"Fr Ben's letter concerning the worrying development of pseudo-Christian groups such as 'King's Army' has been published in this week's Church Times:

 ‘King’s Army’ march in Old Compton Street, Soho

From the Revd Benjamin Edwards

Madam, — We must speak plainly and urgently to the wider church community and to those following the news about the group calling itself the King’s Army, and its march through Old Compton Street, in London, earlier this month. The actions, rhetoric, and uniformed spectacle of this group — protesting in Soho, a historic hub for the LGBTQ+ community — are being presented as Christian evangelism, but they are not. Their stated aim of protesting against “immoral culture” and calling believers to “fight like soldiers” is fundamentally inconsistent with the actual gospel message of God’s radical, all-inclusive love and redemption.

The core of the issue lies in the method of outreach: Jesus did not form a paramilitary group to march in a city’s social districts and intimidate people with judgement. Furthermore, the focus of their “fight” is deeply misguided. The King’s Army claims to be “at war with sin and the devil”, and yet their actions have been solely directed at people — specifically the LGBTQ+ community — making them feel unsafe in their own neighbourhood.

God’s work is never about creating fear or shaming individuals into external compliance: it is about the transformation of the heart through the Holy Spirit. If we are called to a “spiritual fight”, our posture should be one of humble prayer, self-reflection, and tireless advocacy for the vulnerable, not public aggression towards our neighbours. The Son of God, the ultimate embodiment of God’s love, came in humility, not with a uniform and a military formation.

For this reason, we must not be silent. Silence is complicity. When a group weaponises Christian language and symbols for acts of hostility, it damages the credibility of the gospel and inflicts real pain upon God’s children. I urge all church leaders to issue clear and unequivocal statements distancing their congregations and ministries from these actions."