“Without justice, there will be no real peace in Ukraine and it will be very hard to start a reconciliation process”

European leaders of evangelical churches have expressed their surprise, sadness and in some cases anger at the decisions of the new US government, led by Donald Trump, who was at the centre of a televised clash in the White House with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Evangelical Focus spoke to Jan Wessels, co-general secretary of the European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) about the current moment.

The EEA represents some 23 million evangelical Christians in European countries and has a branch for socio-political action with representation in Brussels. The evangelical body expressed its condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine three years ago and has called since then to pray and support the victims.

“It is very unfortunate that a path has been chosen by some to exclude Ukraine and Europe from peace talks”, says Wessels, who emphasises that despite the “difficulties”, the evangelical body continues to be in touch with Russian evangelicals.

Q. How do you see evangelical Christians in Europe reacting to the first weeks of decisions and attitudes of the new president of the United States regarding sensitive conflicts like the war in Ukraine?

Answer. I was in the Balkans just last week, and Christians we’ve met there were very concerned about the situation in Ukraine and the developments on the geopolitical level. But there are different opinions within the family of the European Evangelical Alliance. It is not always easy to navigate these positions.

It is very unfortunate that a path has been chosen by some to exclude Ukraine and Europe from peace talks. Even if you say they can join later, it is very strange that the country that is victim of this aggression is excluded from the peace talks.

We all want peace but it has to be based on justice and on the Biblical law of love.

Ukraine has suffered a lot: civilian lives have been taken, and devastation has been brought on their country. There are international laws that determine that there are borders and Ukraine is acknowledged as an independent, autonomous republic. These international laws are now ignored and overruled, and that’s not justice. Without justice, there will be no real peace and it will be very hard to start a process of reconciliation.

Q. Beyond public statements and positions, can the EEA mediate and make practical steps to build bridges with Russian Christians?

A. At the moment, it is too early for that. We are trying to keep in touch with our Russian brothers and sisters: it is really precious to have those relationships, but it is also a very difficult situation at the moment, as we as EEA are being perceived as just being against Russia and as a foreign agent.

[destacate] “We are building relationships with the Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches in Ukraine and these relationships have grown strong in the past few years”[/destacate]Definitely, Russian evangelicals are our brothers and sisters, and we want them to thrive and be able to spread the gospel freely in Russia and be good news people in Russia. We see the challenges they have in that, we want to support them, but it is difficult as well.

In Ukraine, there is no Evangelical Alliance as such that is a member of the EEA yet, but we have a lot of friends and brothers and sisters there also. We are building relationships with the Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches in Ukraine and these relationships have grown strong in the past few years.

Setting a time to start conversations is difficult now. There is still so much pain in Ukraine, and pain is being inflicted on them every day. Talking of reconciliation and trying to bring people together will only start to become possible once the war stops and a just peace is established. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for a process of reconciliation between nations and even churches in different nations.

Our EEA family is in tetters. We see all the parts suffering, but we also see that they cannot do much to change the situation yet and it is difficult to get them around the table. So we pray and we stand especially with those who are victims. That is our role in the first place I think, as Psalm 82 says: “Defend the week and the fatherless, uphold the cause of the oppressed”.

As in Europe there is still a whole discussion, with people who are seeing different ways of solving this issue, it is difficult to bring this all together in one common vision. Our role is especially to keep the family together, keep people talking to each other and praying together.  

[destacate] “We want Russian evangelicals to thrive and be able to spread the gospel freely”[/destacate]Q. Are you starting to see a split between evangelical Christians in Europe who support political options which tend to nationalistic options which appeal to ‘Christian values of the past?

A. I do not have that feeling at the moment. Among evangelical there will be people that are more nationalistic and many that lament the rapid secularisation of western Europe. But there is a very strong feeling that we have to accept that we are a minority.

We understand that we have to make that minority strong through proper Christian discipleship. That is where many are focusing now, on how to disciple Christians to face all the challenges of our time, and to be Good News People.

Q. Could this scenario in which the United States and Europe are beginning to have conflicting worldviews have negative effects on partnerships between evangelical churches and mission organisations on both sides of the Atlantic?

A. It is easy that this happens, but I hope that we can avoid it by being in touch with each another. Especially in the World Evangelical Alliance, we are really having these good conversations. And as regional Evangelical Alliance secretaries it’s incredible how close we have grown in the last years.

[destacate]“We should always continue to reach out to US Christians with love, and that is what we try to do”[/destacate]There will be people who will go that direction for sure, but I believe evangelicals have really a strong way to reach out to brothers and sisters wanting to be connected.

We should not be led by fear or frustration but always by hope. We should always continue to reach out to US Christians with love, and that is what we try to do. I hope that with the help of the Holy Spirit, in the evangelical movement we might be able to still work together and will be able to overcome the gaps that are growing. This is one of the major strengths of the evangelical movement.

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