Indigenous considerations: Implementing a historical missionary concept in contemporary Europe
Indigenizing Christianity in Modern Europe: A Return to Roots
The concept of indigenizing Christianity in modern Europe holds historical roots and contemporary implications, as the faith seeks to adapt to the diverse cultures and identities of the continent.
In the early spread of Christianity in Europe, missionaries translated the Christian gospel into indigenous European cultures, allowing the faith to become deeply rooted in native languages, traditions, and social structures. This process of "indigenization" helped form European Christian identity by blending the gospel with local customs and norms.
Fast forward to contemporary Europe, the principle of indigeneity once again gains significance in a secularized and religiously pluralistic society. The challenge is to express Christianity in ways that are meaningful and authentic to Europe's diverse indigenous cultures while respecting their historical trajectories.
Modern missiological thought suggests framing the task of evangelization in Europe as a missionary challenge, using indigenous forms of worship, language, and cultural understanding rather than imposing foreign models. This approach also includes cooperation between native European Christians and missionaries from Majority World countries, emphasizing mutual respect and cultural contextualization in Christian mission efforts.
However, challenges persist. Linguistic dominance is impacting Christian worship, with English language songs often imported from North America pushing out indigenous worship music. To counter this, thinking indigenously requires preserving local music written in the indigenous language and musical style.
Moreover, most Europeans do not like to think of themselves as indigenous due to the negative connotations associated with the term during the age of European Colonialism. However, the concept of indigeneity in mission studies goes back to the 19th century with Henry Venn's argument for self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating new churches. To reach indigenous Europeans, Majority World Christians in Europe must exercise the same indigenous principles that were once necessary for the gospel to take root in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Thinking indigenously also requires fostering local theological and missiological reflection and finding ways to bring that thinking into the Anglosphere. Indigenous Europeans and Christians from the Majority World are working together to reach all those who call Europe home, emphasizing mutual learning and fellowship.
The Chinese diaspora churches are likened to beautiful flowers planted in European soil but forgotten to remove the pot. Similarly, the intercultural churches may still be seen by many as "a church for foreigners" in rural parts of Europe. However, intercultural churches will not reach everyone, particularly in rural parts of Europe where the population is still more than 90% indigenous European.
In conclusion, the historical indigenization of Christianity in Europe set a precedent that ongoing mission efforts seek to emulate by respecting and incorporating local culture, thus avoiding cultural imperialism and fostering genuine faith communities that reflect indigenous European identities. Contemporary application of indigeneity in mission recognizes the need for Christianity to organically grow within European cultures anew, echoing how the Gospel was first indigenized centuries ago.
- To ensure the continued relevance of Christianity in modern Europe, there is a need to apply the concept of indigenization, just as missionaries did in the past, blending the gospel with local European cultures, languages, and traditions.
- Adopting an indigenous approach to education and self-development can be vital for cultivating a contemporary European Christian lifestyle, fostering authentic faith communities that truly reflect the identities of the continent's diverse indigenous cultures.
