How have Evangelicals viewed European integration during the seven decades of its unfolding development? What factors have informed these perspectives? Are Evangelicals guilty of ‘taking no part, forming no opinion, looking on and doing nothing’ concerning the unprecedented project of European integration initiated after World War Two to establish and sustain peace and well-being among the European peoples?
These questions define the first level of inquiry of this research project, which reveals a clear absence of evangelical engagement with European integration, especially when compared with Roman Catholic and mainstream Protestant perspectives. The inquiry then examines the reasons for this absence before broadening to consider evangelical engagement in the socio-political life-spheres generally in Europe today. It also investigates what training programmes are available for the equipping of Evangelicals for socio-political reflection and engagement in general, and for European-level engagement specifically. In the recommendations section, steps are proposed to identify the necessary foundations for a European, evangelical, missional, public theology, enabling critical missional reflection and engagement of both the European integration project itself and socio-political issues at every level of society.
Our contention is that public theology – applying God’s Word to public life – has been a neglected field among Evangelicals, despite being a centuries-old tradition.
Today democracy, the rule of law, freedom of speech and community values are under threat from inside and outside the European Union by, on the one hand, resurgent totalitarianism, populism and nationalism, and on the other, a radical individualism celebrating diversity and freedom at the cost of social cohesion. Yet a long-standing tradition of non-engagement and a fatalistic eschatological vision, among other factors, have neutralised much of the evangelical world from effective engagement with such issues.
This paper exposes major blind spots in evangelical thinking, a well-meaning ignorance undermining Christian responsibility in the socio-political spheres, and a general lack of vision reflected in the paucity of evangelical public theology programmes equipping workers for effective socio-political engagement. While there are scattered signs of hope, initiatives beyond those focussed on the local level are rare, if not non-existent.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION: LOOKING ON AND DOING NOTHING?
2. THE BROADER CONTEXT: JOINING GOD IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE.
3. LITERATURE REVIEW: GAPS ON THE SHELF?
4. METHODOLOGY: FINDING THE CATEGORIES.
5. RESEARCH FINDINGS: FACING REALITIES.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS: RECOVERING A LEGACY.
7. CONCLUSIONS: BACK TO THE BIBLE.
Research Objective and Key Themes
This research project explores the historical and contemporary lack of evangelical engagement with the project of European integration, examining the theological, historical, and practical reasons for this absence while proposing foundational elements for a missionally-informed public theology.
- Historical analysis of evangelical attitudes towards European integration.
- Evaluation of current evangelical perspectives and "blind spots" in public engagement.
- Investigation into available theological training for the public square.
- Development of a framework for an evangelical public theology for Europe.
- Recommendations for education and active participation in socio-political life.
Excerpt from the Book
A neglected field?
Our contention is that public theology – applying God’s Word to public life – has been a neglected field among Evangelicals, despite being a centuries-old tradition. Championing the socio-political dimensions of the gospel among Evangelicals, John Stott wrote about ‘half a century of neglect’, referring roughly to the years 1920-70 when evangelicalism was preoccupied with the task of defending the ‘historic biblical faith’ against the ‘social gospel’ of theological liberalism. Stott was drafter of the ground-breaking 1974 Lausanne Covenant which affirmed the conviction that God had given us social as well as evangelistic responsibilities in his world. ‘Yet the half-century of neglect has put us far behind in this area,’ claimed Stott in his watershed publication Issues facing Christians today (2006, p. 9). Stott was keen to correct the attitude that politics was a dirty business Christians should avoid by observing that a Christian ‘salt and light’ presence was essential in all areas of life broken by sin.
Yet, while government at local and national levels was briefly mentioned in Stott’s book, the European level was never addressed. Ironically, none of the four editions touched on Europe or European integration, the very topic that has recently polarised British opinion.
The creation mandate of the opening chapter of Genesis to ‘rule in God’s name’ and ‘fill the earth’ (Genesis 1:28) was reiterated by Jesus’ imperative to his followers to take the good news of God’s rule, his kingdom, into all the earth. We argue that the gospel of redemption touches every sphere of life affected by sin – which is every sphere.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: LOOKING ON AND DOING NOTHING?: This chapter introduces the core problem of evangelical disengagement from European integration and outlines the scope of the research.
2. THE BROADER CONTEXT: JOINING GOD IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE.: This chapter defines the evangelical identity and explores the historical and theological roots of the relationship between faith and politics.
3. LITERATURE REVIEW: GAPS ON THE SHELF?: This section reviews existing scholarly and religious literature, highlighting the scarcity of evangelical perspectives on the European integration project.
4. METHODOLOGY: FINDING THE CATEGORIES.: This chapter details the qualitative approach used, including interviews and questionnaire analysis to categorize evangelical viewpoints.
5. RESEARCH FINDINGS: FACING REALITIES.: This chapter presents the data gathered from interviews and questionnaires, detailing the dominant perceptions and factors shaping them.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS: RECOVERING A LEGACY.: This chapter offers concrete proposals for fostering a biblical public theology and training leaders for effective socio-political engagement.
7. CONCLUSIONS: BACK TO THE BIBLE.: This chapter synthesizes the research findings, reaffirming the call for a biblically-informed and active engagement with the future of Europe.
Keywords
Evangelicalism, European integration, Public Theology, Missio Dei, European Union, Politics, Biblical mandate, Christian ethics, Social engagement, Sovereignty, Reconciliation, Agnotology, Lausanne Covenant, Church and State, Cultural apologetic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this dissertation?
The dissertation focuses on the historical and contemporary lack of evangelical engagement with the project of European integration and the reasons behind this detachment.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the biblical basis for public theology, the history of evangelical political involvement, the influence of popular eschatology on political views, and the need for educational reform within theological institutions.
What is the primary research goal or question?
The goal is to determine how Evangelicals have viewed European integration over the last seven decades and to identify the factors that have informed these perspectives, ultimately seeking to overcome a "neglected field" of public engagement.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The study utilizes a qualitative, hermeneutical methodology. It employs data triangulation through semi-structured interviews with 20 evangelical leaders, a questionnaire involving 25 respondents, and an analysis of existing literature and online resources.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main sections cover the broader historical context of evangelicalism in Europe, a literature review of theological responses to integration, an analysis of empirical research findings, and specific recommendations for future engagement.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Core keywords include Evangelicalism, European integration, Public Theology, Missio Dei, political responsibility, and biblical narrative.
What role does the concept of 'Modern Babylon' play in evangelical views?
The study finds that some older or more fundamentalist evangelical circles view the European Union as the "Modern Babylon," often associating it with dispensationalist prophecies concerning the Antichrist and the end times.
How does the author propose to remedy the identified 'neglect' of public theology?
The author recommends the recovery of a holistic biblical missiology, the development of specific master's programmes in public theology and European studies, and the critical study of agnotology to combat misinformation.
- Quote paper
- Jeff Fountain (Author), 2021, A comparative analysis of evangelical views on European integration, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1157465
