Europe and the Gospel : Past Influences, Current Developments, Mission Challenges / Evert Van de Poll.

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Endorsements -- Preface -- Introduction: Ambiguity and paradox -- Chapter 1 Look at Europe -- Chapter 2 Cross over Europe -- Chapter 3 The idea of 'Europe' -- Chapter 4 Contemporary ideas of 'Europe' -- Chapter 5 The 'construction of Europe' -- Chapter 6 A time to remember, a time to build -- Chapter 7 National and European identities -- Chapter 8 Mobility, migration and widening horizons -- Chapter 9 Multiculturality and the issue of integration -- Chapter 10 Muslims in Europe -- facts and fears -- Chapter 11 Concerns and prospects -- a soul for Europe -- Chapter 12 Roots of European cultures -- Chapter 13 Heritage of European Christianity -- Chapter 14 The mixed balance of history -- Chapter 15 In what ways is Europe post-Christian? -- Chapter 16 Barriers for the Gospel, confidence in God -- Chapter 17 How Christian is Europe today? -- Index of names and subjects -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Bibliography.

Combining human interest stories with thought provoking analyses, Dr Evert Van de Poll paints the socio-cultural and religious picture of this exceptional continent: its population and cultural variety; past and present idea of ‘we Europeans’; immigration, multiculturalism and the issue of (Muslim) integration; the construction of the EU and the concerns it raises; and the quest for the ‘soul’ of Europe.
Special attention is paid to Christian and other roots of Europe; the mixed historical record of Christianity; vestiges of its past dominance; its place and influence in today’s societies that are rapidly de-Christianising; and secularization as a European phenomenon.
The author indicates specific challenges for Church development, mission and social service. In so doing, he outlines the contours of a contextualised communication of the Gospel.

Evert Van de Poll, Evangelical Theological Faculty, Leuven, Belgium.

In English.