The youth culture mobilizes through imaginary. So in France, during the days of evangelical invisibility, the media broadcast reports that nefarious cults were lurking out there somewhere, scary and dangerous. Because evangelicals were unseen, we were unknown. And that which is unknown is suspect and potentially dangerous.
Then came the negative press. Articles in the March 13, 2003 national Catholic magazine, La Vie, amalgamated the evangelical faith with American politics. “The decline of Protestantism and the rise of evangelical and fundamentalist currents.… Bush’s United States lives and drags the world onto the field of religious conflict,” i.e. the rise of the latest strain of Christendom (see Jan.2006 blogs).
Similarly, on the cover of the Feb. 26, 2004 of the prestigious magazine, Le Nouvel Observateur : "The Evangelicals : the Cult that Wants to Conquer the World" (n°2051). The less than subliminal message, "Evangelicals? Just say no !"
Oh well, as Oscar Wilde said, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, that is not being talked about."
Well, this past week a journalist had some extremely complementary things to say about the Montceau Grace Brethren (evangelical) Church, and that in a city where Protestants were once martyred (see March 16, 2006 blog). The Journal de Saône-et-Loire (Feb. 12, 2007) wrote:"Sunday morning, at the Cultural Center in Paray-le-Monial, the Center for the Study of the Word of Montceau-les-Mines organized a prayer meeting that assembled about thirty people.
The CSW of Montceau is managed by Protestant Evangelical Christians. The goal of this association is to make known the Bible and it’s relevant message. Songs, worship, meditation…
David Hobert… chose a Psalm as a starting point for his meditation. [The Psalm] says that the one who has faith is never alone. Even in the deepest loneliness, there is someone who is thinking of him, who watches over him, and who is waiting for him.
One must note the good participation of the congregation at this Protestant meeting. Actually, after the reading, everyone gave their impressions and shared a testimony, highlighting the personal relationship between God and men. ‘God is a place of safety for me,’ said one. ‘He is light in the darkness,’ added another. And ‘He shows me the way to follow when I stray,” said a third. These Christians…, families with children, found some comfort, the balm of religion and strength to lead the hard combat of life.
Each one shared his testimony
The main speaker, then chose the Letter to the Ephesians as his starting point; the Bible is the only reference for Protestant Evangelicals. Through metaphors, the passage showed that religion arms believers with the sword of the Spirit, the shield of faith, the belt being the symbol of truth and the shoes representing zeal.This was a beautiful ceremony. Alas, too rare in this religious capital — the city of Paray-le-Monial.”
Yep, we are seeing progress. French Evangelicals have gone from invisible, to suspect, to sociologically fascinating. And with first-hand information and experience, to spiritually intriguing.
