Vote for hope, not fear and xenophobia, says Christian think tank

Christians and all people of goodwill should cast a decisive vote against the politics of fear, hated and xenophobia, says the director of the think tank Ekklesia, commenting on the UK referendum on EU membership this week.

“The campaign in the run-up to this crucial referendum has been depressingly narrow, badly informed and at times blatantly poisonous,” said Simon Barrow.

“In particular, the scapegoating of migrants and refugees has sent out a dark warning about the spectre of intolerance and racism haunting parts of Europe at the moment – including Britain.

“A new low was reached last week with the murder of Jo Cox MP, a brave and signal voice for the welcoming, just, plural and peaceful Europe which should be the goal for all of us.

“So Ekklesia is wanting people to vote decisively for hope, not fear, this Thursday.

“Our associates, contributors and friends naturally hold a spectrum of views about the challenges facing the European Union, within and without", explained Barrow. “We have sought to set out the issues involved in a paper examining the alternative futures confronting our continent, and another taking a critical look at the contribution Christians have made to the EU referendum debate.”

Ekklesia has also published ‘Ten principles to guide voting in the EU referendum and beyond’, framed both in Christian terms and in terms open to those of other beliefs and life-stances.

These include a commitment to favouring the poorest and most vulnerable; actively redressing social and economic injustices and inequalities; care for the planet; welcome for the stranger; transparency and democracy; community empowerment; welfare for all; investing in nonviolent alternatives to war; and seeing people, their dignity and rights, as the solution not the problem in debates over migration and other issues.

“Our predominant view, as part of the bipartisan Another Europe is Possible coalition, is that the best way forward is to seek to change the EU for human and planetary betterment from within,” said Ekklesia’s Simon Barrow.

"Many people in working class communities have been tempted by the lure of Leave out of despair at a UK political system which has failed them. But Brexit is a false prospectus, and risks emboldening a toxic far-right across the continent 

“Social, environmental, labour, women's, LGBTIQ+, disability and human rights are central to the European Union. It would be tragic to imperil these, either by abandoning the partnerships we have with other EU countries, or by giving up on the struggle to change an economic agenda forged far too much on austerity and neoliberal ideology.

“We recognise that people of good faith can legitimately differ over the EU – but Christians, in particular, have an absolute duty to stand against the tide of racism, hatred, negativity and fearmongering which has characterised far too much of this referendum debate”, concluded the Ekklesia Director.

Founded in 2002, Ekklesia is a public policy think-tank that explores the changing nature of the relationship between politics and beliefs in a plural world. Committed to social justice, peacemaking, environmental sustainability and new economy, it seeks to combine transformative Christian thinking about public life with ideas and insights from a range of allies beyond the Christian tradition. 

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Further resources from Ekklesia on the EU referendum: 

*What kind of European future? (Ekklesia, 13 June 2016) – http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/23160

* Assessing Christian contributions to the EU referendum debate (Ekklesia, 20 June 2016) – http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/23188

* Ten principles to guide voting in the EU referendum and beyond (Ekklesia, 21 June 2016) - http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/23194

* Ekklesia’s EU referendum briefing and commentary: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/eureferendum

For additional comment, please email Ekklesia's Director Simon Barrow (simonbarrowuk AT gmail.com - travelling at the moment), or call Chief Operating Officer Virginia Moffatt on 07729 380471. 

[Ekk/3]