his hand on the Bible when being sworn into office, describing the moment as slightly rushed.
"Justice Kavanaugh started administering the oath before Melania even got up there with the Bibles," Franklin explained, "which, you know, it was just an awkward situation, but it wasn't intentional, I promise."
This year, the President has drawn attention to the plight of the persecuted church, winning him commendations from some unusual figures, including rap A-lister Nicki Minaj.
However, in October, Trump was heard joking that he was “not heaven-bound” whilst en route to ceasefire negtiations in Israel. Aboard Air Force One, he quipped: "Maybe I'm in heaven right now... I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to make heaven, but I've made life a lot better for a lot of people."
The assassination of Charlie Kirk
Perhaps the most shocking political moment of 2025 was not about a politician – but an "ordinary" man, whose campaigning and debate earned him immense influence over America’s political landscape.
Charlie Kirk’s assassination in broad daylight, whilst in the middle of a political discussion, brought Western politics to a standstill.
The married father of two was a firm believer in Christ.
His death prompted not only a confession from Donald Trump (“I hate my opponent… Charlie loved his opponent”) – but also a possible uptick in sales of the Bible. Throughout 2025, sales had remained steady at around 1.5 million units per month, yet these jumped to around 2.4 million in September, days after Kirk was shot at a Utah campus.