The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) has issued an announcement refuting claims by a Russian Evangelical leader who told Christian Daily International that the country he loved “is being attacked by the countries of the complete Western Christian world”.
The alliance also denies a division between Evangelicals within the East and the West and descriptions what it considers to be the one method to lasting peace.
In an interview published on Monday, Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko, a Baptist minister in Moscow and General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance, spoke truthfully about his struggles with the continuing war and recurring feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
“It could be very difficult in this example to be a faithful citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven and remain a good citizen and patriot of your earthly Fatherland. It could be very difficult to listen to concerning the pain and see the suffering of individuals in a war zone and find the strength to keep up self-control to not go crazy,” he said.
“It could be very difficult to talk words of consolation to the family members of the victims when the whole lot is so ambiguous.”
He then went on to discuss his desire to see a resolution of the conflict but bemoaned the prevalent language from the Western world, which looked as if it would include Christians, saying, “It could be very difficult when, as a substitute of calls for peace and negotiations to finish the war, you hear about ‘the military defeat of your country on the battlefield.'”
“Are there really no sane people in the entire world who’re able to taking responsibility and finding an answer to this conflict?” he asked.
He expressed appreciation for the Christians world wide who “watch and spiritually look after us in Russia” despite any political, cultural or other disagreements during this “period of severe political confrontation with the world.” Yet, he also lamented what he described as an apparent continuation of the Great Schism of 1054, which divided the Church into East and West.
“Is it really that we, as Evangelical Christians, cannot act as a united front, but stand on opposite sides of the political barricades?” he asked.
However, in response to the interview in Christian Daily International, the EEA issued a press release Thursday countering these claims and specifying their very own position on what they imagine it takes to perform peace in Ukraine.
“We don’t acknowledge any division of evangelicals between East and West. Nor can we accept that Russia ‘is being attacked by the countries of the complete Western Christian world.’ No country is attacking Russia,” the statement said.
The EEA acknowledged Vlasenko’s anguish on the pain and suffering brought on by the war in Ukraine.
The Evangelical body that represents national Evangelical Alliances in 35 European countries — including the Russia Evangelical Alliance — stated that his feelings are shared by many Evangelicals in Russia. They also took note of Vlasenko’s plea for the worldwide community of Evangelical Christians to do the whole lot they’ll to stop the war.
In their “response to his call,” the EEA said the best way for peace between Ukraine and Russia “is easy.”
“Russia must withdraw completely from Ukrainian territory that it invaded in 2014 and likewise from the land that it took in 2022,” the EEA said.
“Russia’s invasions and occupation and devastation are illegal. Russia had no provocation to invade.
“Ukraine as an autonomous state has the suitable to defend itself and select its own future. There is nothing ambiguous about this war.”
The EEA said it holds a weekly prayer meeting for each countries, during which participants “pray for God’s shalom” in each countries.
“We love each and we actually love our Evangelical brothers and sisters in each lands. But many countries are united in looking for to defend Ukraine and to organize defensively in case Russia decides to invade one other nation.
“We also pray weekly for peace with justice for Ukraine. Justice means Ukraine having its territory back and for Russia to pay fair reparations for the damage it has caused.
“Reconciliation is required but peace with justice and truth must come first. Vitaly is correct that the suffering is immense and that we must do all that we are able to to stop the war and stop military escalation.
“So, we redouble our efforts to wish to see miraculous change within the situation which can bring a few just and lasting peace.”
This article was originally published by Christian Daily International.
