Dear Sir,
I would like to respond to two comments Robert Coulson made in his letter ‘Lewis and the EU’ (Letters, July en). I agree with him that C.S. Lewis’s comment made in 1953, referring to the apostasy of the great part of Europe from the Christian faith, would apply well to the EU today, as long as we are realistic and humble enough to admit that this includes the spiritual condition of Great Britain.
Especially in recent weeks, before, during and after the referendum, I heard many express the view, that, as long as we left the EU, we would stop the political, social and spiritual contamination coming from Europe. Such an opinion completely overlooks the fact that apostasy is right here among us.
The other comment referred to the ever increasing effect of Islam on Europe. I fully agree with Mr Coulson on his assessment of the errors of Islam. However, the movement of people within and into Europe in recent times is not all negative. I am in no doubt that politicians in Europe and the UK will need to address the very complex logistics of the movement of people and immigration. We will all have different views on that, but I strongly believe that, in all circumstances, we need to be mindful of the commandment of our Lord Jesus to ‘make disciples of all nations’, always looking for new opportunities.
The negative view of many regarding the presence of Muslims in Great Britain reminds me of a missionary talk I heard some 30 years ago. The missionary came from England, but lived and worked in the Republic of Ireland. He commented on the hostility between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland at a time when the British Government encouraged integration in housing estates rather than segregation. The missionary said: ‘there are Protestants in the North who are greatly disturbed that they may have to live next to a Catholic family. In the South we would call that an opportunity!’
I am not naive regarding the challenges Europe and the UK are facing today, but let us as God’s people go out and reach those who do not know Jesus as Saviour, especially if they are living next door!
Yours because of him who loved us and gave himself for us,
