Protestant body warns of right-wing 'harm' in Europe

"The European Parliament must not become a showplace for extremist forces," the General Secretary of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) has warned.

Bishop Michael Buenker issued the warning in the wake of last week’s European Parliament election, which saw radical right-wing parties make gains across Europe. In the UK, the BNP won its first two seats to the European Parliament after party leader Nick Griffin was elected in the North West region and Andrew Brons won in Yorkshire and Humber.

Bishop Buenker said that although some of the radical right wing parties had attempted to posit themselves as defenders of the Christian faith during their election campaigns, the content of their policies was “diametrically opposed to the Christian message”.

“The Christian faith requires love of neighbour and respect for others, solidarity and responsibility for a peaceful life together,” he said. “That does not go with xenophobic and racist slogans.”

The CPCE said the results of the European elections had revealed a “strengthening” of Eurosceptic and radical right-wing parties “which want to block a European policy”.

The group said, however, that in spite of its defects the EU remained an “important project of European unification”. It is calling for democracy in Europe to be strengthened.

Bishop Buenker said: “Particularly in times of crisis in which close collaboration beyond frontiers is indispensable, we cannot afford to allow the common effort for a peaceful and unified Europe to be threatened.”

He added: “The radical right will harm people in Europe.”

His warning comes as churches across the UK gear up for a day of prayer for people seeking sanctuary in the UK and workers at the UK Border Agency. The day of prayer on Sunday marks the start of Refugee Week and is part of a new movement called CITIZENS for Sanctuary, which aims to restore public support in the UK for the provision of sanctuary to people fleeing persecution.

Jonathan Cox, lead organiser of CITIZENS for Sanctuary said: “We are encouraging churches to remember refugees in their prayers. Our hope is that thousands of people across the country will hear the prayer and think about what they can do when they leave church to help to save sanctuary.”

Father John Clark will be using the prayer at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Joseph Catholic Church in South London.

Father John said: "We should not forget that Jesus Christ was a refugee. I wonder how Mary and Joseph would be treated if they were to seek sanctuary here today? We must remember in our prayers the refugees who need our protection, but also the civil servants who have to make life-or-death decisions on our behalf."

Development Chaplain Tim Clapton will also be using the prayer at Milton Keynes Mission Partnership. He said: "I am really happy the Churches of Milton Keynes are taking part in the collective prayer for people seeking sanctuary and for those making the life-and-death decisions at the UK Border Agency.

"It's more important now than ever for us to celebrate the diversity of our communities and our proud tradition of offering sanctuary for people fleeing persecution."

Church leaders in the UK expressed their dismay at the advance of radical right-wing parties in the European Parliament earlier this week.

Rachel Lampard, Public Adviser for the Methodist Church, said that the limited success of the BNP had not changed the Churches’ “steadfast” message of God’s universal love.

“God loves all and racism is a sin,” she said. “The campaigning work of the churches and other grassroots organisations has helped to highlight the need for people to vote positively, especially at a time when public confidence in politics has been shaken.”

The Rev Graham Sparkes, Head of Faith and Unity for the Baptist Union of Great Britain, said it was “deeply disappointing” that a racist party would be representing Britain in Europe for the next five years.

He said it was vital that the remaining UK representatives “dedicate themselves to promote the common good”.

The United Reformed Church’s Secretary for Church and Society Frank Kantor said: “We must never become comfortable with the BNP using their position to promote their racist policies. We will continue to counter their messages of hatred and fear.”

The BNP had come under fire from Churches in the run up to the election after launching a poster campaign featuring Jesus and quoting Scripture.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York were among the Church leaders who publicly distanced themselves from the BNP’s Christian language.