British LibDem Party Leader Tim Farron Steps Down: 'It's Impossible to Stay Faithful to Christ'

In a shocking move, the leader of Britain’s Europhile and socially liberal party, the Liberal Democrats, has announced he’ll step down. The reason?

Christian Tim Farron stepped down amid speculation Lib Dem heavyweight Sir Vince Cable will lead the party.

Mr Farron said it has felt “impossible” to be Lib Dem leader “living as a faithful Christian” and said he wants “to remain faithful to Christ”.

His resignation will trigger a leadership election next month when Parliament breaks for the summer recess.

Farron was criticized during the election campaign in Britain because he appeared to believe that practicing homosexuality was a sin and because he had, in the past, spoken out against abortion. Apparently, both views — shared by many Christians — are not deemed compatible with social liberalism.

Speaking in 2007, Mr Farron told a magazine: “Abortion is wrong … Society has to climb down from the position that says there is nothing objectionable about abortion before a certain time”. He was asked if gay sex was also a sin and replied “we’re all sinners”, before later in the campaign being forced to clarify that he did not believe it was a sin.

In other words, even if he only personally believed abortion and homosexuality to be sinful but wouldn’t legislate against them, many other LibDems felt he could not and should not be their leader. That’s why he has now stepped down; the party wanted him to get in line with the social-liberal gospel, but he chose Jesus Christ’s gospel.

Whether you agree with Fallon’s positions or not, you’ve got to respect his principled attitude and his unwillingness to sell out his religious beliefs for political gain. Contrast this with the many self-declared Christians in the Democratic Party in the U.S. who endorse everything the Bible speaks out against.