Walking with Tommy Robinson: What Jehoshaphat and Schaeffer Teach Us

Should Christians march alongside controversial figures to defend freedom of speech and “British and Christian” values - or does that risk compromising the gospel? In recent days, my social media feeds have been full of comment about the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march led by Tommy Robinson. Some Christians joined, saying they wanted to defend free speech or stand up for the gospel. Others stayed away, uneasy at the associations and convinced this was the wrong stand in the wrong company. So how should we think about this?

The Bible itself gives us a sobering picture of what happens when God’s people join forces with those who do not share His values.

Jehoshaphat’s Problematic Alliances

King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a man who loved the Lord and generally sought to walk in His ways. But he seemed to have a blind spot: he kept making alliances with kings who didn’t serve God. In 2 Chronicles 18, Jehoshaphat made an alliance with King Ahab. Despite the prophet Micaiah’s warning, he went into battle at Ahab’s side. The result was near disaster. Later, in 2 Chronicles 20:35–37, he teamed up with Ahaziah, another wicked king, to build a fleet of trading ships. A prophet told him plainly:

“Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade (2 Chronicles 20:37).

Jehoshaphat’s intentions may have been good – seeking security, prosperity, and a stronger nation – but his partnerships were ultimately destructive. God’s message was clear: the ends do not justify the means.

Schaeffer on Cobelligerence

Hundreds of years later, the Church faces the same challenge in a very different setting. But I believe Francis Schaeffer - one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the 20th century - gave us helpful language for navigating such tensions.

Schaeffer distinguished between “allies” and “cobelligerents”. Allies are those who share both our immediate goals and our ultimate worldview. They are people we can partner with fully because we agree not only on the cause, but on the foundational principles behind it. Cobelligerents are those who may not share our worldview, but for a time share a specific goal. Cooperation is temporary and tactical, not a full endorsement of their beliefs. For example, a Christian might work alongside secular campaigners to defend freedom of speech, or join with a Muslim colleague to argue for the right to practise faith freely. In those moments, they are not allies in worldview, but cobelligerents in a shared cause.

Schaeffer warned that confusion arises when Christians mistake cobelligerence for full alliance. If we blur the lines and treat someone’s broader agenda as “Christian”, we risk compromising our witness and the integrity of our faith. Cobelligerence, then, is a practical tool: it allows Christians to engage in temporary partnerships for good causes while staying clear about ultimate loyalties.

Today’s Tension

That brings us back to the march on Saturday 13th September 2025. If Christians joined out of a desire to defend religious liberty or truth, one could argue that is cobelligerence. But if our presence looked like blanket endorsement of a broader agenda - and there were at least a handful of posts that gave that impression - then we are arguably in Jehoshaphat territory.

Even if Tommy Robinson now professes Christian faith - as some claim - discernment is still required. We need to ask: is his platform being shaped by Christ’s kingdom, or is Christ’s name being used to bolster a different kingdom altogether?

A Call for Careful Witness

Jehoshaphat teaches us that partnering with those who do not share God’s heart can sink good intentions and open up a whole host of problems. Schaeffer reminds us that Christians can work as cobelligerents in narrow causes, but must never confuse that with true Christian alliance.

In every generation, God’s people are tempted to join hands with power for the sake of a cause. But the kingdom of God is never advanced by shaky alliances. It is advanced by the faithful witness of God’s people, who recognise that the means matter just as much as the ends.