An Obadiah Slope column
John Stevens, the National Director of the UK’s Fellowship of Evangelical Churches (similar theologically to the Australian fellowship), has made a bold statement. When Obadiah says Stevens was agreeing with Kemi Badenoch, who leads the Conservative Party, you might think Stevens was not that brave. But hold on and read: bearing in mind that Badenoch was born in Nigeria and is black.
“I completely agree with what Kemi Badenoch said about national identity at the Conservative Party Conference yesterday:
‘I don’t want to live in a country run by people who…debate whether my mixed-race children are English. I don’t want to explain to my son when we’re watching our brilliant England team play football that some people don’t think our black players are English. I remember back in the day when Ian Wright and John Barnes were playing, nobody was questioning whether they were English. We certainly didn’t have sitting MPs questioning whether they were English. We must not let these people take us backwards. That is not the country we are…I don’t know whether you’ve noticed, but I am black. I am British. I’m proud of my country, I’m proud of our history. All that we have done, and all that we will do in the world. Our best days are not behind us, and we will not let this country go backwards.’
“That is why I reject and oppose any ethno-nationalism that claims that to be truly British or English means to be white. It is dangerous and wrong, and does not reflect the reality of our country, nor the message of the gospel.
“It is why I reject and oppose an entho-Christian Nationalism, which claims that to be British or English mean to be white Anglo-Saxon, and which equates Christianity in this country with ‘white culture’ (whatever that means – given the vast diversity of cultures of white people in England/Britain and the very significant number of evangelicals from a non-white heritage who are such a blessing to the church in UK today). This thinking is contrary to the gospel, the biblical understanding of states/nations, and the mission of the church.
“It is truly patriotic to encourage Christian influence in the UK and be thankful for the blessings we enjoy as a country (and honestly admit its failings & past wrongdoing), but to reject such ethno-nationalism, whether it comes in a secular or ‘Christian’ form.
“Evangelical Christians ought to know better than to pander to ethno-nationalism. I don’t want our country to be taken backwards in the name of Christ.”
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White flash: Obadiah has seen heaps of pushback online, with Christians saying they can’t understand why Badenoch says her mixed-race kids are English. That includes some Aussie Christian sites. So wearily Obadiah asks again: “I was born in England, am half japanese and a quarter Jewish, adopted by British parents and am now an Australian citizen.” Do you think I am an Aussie?
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Obadiah Wonders: Do you think the real estate agent is advertising for church planters to take over the top of the pub?
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