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Europe 2014 Mission Impossible?

Europe 2014 Mission Impossible?. A vision of yesterday. Strong nation states with empire aspirations Conservative, religious and confident The cutting edge of philosophical discourse White and monocultural Impervious to the outside world. The Euro-Global Village.

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Europe 2014 Mission Impossible?

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  1. Europe 2014 Mission Impossible?

  2. A vision of yesterday • Strong nation states with empire aspirations • Conservative, religious and confident • The cutting edge of philosophical discourse • White and monocultural • Impervious to the outside world

  3. The Euro-Global Village • Networked with 1.19 bn Facebook users • Playing catch up with the USA and China • Struggling for identity and confidence • A spiritual black hole

  4. Presenting Christian Truth More…. • Educated • Influenced • Uncertain • Inaccessible …than even before.

  5. The Shape of European society

  6. 1) Consumerism • A way of life focussed on Consumption [link with personal happiness] • Deliberate policy of government, industry and us • ThorsteinVeblem

  7. Post WWII Development • New technology mass production • Produce outstripping demand = glut • The box that changed the world • Advertisers stimulated demand • New areas of merchandising [teen fashion/ accessorizing] • Economic boom & expectation– spending on impulse

  8. Problems with Consumerism A consumer society is • Unequal • Wasteful • Dominates life • We live in a society where the spiritual has receded in favour of the material and our philosophical history has contributed

  9. Personal and national debt • Personal 1,43 bn • 54,197 per household • National 1,3 bn • 43 bn interest • Rise of the BRIC and MINT countries

  10. 2) Multiculturalism • 2.1 births per woman • No western country (except USA and Albania) maintain this • Mass immigration is an economic necessity

  11. Changing perspectives • A Judaeo-Christian world view is no longer assumed • Other faiths occupy the same shelf space • The link between church and state becomes untenable • Evangelism can assume no privileged position for Christianity

  12. The good, the bad and the ugly face of multiculturalism

  13. On-going tensions of multiculturalism

  14. The higher intellectual ground

  15. 3) Religious pluralism • Religious diversity • A positive attitude to diversity expressed structurally • Social inclusion • Openness to truth claims • All religions are equal

  16. Why is pluralism an issue? • Unprecedented exposure • A collapse of confidence in the bible • Public-private belief • A pragmatic view of religion • The assumption that exclusive beliefs are arrogant and intolerant • The doctrine of universalism

  17. John Hick • Major religions are ultimate responses to ultimate reality. • Religions are historically and culturally conditioned interpretations of reality. • The ability to transform is equal.

  18. Is there Hope? But only if we do things right Yes

  19. Learn the 2,000 years old secret to evangelism • Feel the need v.16 • Right place right time v.17 • Speak the language v.23 (cf.Jn.4) • Get the big picture

  20. Learn to whisper forcefully • Hard truths to communicate (homosexuality & Islam) • Learning to be robust but gentle (and pick your battles)

  21. Be ready to carry Burdens Moral Baggage Emotional Baggage Work pressures, family crisis, marriage breakdown, abuse, bereavement, stress, wounds • People coming to faith don’t know right from wrong • People come to faith to experience Christianity but not necessarily through guilt

  22. Be ready to carry Burdens Moral Baggage Emotional Baggage Don’t duck any problems Be prepared for the long haul Treat people sensitively Pray for healing Be aware of the monster of dependence • Don’t run • Maintain biblical standards • Be Christ-like • Remember they are babies • See the big picture • Separate acute from chronic

  23. Follow the Fisherman (1Pet.3:15) • The New Atheists (dealing with the God question) • Postmodern-relativism (dealing with the truth question) • Islam (dealing with the revelation question)

  24. Things to note… • Two contradictory ideas cannot both be true! • Sincerity does not make something true!

  25. Remember Jesus is special • His virgin birth • consistent life • His claim of deity • His claim to control the world’s destiny • His miracles • His resurrection • Jn.11:35 I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in me will live even though he dies

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