The EU Vote: You Should Vote

This is a simple blog post.

It deals with a straightforward question.

Should the United Kingdom remain in the European Union, or leave it?

That, I think, is a rather important question.

Difficult to answer.

How should we vote?

I think the Anglican Bishops got the emphasis right; they 'merely' released a prayer, which I would encourage everyone with an interest in this vote to pray: 

God of truth,
give us grace to debate the issues in this referendum
with honesty and openness.
Give generosity to those who seek to form opinion
and discernment to those who vote,
that our nation may prosper
and that with all the peoples of Europe
we may work for peace and the common good;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

That is the starting point for Christians, as far as I am concerned.

The deeper issues are very complex. You really don't want to read this blog post, unless you are actually interested in the importance of voting.

This is an election where the challenge of Romans 13 is in full force. And, because I am currently undecided (Having been very pro-brexit) I think the biblical text should lead us as Christians in our discussion. Romans 13:1-10 reads thusly:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Wow.

Rude, right?

There is a lot going on here. Beyond praying for everyone in authority, there is an inkling that Christians might disagree about political persuasion. And this despite agreeing on the foundation of biblical politics - that the Bible demands we content for the common Good. 

In my wanderings and meanderings about the EU Vote, I've become convinced that Christians should vote, even if we must vote for the people or positions that lose. In the light of a Gospel imperative to vote and engage in the public square, Christians should think personally about how they should vote in the EU Referendum, think about how other Christians will be voting (thanks to !Audacious Church Manchester for the link!), and pray 'unceasingly' for those who make the decisions.

At the heart of discussions of unity in a world broken by sin is the question of how Christians can disagree in good conscience. My friends over at Christians in Politics have done a typically good video about disagreement (riffing off another great video looking at tea as a stand-in for sexual consent) which sets the scene for Christians to vote as they feel led.

I don't want to tell you how to vote. But I firmly believe that Christians should vote in this EU Referendum.

Pray about it.

Read about.

Think about it.

And then vote.

Thats all I've got to say about this, today.

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