Van de Poll, Evert (2015) Typical Barriers and Bridges for the Gospel in Europe. In: Church Planting in Europe: Connected to Society, Learning from Experience. Wipf & Stock, Eugene, Oregon. ISBN 978-1498201995
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
It is commonplace these days to include Europe in a larger socio-cultural and political context called "the West." Viewed from this perspective, there might not seem to be a need to single Europe out as a special subject of analysis or as a special context for the communication of the Gospel. One is tempted to apply the same approaches that are used in other western societies, and this is quite often what happens. Strategies to evangelize un-churched North Americans are too readily transferred to Germany, Austria, Greece, or Spain on the assumption that un-churched people are alike everywhere in the western world. The success of such ventures is limited to those places where people closely share a North American mindset. In other situations, however, such efforts bear no fruit. This alone is sufficient evidence that we are dealing with different contexts in Europe. Communicating the Gospel in this part of the world is not just a matter of applying the general theology of Christian mission. We cannot satisfy ourselves with adopting approaches and methods that have proven to be successful in other countries with similar western cultures. Many who try to do this discover for some reason or another that things work differently here. Paradox Why do the peoples of this continent constitute a specific context for the communication of the Gospel? The clue to better understand this is the paradox of Europe and Christianity. One could speak of a love-‐hate relationship, or a kind of " living apart together. " Europe is the most Christianized of all continents. No other part of the world has been exposed to the message of the Bible for such a prolonged period of time and in such a consistent way as this continent. Nowhere else is there such a rich Christian heritage. Its cultures are still rooted in Christian values, and Christian institutions were at the basis of the current social benefit systems. Without the spread of the Gospel, the impact of the Bible, and the influence of institutional churches, Europe as we know it today might never have come about. A sweeping statement indeed! But a justified one, given the crucial role of Christianity in the political and cultural development of Europe as a whole, and of each European country in particular. At the same time, Europe is marked by the abandonment of Christianity, more than any other part of the world. Nowhere is the abandonment of the Christian faith and the retreat from institutional churches as wide-‐spread as in Europe, and nowhere else has this been going on for such a prolonged period of time. It is here that a secularized worldview, atheism, secular lifestyles, and secular political ideologies have emerged—so much so that Europe is now called " post-‐Christian, " although it is much more precise to say " post-‐Christianized. " This is the paradox of Europe; its societies are marked as much by the Christian faith as by its abandonment and rejection. Failing to take into account both sides of the coin leads to misrepresentations. Either we draw a picture that is too optimistic with respect to the influence of the Church, or we depict an image that is too much the opposite. Barriers Having noted the paradox, the questions are then: How can the message that was important in the making of Europe have a positive impact on the secularized and multicultural societies of today? What does it have to say about the foundational values, identity, and the future of Europe?
| Item Type: | Book Section |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | European Studies, Missiology and Mission Theology, Christian Missions, Religion in Europe |
| Subjects: | B Mission theology/theory > Evangelism/Proclamation of Gospel B Mission theology/theory > Contextualization/Inculturation G Christian traditions/Denominations > Evangelical |
| Divisions: | Central Europe |
| Depositing User: | Katharina Penner |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Jul 2026 05:02 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Jul 2026 05:02 |
| URI: | https://ceamol.osims.org/id/eprint/3317 |
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