The countdown has commenced with less than a month until the UK Referendum on EU Membership on 23rd June, and a great amount of debate has been generated within the media by both the ‘stay’ and ‘leave’ campaigns.

When opting in or out, perhaps other questions come to mind, such as: what is the EU for? What impact might the Referendum result have on Ireland, both North and South? And, how might a Christian perspective impact upon the decision–making process?

The ICC European Affairs Committee have produced a timely discussion paper entitled The Irish Churches and the EU Referendum, addressing these important questions to help churches and individuals engage with this important decision.

Interestingly, the paper draws a connection between the values of the EU and Christian values:

The stated Core Values of the EU can be seen as being in line with the essential Christian belief in the equality and inherent integrity of every person, and their entitlement to equal respect and treatment.

It then proceeds to examine practical implications of EU membership and possible implications of an EU withdrawal for the island of Ireland.

Copies can be downloaded here or collected at our office.