With the importation of untold numbers of unassimilated immigrants, the European elites appear to be engaged in continental cultural suicide. It is frightening that the Christian Church, which created Europe as it was until recently, is largely eager to play its part in the euthanasia of a once rich culture.

Express concern about immigration and Archbishop Welby will label you ‘far right’ and ‘unChristian’. The Pope has blessed a mission by the Italian Bishops’ Conference to ferry illegal migrants to Europe from Africa. We are instructed that it is our Christian duty to receive them and that they enrich the host countries.

Enrichment

Under the Conservatives, Britain came first in Western Europe and joint second on the continent for crimes committed by perpetrators of foreign extraction. The adverse consequences of unfettered immigration manifest themselves every day, in our streets, on our X timelines, and to a lesser extent in the media headlines.

It is difficult to argue that importing the low skilled of the Third World is enriching Britain. In 2023, of Britain’s approximately 4,000 homeless 38 per cent were foreign nationals. Successive governments have refused to remove them.

The adverse consequences of unfettered immigration manifest themselves every day, in our streets, on our X timelines, and to a lesser extent in the media headlines.

Brwa Shorsh, the Kurdish migrant who shoved a postman into the path of a tube train in February, had 12 convictions for 21 offences. Despite this pattern of behaviour, he was allowed to remain in Britain to sleep on the streets. Shorsh was also a convicted sex offender. What benefit or cultural enrichment did his presence confer upon Britain?

Britain has one of the highest levels of recorded acid attacks in the world. According to the Independent, ‘Senior officers believe the horrific crimes are not always being reported, meaning the unprecedented number of known assaults using corrosive substances may be a fraction of the true total.’

Woke attempts to argue that acid attacks are part and parcel of British history are unconvincing. ‘Honour’-based acid attacks are not part of our cultural heritage. Worldwide, 90 per cent of acid attacks occur in those low-income countries where our political and business class source most of our immigrants.

Blinkered elites

Such crimes destroy social cohesion, and the unwillingness of the authorities to acknowledge them destroys faith in politics. The luxury beliefs of the progressive elites undermine our faith in the willingness of those in power to protect us.

Following the 2021 murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess by an Islamist knifeman, fellow politicians did not demand greater action against terrorist sympathisers. Instead MPs made calls to expand and fast-track the Online Safety Bill in order to crack down on social media abuse. In the light of Sir David’s murder they insensitively named it ‘David’s Law’.

Britain has one of the highest levels of recorded acid attacks in the world.

In January this year, a mother and her two young daughters were attacked by Abdul Ezedi, who threw an alkaline substance over them, causing ‘life-changing’ injuries. Barrister Sam Fowles insisted that ‘Abdul Ezedi’s immigration status has nothing to do with acid attacks,’ and instead chose to blame Andrew Tate and online misogyny. The woke elites would do anything rather than address the elephant in the room.

The facts present a different story. In 2018, Ezedi, an illegal immigrant from Afghanistan, was convicted on one charge of sexual assault and another of exposure. For these crimes he was given suspended sentences.

Instead of being deported, he was granted asylum in 2020 at the third time of asking. He claimed to be a Christian convert and a church witness said he believed that Ezedi had converted to Christianity.

Progressive Christians seem to be caught in a suicidal dream of universal goodwill to foreign criminals eagerly accepting their sudden ‘conversion’ to Christianity. Demonstrating their commitment to the core progressive gospel that institutional racism pervades British life, the Anglican Church eagerly advocates for these supposed converts to stay in the UK.

Complementary principles

Christians’ social actions are guided by the two complementary biblical principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. Allowing one to overwhelm the other distorts the faith, with a consequent impact on life. When thinking of immigration, the sentimental liberal theology of our ecclesiastical leaders prioritises solidarity.

Christians’ social actions are guided by the two complementary biblical principles of solidarity and subsidiarity.

Solidarity has its basis in Genesis 1 where we find we are all part of the same human family. All, without exception, are made in the image of God and are of value to God. The distinctions of race, sex, social standing, intelligence etc., which we value on a human level, are not to restrict our care for others. We are to be brothers and sisters to all.

Subsidiarity teaches we should respect the identity and dignity of individuals and groups and their right to meet their needs in their own ways.

Our love and generosity towards others consists of a series of ever-expanding circles. Our relationship with God is fundamental; after that our spouse and immediate family take priority in our lives over our friends and acquaintances, who take priority over organisations; then wider society and nation and finally humanity. Subsidiarity teaches us to pay more attention to the group nearest to us before we move out to the others.

This is a reflection of the life of Christ who had expanding circles of relationship. Jesus was closer to some of his followers than to others. First came his beloved disciple John, then an inner circle of three best friends Peter, James and John, then the twelve disciples, then the 72 sent out on mission. Finally expanding all the way out to present-day believers around the globe, whom he terms friends.

We must balance the well-being of immigrants seeking a better way of life against the rights and protection of those who are expected to welcome them.

Subsidiarity reminds us that charity begins at home whilst solidarity reminds us it doesn’t stop there. We need both. Emphasising subsidiarity on its own leads to an utterly selfish anarchism where ‘Me and mine’ ignores ‘You and yours’. Emphasising solidarity on its own leads to a communistic loss of distinctiveness and the freedom to exercise self-responsibility.

We must balance the well-being of immigrants seeking a better way of life against the rights and protection of those who are expected to welcome them. Both groups must be considered. Like our secular leaders, our church leaders give every indication of being concerned with only one group.

Without question, we have entered the sphere of two-tier church leaders.

The Rev. Dr Campbell Campbell-Jack is a retired Church of Scotland minister; now a member of the Free Church of Scotland. Check out his many incisive articles on his blog, A Grain of Sand.