Europe: Was It Ever Really Christian?

by Anton Wessels

The decline of Christian beliefs and Christian practice in modern Europe has often been commented on, and there have been calls for a 're-evangelization' of Europe. But how far has Europe really been Christian? That is the fascinating issue explored in this book. In a historical survey of the Graeco-Roman, Celtic and Germanic backgrounds against which the gospel was first preached, Anton Wessels asks how Christianity came to be related to pre-Christian cultures. Were these swept away or just given a new significance? Which elements of them were abolished and which Christianized? Did Christianity prevail only by incorporating much of what had previously existed? These questions are not just asked out of curiosity. What has long fascinated the author is whether an insight into the spread of Christianity through Europe can be of any help in presenting the gospel in today's secularized world. There is much talk of the 'inculturation' of the gospel in other African, Asian and Latin American; but Europe can be no exception here and the inculturation of the gospel in European countries is something of which Europeans should be far more aware. Here is a wealth of fascinating information, from the Graeco-Roman mystery religions through the Arthurian legends to the German festivals. And here is an area of exploration which is likely to prove increasingly important

Genres: Religion, History, Church History

256 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

About the author

Anton Wessels is Professor Emeritus of Missiology and Religious Studies at VU University Amsterdam, where he taught for twenty-four years.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book on Europe is an odd one. It never really answers the question of the title (though it talks like it will in the first chapter), instead exploring the mixing of Christianity with Greek/Roman, Celtic, and Germanic cultures as the faith spread throughout the contintent. That is really interesting and the most engaging part of the book, though I think some of the history he is relying on is a little outdated. The last chapter tries to bring ideas from the past to the present day, but it is a convoluted mess and seems to be advocating some sort of syncretism in our image based culture. It hints where it needs to be more direct. A book with some ideas, but which feels like a good part of what should be its argument has been skipped over.