Let me start by being very honest. I can't make head or tail of the Brexit issue! I have read numerous articles and arguments, spoken to campaigners on the street, talked with people on both sides of the argument, and I simply do not know which way to vote. I do however have a question that I am finding generally unaddressed by Christians and it causes me great discomfort that there is so little conversation about this among Christians. The question is this:
"What difference will remaining or leaving the EU have on the freedom of Christians in the UK to worship Christ and proclaim the gospel in Europe and across the world?"I see Christians, along with everyone else, talking about sovereignty and immigration and economics, etc. But I don't see Christians talking about the possible effect on the gospel. It isn't that these other issues are unimportant, but the gospel issues must surely (I dare not say trump!) take priority over them.
So, for instance, what is the trajectory of the law likely to be around religious freedom if we stay in the EU compared to if we come out? Many current university students are "no-platformers". That is, rather than allowing people they disagree with room to speak so they can be engaged and debated with, they prefer to prevent them from having a platform to speak in the first place. (It isn't all of them, but vocal minorities have proven they can change policy.) These very students will become MP's over the next few years. Is this also true in EU countries? To a greater or lesser extent? Could we be facing a far more serious clamp down on free speech? Would this be more likely in or out of the EU? This should concern the Christian community more than the future of East London's "silicon roundabout" or even the employment prospects of our children. Again, it isn't that these other topics are unimportant, clearly they are. But for the Christian the gospel must be the priority.
How will staying in or leaving the EU effect the work our theological colleges do? Will leaving make it much hard to train people for ministry from EU countries, or will it make it easier to train people from outside the EU. Will staying in the EU mean we can train pastors from Europe, but not Nigeria, China and Brazil? Will leaving make it easier to train the non-EU nationals, but harder to train the EU nationals?
How will staying or leaving effect the work of mission in this country? Will better regulation of boarders with Europe mean we can receive missionaries into the UK more readily from USA or South Korea or Zambia? Will it slow the help we receive from the continent, Germany, France, Spain? Will leaving mean it is more difficult to send missionaries into Europe while making little difference to our sending to the rest of the world?
I don't have answers to all these questions, but it strikes me that, more than economics and issues of sovereignty, we should be concerned how this vote effects the worship of Christ and the declaration of his gospel in the UK and beyond. As those who owe our lives to Christ, his kingdom's priorities, and not the priorities of the kingdoms of the world, should govern our decision when poling day comes.
"...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt 6:33
