In a recent Channel 4 interview, Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, declined to answer a question in relation to his views on homosexuality as a Christian. “We’re all sinners,” he said, avoiding a more direct answer.

This sparked various reactions. Guardian columnist Owen Jones described Mr Farron as an “absolute disgrace” to Jennie Rigg, Chair of the Lib Dem LGBT movement, who stated that it was liberalism that led her to defend Mr Farron’s right to freedom of thought.

The saga has re-ignited an age-old debate: can faith and politics coexist?

History offers plenty of reminders that religiously induced politics can end badly. Still, there can be collective amnesia when it comes to the great amount of good that can come about when faith and politics come together: abolishing the slave trade, fighting poverty, and so on.

Ahead of June’s snap general election, canvassers across Northern Ireland – and, indeed, elsewhere – will come across voters with very different views. Some seek freedom of religion; others seek freedom from religion.

Some parties won’t get much of a hearing from voters who will see them as being too close to the Church; voters on other doorsteps will be outraged by what they consider Northern Ireland’s increasing shift away from the God-fearing society for which they hold a nostalgic affection.

As someone who cares deeply for Northern Ireland and its post-conflict sustainability I am interested as to how, if at all, these conflicting views can be accommodated. I wonder how faith (an all encompassing entity) and agnosticism could intersect to a point that would facilitate mutual understanding within our legislative body and wider society.

Someone once told me to never forget the difficulty that our legislators have in trying to balance the scales between the views of millennials in Soho and the more conservatively minded in County Fermanagh. It’s a continuous balancing act, they insisted.

So, can faith and politics coexist?

In Northern Ireland I am hopeful that parties founded on religious foundations will come to recognise that they have a responsibility to legislate fairly on behalf of all of society. Yet, it is equally important that parties built on secularism ideals also understand that they too bare the same responsibility.

I find it worrisome that despite supporting an array of legislation supporting LGBT rights, Mr Farron’s view was still considered intolerable to many.

Nick Clegg offers a particularly helpful insight. Defending his party colleague, the former Deputy Prime Minister argued that Tim Farron should be “judged by his actions, not by sanctimonious judgments about his faith.”

Mr Farron himself, with an election campaign under way, says it is important he talks about “big issues” like health, social care and Brexit;” political leaders should not “pontificate on theological matters”.

Particularly in a society like Northern Ireland, one that requires accommodation between our political leaders, we must continue to grapple with how to manage different political convictions.

Before we begin to question whether or not faith and politics can coexist, let’s start by taking notice of how people of different faiths, and none, treat each other.

In contrast to how politicians of faith and no faith interact here, maybe there is an example to be found in Tim Farron’s leadership.