Free Speech, Wokeism, and Cancel Culture: Theological Issues and Contemporary Applications

Wokeism and Cancel Culture are much debated today: some deny that they have much substance while others view them as signalling the collapse of Western civilisation. This talk analyses the origin of these terms while tracing the concerns they evoke back to key issues in church history, from Puritan emphases on liberty of conscience through more recent Christian contributions to the framing of religious freedom and free speech as core human rights. It reflects on lessons to be learnt from certain churches’ past attempts to cancel dissent and enforce uniformity, while providing practical pointers on how we as Christians today can address and overcome threats of wokeism and cancellation in the cause of the gospel.