1. our need to re-evaluate our attitudes towards the process of European union in general and the European Community (now Union) in particular, and to repent from our apathy towards involvement in this process;
2. that the institution of government, whether of the single nation-state or multi-national (as with Rome or the EC/EU), is a God-ordained sphere of authority (Romans 13:1-7); and that civil servants and politicians are called ‘ministers of God’ (diakonos – Roms 13:4), and are to be obeyed when operating within their God-given authority;
3. that we as Christians have a primary duty to pray for such government officials, both of nation-states and of the EC/EU, for wise and just government, so that conditions of social ‘quiet and peace’ might facilitate the preaching of the gospel (1 Tim 2:1-4);
4. that the original vision of the EC/EU was not primarily economic, but rather, consistent with biblical values, aimed to reconcile the warring European nations into a true community of nations, laying aside their ‘tribal squabbles’;
5. that in the real world, results do not always follow intentions, and that several areas of concern need ongoing monitoring: • the tendency for economic and material values to dominate the decision-making processes of the EC/EU; • a potentially alarming democratic deficit in these processes, which could lead to misuse of power; • the speed of developments in recent years which increases the danger of autocratic decision- making; • the possibility for non-biblical worldviews to dominate the spiritual values which will guide the new Europe;
6. that we must explore and grasp the numerous opportunities, created by the process of European unity, • for evangelism and mission in those lands with limited freedom of worship; • for collective action towards aiding the rebuilding of the newly liberated central and eastern European lands; • for evangelical Christians to help shape the spiritual character and values of the emerging new Europe;
7. that issues challenging European union and true community today, such as rascism, nationalism, the rise of Islam, the influx of refugees, and the environment, can only be sufficiently responded to from a biblical perspective, which transcends race, nation and culture, offers a secure hope allowing for tolerance to rival worldviews, calls for God’s people to hospitality and compassion, and requires wise stewardship of earth’s resources;
8. and that the power of the gospel has both preserving (salt) and saving (light)dimensions, and therefore we must apply God’s word to every sphere of life affected by sin, including politics, economics and social issues.
Till next week, Jeff Fountain