The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) has issued a statement intended to dispel the belief that evangelicalism is shorthand for right wing and potentially nationalist politics.
The EEA said that the term “evangelical” is being "wrongly linked to political movements and narratives that do not reflect the reality of evangelical communities in Europe".
This stems largely from American influence, where for decades evangelicals and the “Christian Right” have been seen as a significant voter base for the Republican Party, it says.
Polls suggest that at least three quarters of white evangelicals vote Republican at presidential elections. While black Protestants tend to vote Democrat, there are at least twice as many white evangelicals as black ones.
In their statement, the EEA said, “Recently, the term ‘Evangelical’ has become increasingly associated in public discourse with radical Right politics, including dynamics that originate outside our continent.
“Many factors contribute to the confusion, including some media coverage from the United States, the use of 'evangelical' as a political label and exclusionary nationalism sometimes being fused with Christian identity.”
This confusion, the EEA argued, has caused politicians and media in Europe to assume that evangelicals on the continent are “dangerous extremists”.
The EEA emphasised that to be an evangelical is first and foremost about faith, rather than politics.
“European Evangelicals are united by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the call to love God and neighbour. It is our honour, passion and Christian duty to share the Good News of Jesus with others.
"We are rooted in biblical foundations and especially committed to the life, example, and teaching of Jesus.
"Our movement is diverse, multi-ethnic and part of a community which spans the globe. We celebrate the richness of cultures and backgrounds within the Evangelical Church family.”
The EEA said it was “strictly non-partisan regarding party politics”.
On the issue of “Christian nationalism”, the EEA was cautious, saying its stance depended very much on what was meant by the term.
“The term ‘Christian nationalism’ is used in diverse ways. Love of nation is a precious thing when that love does not lead to hatred for or harm of others. Bringing Christian ideas to the table for debate is also good, just as others bring theirs. Christianity has had a profound and positive impact on the development of all European nations," it said.
"However, when ‘Christian nationalism’ refers to dominance, coercion, imposition, intolerance and exclusion, Christianity being aligned to just one political ideology or ‘the ends justify the means,’ the vast majority of evangelicals in Europe reject it.”
The statement concluded with a call for evangelicals in Europe to continue praying for and serving their communities.
