Evangelicals Now asked me to write this….Don’t shoot the messenger…!
JD Vance and the Crisis of the West
I have a confession to make. I actually like listening to political speeches — at least the good ones.
But in recent years the quality of political speeches has rapidly declined; I can remember speeches by Tony Benn, Alex Salmond, Michael Gove, Margaret Thatcher, Michael Foot, Ronald Regan, George Galloway, Dennis Skinner and Charles Kennedy. But it’s been a long time since I have heard a speech that I would regard as culture-changing — or perhaps emblematic of a culture change. Until just recently. For there is no doubt that JD Vance’s speech to the Munich conference was a game-changer.
Vance is an excellent speaker. He is clear, intelligent, measured, respectful and stimulating. He speaks as well as he writes — his book Hillbilly Elegy is a wonderful and inspiring read. This is not to say that I would agree with everything he says — but he is certainly someone to be taken seriously.
His speech in Paris on the EU and AI was followed by an extraordinary speech at the Munich Security Conference, where, instead of playing the usual nice diplomatic games, he brought out a few home truths – and in such a devastating manner, that it threatens to reset the whole US/UK/EU transatlantic alliance.
So what is the Christian perspective on this? Is there one single Christian perspective? I doubt it. But let me offer mine. I would suggest that in terms of being like the men of Issachar who understood the times (1 Chronicles 12:32), there are lessons we can all learn – whatever side of the political spectrum we are on.
1) The reaction to the speech tells us almost as much as the speech itself
According to the BBC, reporting with their usual balance and impartiality, ‘Vance’s speech went down very badly — unequivocally badly. It was extraordinarily poorly judged.’ The BBC’s reporting is itself indicative of a form of news reporting, which rather than reporting just what has happened, tends to offer a prejudiced perspective based on the politics/ideology of the reporter or reporting organisation. Which is why, without being totally cynical, Christians need to be much more discerning and balanced in how we deal with the news that is passed on to us. And why we need some more principled Christian journalists!
Some Christians bought into the line that Vance was lying about the restrictions on prayer within the so called ‘safe access’ areas to abortion zones in Scotland. I have been involved with this particular issue for many years, and I knew that he had not lied. Indeed, it was the Scottish government who misinformed…. Endlessly on X and in the secular media.
2) The real danger is from within
Vance shocked his audience when he pointed out that the real danger to European liberal democracy comes not from outside (Russia and China), but from within. In passing, I was disappointed to see that some Christian commentators bought into the meme that Vance was saying that Russia was not a danger. He wasn’t. He was talking about what he thought was the greater danger. And surely he is not wrong? It is not just the Kingdom of God that is within, it is also the Kingdom of Satan. Western Europe in particular is in full retreat from its Christian past — and as a result, a cancer is eating away from within.
3) Vance was right to point out the threat to free speech
There are numerous examples of this — ironically evidenced when CBS published a 60-minute documentary showing the German police delighting in punishing people for so-called ‘hate speech’. You don’t fight fascism with fascist measures.
Speaking of free speech, the hypocrisy is breathtaking. The Green Party Chancellor candidate Robert Habeck said that Vance should not have spoken, stating: ‘It’s just none of your business. Mind your own business. There are enough problems in the USA.’ And yet Halbeck had no problem endorsing Joe Biden during the US election and feels perfectly free to lecture the world about climate change. Why shouldn’t a friendly nation have the right to make comments? The wounds of a friends are faithful!
4) Uncontrolled immigration is a major threat
I would hope that Christians would see it as a priority to welcome the genuine refugee and to try to provide as much help as possible. Immigration overall has been a great boon to most countries. However, the issue of uncontrolled immigration is a serious one. It is potentially one of the greatest threats facing Europe today. Vance was right to point out the problems that both his own and European countries are facing with this issue. If the church wishes to make a significant contribution, we need to stop virtue signalling with selective Bible texts and ‘Jesus was a refugee’ rhetoric, and offer some practical principles and solutions.
5) Islam is a serious threat to European liberal democracies which have been founded largely on Christianity
No one who understands that there is no separation of religion and politics in Islam could disagree with that. We see the impacts of that even now. The UK is about to bring in a new blasphemy law which, under the guise of preventing Islamophobia, will be used to crush critics of Islam. Although, given recent events it is questionable whether such a law is needed. If you critique Islam and a Muslim threatens or attacks you, the courts are more likely to look upon you as the offender. Vance cited the case of a Christian activist who has been convicted by a Swedish court for the blasphemy of burning a Koran — just after his friend had been murdered for doing the same thing. I’m not a big fan of book burning — but this reaction from the law courts indicates just how much danger many Christians are in — in a Europe where Islam is protected and Christianity derided.
As if to further prove the point, the day after Vance’s speech there was a dispute in London between a man who had set a copy of the Koran on fire and another man who assaulted the Koran-burner with an enormous knife. The book-burner, Hamit Coskun, has been charged with a ‘religiously aggravated public order offense.’ The knife-wielder has been released on bail. Two-tier justice is alive and well in the UK.
6) Democracy is under threat if judges and EU technocrats can just cancel elections
— as happened in the recent Romanian elections. The audience in front of JD Vance were largely the elites, the technocrats and bureaucrats, who run most European institutions and media. The only area where they do not as yet have control is social media — which is why they are now so desperate to clamp down on X and other social media platforms which can now no longer be safely relied on to follow their previous Californian woke doctrines.
This latter point is crucial for the Church. If we have countries run by elites who get to enact blasphemy laws, how long will it be before faithful churches are persecuted because they preach biblical doctrines that are a direct contradiction of the new ‘progressive’ religion? Sadly, there are some Christians who think that such talk is just right-wing conspiracy theories — which they do not want to be associated with. They are, after all, decent members of society. There are some weird and wonderful right-wing theories (as there are left wing) — but that is not the issue. We don’t allow the devil to determine our agenda or speech. We now live in a world where if you say you do not think that men can become women or that marriage should be between a man and a woman — you are called a Fascist!
None of the above is meant as an endorsement of Vance’s politics or of his boss! Christians need to avoid this narrow kind of political tribalism. I was disappointed to be labelled by some Christian commentators as some kind of Trumpian right-winger, just because of my views on Vance’s speech. We should be free to comment on issues as we wish without being labelled according to the partisan politics of this world. I should be free to state that I regard Trump’s remarks on Ukraine as bombastic and ignorant without being called a liberal, and I should be free to state that Vance’s speech was one of the best and most significant in recent political history, without being accused of being far right!
We are, as Os Guinness has observed, in a civilisational moment — a crossroads, especially for the West. As Christians our first and last priority is to pray for kings and those in authority. But we must also stay informed, get involved and engage respectfully and intelligently. And above all we must realise that without Christians we cannot have a Christian civilisation. Our calling is to proclaim the Gospel — not the next political saviour/devil.
David Robertson, is the minster of Scots Kirk Presbyterian Church, Newcastle NSW and blogs at http://www.theweeflea.com
Fact-checking JD Vance on Scotland’s awful abortion clinic buffer zones – CT
David, I didn’t know you when you were a Scottish Nationalist/Labour Party socialist. It’s not that I necessarily disagree with what you write, but you come across much more like a right-wing Conservative…and this isn’t the first time by any means. I know you’ll say you’re just being biblical and apolitical and maybe you are, but why and whence the radical change of perspective?
Don’t go by how people ‘come across’…right and left are now meaningless terms in a world where the working class are seen as conservative and you can have millionnaire socialists! And I havn’t had a radical change of perspective – my political views are largely the same. It’s not me that’s moved – its the culture. I think the only change I have had is that I no longer support the EU (and even that is a return to my Bennite roots!)…..and I am even more suspicious of big government – but then I always was!
You slightly mislead regarding the Koran burning. Unless I’ve misunderstood you are suggesting that the book-burner is being treated more harshly than the attacker – except though he has been bailed, the attacker ‘has been charged with causing actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.’ Those are serious crimes for which he is likely to be convicted given the video evidence. https://www.lbc.co.uk/crime/two-charged-police-man-kicked-knifeman-koran-burn/
Thank you for pointing this out, Ben. It’s so easy to stir up Islamophobic feelings by misleading information.
Except all that Ben pointed out backed up what I said – the book burner was not bailed, the stabber was. Which indicates the two tier justice currently in vogue in the UK. And please don’t accuse people of stirring up Islamahobia every time they point these things out. Apparently in the UK and Europe killing people for attacking the Koran is now understandable and excusable…
Except – he has now also been released on bail, and one common reason for being remanded in custody is for protection if, say, the court thinks the person is in danger of another assault.
I’m not saying that’s why he was remanded rather than bailed, I’m saying that we don’t know so this is not evidence (yet) of a two tier justice system here.
What is so precious or unique about the five pillars of Islam? Why does no one discuss this?
After Messrs Vance and Trump’s appalling display of themselves and their characters yesterday evening (28th February but probably 1st March when it reached Australia) would you still speak so favourably of Mr Vance. Or do you now take the line that however well you think he may be able to express himself, he is misusing his skills in a bad cause? Or do you think, that is irrelevant and all you were commenting on was your admiration for his eloquence, howsoever used?
I am not sure that I can separate the one quality from the other, or that it could be right to do so.
Thats not how things work….don’t be so binary. I was commenting on his speech in Munich which was absolutely excellent. In my world it is possible for someone to make an excellent speech one day and be completely wrong the following…!
So do you agree that he was “completely wrong” in attacking Zelenskyy as he did? Or do you think what he said was right?
In the three minute clip I saw he looked appalling as did Trump. He certainly looked wrong – and from what I have seen I suspect he was. However I will do what I always try to do in these situations – I will look at the whole 53 minute press conference and try to judge it in context….and doubtless you will hear from me….it was quite extraordinary…
A number of people in the 1930s made some seemingly “excellent” speeches – and look what happened. Could I suggest you could do the work of the Lord more effectively by dropping your polemic approach? It is unbecoming for a man of the cloth.
Could you tell us what ‘excellent speeches’ in the 1930’s that you refer to? Which ones have you read? Which ones reflected Christian values? I find it more than a little ironic that you make a polemical comment in order to try and get me to stop making polemical comments. If it is ‘unbecoming’ for a ‘man of the cloth’ I guess you would also condemn Elijah (mocking the prophets of Baal), Paul (telling the circumcisers to go an emasculate themselves!) and Jesus (calling the Pharisees white washed tombs -twice dead!). Even Christ would not be Christlike enough for you! Sorry if that’s too polemical….truth sometimes is!
It was interesting that the MSM in Britain only played the part of the interview where Trump and Vance ‘lost it’ with Zelenskyy. However, having seen the whole clip, I can’t say that I disagree with them in their reaction. I was horrified when Zelenskyy was allowed to address parliament back in early 2022, and shamelessly plagiarised Churchill! What was even more shameful was that the whole house stood to give him a standing ovation!!
To put this in context, at what point after the Brexit vote in 2016, did parliament respect the will of the people and come together for the country? Also, bear in mind that the whole of parliament had barely met together in full the chambers since March 2020, without masks, social distancing and video conferencing. Up until the advent of the Ukraine war, there was word of people being excluded if they had not taken the covid vaccine – both in the UK and all across Europe.
I personally think he IS a shameless greedy grifter and shows great disrespect to both the office(s) and peoples of US and the UK for their support in the war. He can easily afford a suit. It is hugely disrespectful to turn up to the White House, 10 Downing Street or meet with the King dressed like a scruff. His insolent attitude all throughout that meeting WAS a disgrace, and the insolent comment that he ‘would wear a costume next time’.
We would have received a good clip round the ear, if we had behaved in such a disrespectful manner.
In what way is Zelensky a grifter (aka swindler)?
The King himself is the only one who can dispense with dress protocol. It was a pointed rebuke by His Majesty to Trump.
But Elon Musk never gets rebuked when he shows up at the Oval Office in a tshirt! Don’t you all get a little tired of reading off the same script?
The two links below ate worth watching. The frst is very helpful dspite being spoiled by tapinosis. I think he reveals clearly what provoked Vance and Trump. That is not to say they should have responded to the provpcation. I would have hoped that they would have cut him more slack given the tension he has lived under. The second is alomg the same lines, though not as detailed it is more measured.
What concerns me is how unwilling media figures are to turn the other cheek or be a little forbeaaring. everyone takes offence and responses are inevitably over-the-top and themselves carry offence.
https://youtu.be/jLTvIEIPhiY?si=7icxGtJWOGw15EyD
https://youtu.be/OtmMl8ISPcY?si=O4bfNM7JVcePCgBG
Nothing like oppressing the oppressed while the oppressor gets off. I can understand a closed door meeting or a one on one on camera. But for the vice-president to jump into this discussion – if I had engaged in public conduct like that in the military I would have gotten in serious trouble. Leave it to the heads of state. One thing for sure – as the President said, it made great television…. but only in America. Really bad start for an administration aiming to regain the respect of the world. I wouldn’t have treated an erring middle schooler like that much less a head of state.
Your comment about the EU annuling the Romanian election is incorrect. The Romanian central election authority did that . Which source did you consult?
My comment that the EU was involved – it worked as it often does through activist judges. The result was annulled not by the election authority but by the consitutional court – a ruling which was upheld by the EU Supreme Court. Thierry Breton, the French EU commissioner stated that just as they had annulled the elections in Rumania so if the AFD got elected in Germany that result could also be annulled. The sources are Reuters and the French TV channel RFC.
The attempt to appeal the Romanian Constitutional Court’s annulment of the January election failed at the European Court of Human Rights. This is not an EU body. It is the senior court for the Council of Europe.
The supreme court in the EU is the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Yes but your comment is misleading. It was the Romanian government, not the EU. Your readers should not have to guess. Your comment regarding the AfD also makes me wonder how much you know about the extreme right in Germany. The AfD was elected (second place) so I am not sure what point you were trying to make here. Your comment about “fascist methods” also needs clarification. How would you evaluate Trump’s moves against DEI? His language and actions against the American press he disagrees with? His calls for impeachment of judges with which he disagrees? Aren’t these fascist? Would you be willing to call this administration to account in a similar article for these and other serious missteps?
Perhaps you already have. Most conservative supporters of the President will not. It is time for us to be Daniels in Nebuchadnezzar as court and to call out our own sins.
It’s kind of sweet that you still think that governments within the EU do things off their own bat. It was the Rumanian court – not the government. I’m sorry that you don’t understand Bretons comment about not allowing the AFD to win. Maybe he doesn’t know what he was talking about – after all he is only an EU Commissioner. No Trumps moves are not fascist – I suggest you look up the term fascism – any more than Biden’s moves against judges he did not like were fascist.
The Romanian courts are not the EU either. Unless one is Nigel Farage or dancing to his tune, suggesting that they are is just rhetoric and misplaced rhetoric. It is not how things are. It is not how they work. It was not when the UK was in the EU, it is not now and that is the same whichever way one voted in 2016.
I agree with you that Trump’s moves aren’t fascist – authoritarian for certain. I was just requesting you to clarify what you meant when you construe Germany’s moves against the AfD as fascist. I’m sure you’ll agree that it is easy to label. I hear it every day on concert talk radio in the U.S. The same labels, the identical talking points repeated ad nauseam with no reflection on the fact that what we accuse the Left of, we on the Right engage in. My point is that we need to call out authoritarianism in all its manifestations Left or Right. America is no stellar model of Christian civilization either. We often confuse God’s kingdom with the kingdoms of this world. Consider Augustine’s response to the “collapse” of Rome as an example of how we could respond to our current crises. I appreciate the fact that you are giving us all the opportunity to think and interact on issues that matter. Keep going!
One more thing – If you are referring the Constitutional Court, you are correct that it isn’t part of the government but it is an independent body, just as the German Constitutional Court is. A recent case in point from Germany is their ruling that the outgoing Bundles tag can legislate until the new one is sworn in despite what the AfD and PSW would have liked. The EU was not pulling their strings here. Do you know of any rulings in either country that would lead you to believe the contrary?
As an elderly American Christian (and former pastor) my hats off to theweeflea for exercising free speech and pointing out sane and reasonable discourse when it appears … almost sounds like you guys are still allowed to have an opinion and exercise some form of free speech across the water – even though most conservatives here believe you have lost it due to the woke mind virus and liberal theology that has been allowed to sweep over Europe during the past few decades (eg., folks jailed for thoughts or silent prayers, facebook posts, opinions about immigration; really?! – see link below).
I prefer my land of the free embodied in a Constitution and Bill of Rights that protect us from an our government and I gladly pray for my president who fortunately supports Christians and abhors their persecution (as well as wanting to end the death of thousands of young men fighting in a non-winnable foreign war supported by a dictator that whines for money while canceling all elections and forced the closing all orthodox Christian churches in his country). Odd that such views have to be defended in the EU based on its history. Yes, teenage America has many problems but the country’s recent election mandate shows signs of it coming out of the MATRIX of nonsensible reasoning that abhorred logic, science and nature (eg. “self-evident Truths” with a capital ‘T’ for our modernist audience). As Regan liked to point out “the government doesn’t solve problems it is the problem” and why Americans are hoping to reduce its presence and pre-occupation against liberty and instead promote self-government, free speech and representation of its “citizens” (you might say we were influenced by the Magna Carta).
But that aside, as a Christian its my opinion that many comments appear unaware of the spiritual battle taking place globally and the gospel is the final authority and answer to that war. However, even among the religious populace many have left their faith as originally defined far behind. But as pointed out above “w/o Christians there will be no Christian civilization” and politics will always play a role in that !
Cheers and blessings to all.
cf. another good read !
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/jd-vance-breaks-another-taboo-europes-christians-are-being-persecuted/
You are so spot on, Robert T. in your assessment of the discourse found on such excellent forums such as this one. And we in the U.S. are so blessed with our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
I also pray that we believers pay close attention to how the early Church responded in a hostile world. I appreciate the fact that they did not hinge their survival on the political powers of the day. I hear many claim that we have just four more years until we lose our religious influence. Aren’t you glad the gospel of Christ has always survived when empires around them fell? True, we are citizens of our various states, but our true citizenship is in heaven. The humility that one finds in Peter’s letters addressed to persecuted believers is a rare commodity in today’s rhetoric among many Christians. Instead, most of what I hear focuses on power, war, fighting, and how to take down our enemies “before it’s too late.”. Too late for what or for whom? I find such fears missing from the Scriptures. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong place.