PROVIDING A GLOBAL WRITERS’ ROUNDTABLE TO SPEAK INTO THE CHALLENGES OF WORLD MISSION TODAY Connections The Journal of the WEA Mission Commission SPECIAL EDITION Europe ADVERTISEMENT CONNECTIONS SPECIAL EDITION EDITORIAL TABLE OF CONTENTS Travel Information 3 Bill Taylor Europe…from the heart and for Christian Workers From the heart and mind of the editor 4 Darell Jackson mind of the editor Europe, religious context 7 Jeff Fountain We re-affirm our high calling as the WEA Mission Commission So we rightly ask a few salient The Mission Commission of World Living as people of hope to focus on the ever-expanding extension of the Kingdom questions, and surely you have Evangelical Alliance is deeply com- more: mitted to church and mission to, 12 Ruth Robinson of God. We want to respond to cutting-edge concerns of the within and out of Europe. We Mega trends in Europe missional people of God—the church on the move in all of its • Why has Europe slipped to a commit to serve the national mis- lesser missional category in sion movements—older, new and forms and empowering by the Spirit; serving within cultures and recent decades? Who labeled it emerging—in their task. We also 18 The Economist: cross-culturally; near and far; local and global; evangelizing so “Christian” that it moved into commit to serve the missional The West and Islam and discipling; proclaiming and serving; praying and the shadows? What happened networks existing and emerging in to Europe in a useful (though Europe. We long to see vibrant, missiologizing; weeping and sowing. 20 Jonathan Ingleby perhaps disproportionate) focus vital and viable mission move- on the limited architecture of the ments in the nations where they Europe, Britain & America, extracting a European 10-40 Window? do not exist. voice from the historical debate And with those passions we focus ing Christian presence and vibrant • What does it mean to be the on Europe—a singular missional Christian advance. All of this and missional citizens/people of God And thus we commend to you 22 Kees van der Wilden experiment and challenge. so much more. in Europe, and for those who this special European Connections have moved to Europe for the issue. It’s actually our second Issues facing mission to Europe from a colonial perspective Europe evokes such a diversity of It was Christian anthropologist Paul sake of Christ…or employment? European focus (see the October responses—ancient and modern, Hiebert who first gave me the • Does any Christian group have 2004 issue). But in this case we 25 Friedeman Walldorf Christian/post-Christian/anti- insight of Europe as the western a monopoly on church growth are thankful to Greater European Towards a contextual mission theology for Europe Christian, western branch of edge of ancient Asia. In that light in Europe? What is the track Mission for their commitment ancient Asia, rich heritage, emigra- we study the impact of the Christian record of the charismatic/ to co-publish this special issue, tions and immigrations, multi-cul- faith which bifurcated Asian his- Pentecostal sector compared and for Anton Smeele and his 28 Rob Hay tural, Renaissance, Reformation, tory. While the Gospel in those to that sector which would not publishing vision. We are deeply Beyond the Preamble, searching for God in a You have more options then you think when it comes Counter-Reformation, cradle of early Centuries traveled both East share that theology? grateful to Redcliffe College and to graphic communications. Concept to mailing. secularizing Europe democracy as well as Fascism and West, it was the Western thrust • What might it mean to be Encounters, their E-zine, for the From newsletters and magazines to books. and Marxism, extreme national- which permanently changed history, empowered Evangelicals in rich content which we pass on Local and global. And anything in between. 32 Greater Europe Mission - Ruth Robison isms, two world wars, declining cultures and worldviews. Perhaps Europe today, with a robust and to the global MC readership. We birth rate, beauty of peoples, today we will witness the revival of thorough Trinitarian theology and hope to feature a country or region Europe’s Spiritual journey cultures and geographies, hope the Eastern thrust of the Christian missiology? each year in the future, with the and despair, secular and spi- faith, for Asia has more practicing • What lessons come for European 2007 focus set on China. 34 Richard Tiplady ritual and neo-pagan, growing its disciples of Christ there than in the Christians from the church in The end of the world as we know it Eurabian and Islamic face, declin- totality of greater Europe. other geographies, especially the Meanwhile, may this issue encour- Global South? age and challenge you and may • Will immigrant Christians (wheth- it provide fruitful reading and 36 From Encounters er legal or not) become a new response to our fellow reflec- beachhead for vital evangelism tive practitioners with a heart for Empower your communications, budget and efficiency. E-zine of Redcliffe College William Taylor is Check out your options. Contact Peter Bronsveld at the Ambassador at and new churches in Europe, or Europe. << [email protected] 37 Hope Awards large of WEA and its will they focus primarily on their Mission Commission. own populations in Europe? Warsaw 2006 Born in Latin America, • What dimensions and models he and his wife, of the emerging church have 38 EEA: Yvonne, served for 17 something to teach European years before a move Christians? Is God finished with Perspectives on the European Union to the USA. the ancient/future, historical He is the father of model seen in Anglicanism? 42 Book review by Doug Mitts three adult GenXers • What will be the diverse faces of The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and born in Guatemala. the new churches in Europe? Will Politics Without God God the Spirit revisit Europe with another revival? 3 EUROPE CONNECTIONS SPECIAL EDITION FEATURE In this article Rev. Darrell Jackson uses stories from all over Europe to describe Europe's spriritual situation. common response was, ‘No, I just wanted quarterly journal of the Russian Orthodox grants. Mandarin and Cantonese are used by to own a copy!’ A survey conducted at the Diocese of Sourozh, Bishop Basil refers to the USA trained pastor. It makes us wonder if its religious context can be described at all. same time revealed that only 33% of the the increase in the numbers of citizens of • Frej is a French-speaking Algerian academic Dutch population regards itself as Christian. the Former Soviet Union living in the UK, who has taught with Michel Foucault and • I visited a trendy clothes store and on enter- and the corresponding increase others. Since 9/11 he has felt the ing were surprised to be greeted by a bleed- in attendance at Liturgy at the need to reconnect with Islam as a ing heart Jesus, a Madonna and Child, and a Cathedral in London. The Rev Darrell Jackson way of working for moderation and Crown of Thorns. Not as religious icons, but Liturgy is now more likely to reform. As a ‘cradle-Muslim’ with as style icons, borne on the sleeves, chests, be celebrated in Russian than only nominal convictions he feels in and quilted padding, of jackets, t-shirts, and in the English that was commonly used for some small way responsible for the radicali- other items of clothing.4 Russian émigrés until the collapse of the sation of Islam. He connects with colleagues • Consider French fashion designer MFG Soviet Empire. who feel similarly in London, Paris, and who, in March of 2005, displayed the highly • The Chinese church in Helsinki is a first elsewhere. Europe provocative advert featuring a female ‘Last generation congregation of those who came • Iranian refugees are regular worshippers at Supper’ on the billboards of Neuilly, near to faith since arriving in Helsinki. Awareness the Church of Scotland in Budapest. Several Paris. French Courts considered the advert to of the Chinese situation is not particularly of them have been baptised, having gone have insulted, ‘the religious feelings of Roman relevant for them. Their church reflects the through the baptismal preparation course. Catholics’ and banned it from public display. social strata of the Chinese community in Possessing a baptismal certificate is a useful the religious context • In the May 2005 edition of Sourozh, the Helsinki, particularly the ‘waves’ of immi- step along the way to a residency visa but Stories • Roman Catholicism in Poland contributes to Catholics and Evangelicals. "Without doubt the highest reported rates of church attend- there are fewer people but they are more • Gabor Kovacs is a bright, engaging and arti- ance (78%) and belief in God (97%). In active," he reported. "We are beginning to culate Hungarian in his mid 30s. He laments Spain and Italy the situation is not quite the see a new way of being the Church which the lack of religious education in his youth. same, due to the perception that the Roman is less about organising members and more He is influenced by the secular atheism of Catholic Church has supported too closely about helping them to witness in contempo- his youth and the secular capitalism of his successive Right Wing Governments. rary society."2 early career. He feels sure that religious belief • In ‘secular’ France, a 2003 survey revealed • Most Britons describe themselves as and practice will probably help but he is too that 32% of people who described them- Christian despite not attending church regu- busy to take it too seriously. selves as ‘Christian’ had recently returned to larly, a BBC survey has found.