Europe must rediscover and pass on its Christian roots

This threefold connection has been abandoned by many European countries. It is up to us politicians to restore it.

“Europe ends where church towers disappear.” A famous quote from Helmut Kohl, a former German Chancellor. As long as you are still encountering church steeples, you know you are still in Europe.

Not long ago, I was in southern Portugal, the Algarve. Just like in Holland, I saw many church towers on the horizon. I felt at home: it was clear to me I was still in Europe. But I also noticed something sad: many of these churches and their towers are in a state of decay.

The key reasons why the West risks losing human dignity

12-02-2025

All those ruins make me wonder: how many people still visit the church on a weekly basis, to listen to the Gospel of Jesus, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life? Or do they only come to church for special occasions, such as weddings, funerals or Christmas?

Faithful and devoted church attendance has fallen to an all-time low in Europe. Therefore, we should not be surprised that our Christian, spiritual heritage is crumbling.

Cradle

We are losing sight of our Christian values, even though they form the basis of our European identity. Many people consider the Enlightenment the cradle of European civilisation. But nothing could be further from the truth.

The Enlightenment brought us individualism and self-determination, with no room for an almighty God. Our history goes back much further, to the Apostle Paul, who brought the Biblical message to Europe. That is where we find the roots of our values: the protectiveness of life, justice, stewardship and community.

Not only churches but our entire society is falling into decline without Christian values. Loss of these values leads to individualisation and alienation, reducing social cohesion.

Religious freedom in Europe is at risk, but the struggle is not hopeless

12-12-2024

In addition, we see a decline of our moral compass. Without moral awareness, people are more likely to get lost, leading to emptiness and purposelessness, as Christian values give meaning to life.

Go to church

Finding sense in an ideology, action group or ambition is not enough. For example, one speaks of “the green faith”: people who are passionately committed to the climate. For others, “enjoyment” is an all-encompassing goal. But even that ends up feeling hollow, because only a life close to the Bible can bring true fulfilment.

So what should we do? First and foremost, we need to go back to church! We need to rediscover our Christian roots and invest in passing on Christian values to future generations. They need to know these Biblical values and understand their importance to our society.

Five signs of Christian revival in Europe

06-05-2023

Many books are written about how to get people back into the church. According to some, the main solution is to make the services more attractive. Others say that the church must connect with today's experience. Yet another advocates keeping church services small scale: the church should primarily be a place where people experience personal attention. Preferably, in small groups, where people meet, support and encourage each other.

From a sociological point of view, I am sure there are valuable suggestions among these. But my advice is: above all, let the church remain centred around the Word. Let the church be the place where, each Sunday, you hear about tarnished human life and about God, Who in His Son graciously comes to us and wants to make a new beginning in our lives. With such a church, society is best served.

Church, school and family

Meanwhile, we would do well to continue to emphasise the importance of the family. The family is the cornerstone of society. Let us invest in healthy families. Such a family is the most valuable place for education and conversation with children. What children learn at home and in church should match what they learn at school. In school, too, we must teach them Biblical values. The restrictions imposed on many schools worry me. Teaching from and about the Bible is limited more and more.

Religious freedom envoy aims to combat persecution of Christians worldwide

17-01-2025

Our government must ensure honest governance and safety. Above all, it must ensure that church, family and school are given room to set a good example. The government must give us room to pass on to our children the values we hold in such high esteem.

Let us return to our Christian values. Church, school and family play an essential role here. That connection was abandoned in many European countries. It is up to us politicians to restore it, promote Biblical values and create an environment where we can teach our children about them.

The author is a member of the European Parliament for the SGP. This article is a condensed version of the speech he gave in Paris on Feb. 5, at a meeting of politicians from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR Group) on the theme “Preserving Christian Values in Europe.” The article was translated from Dutch and can also be found on the website of the Dutch daily newspaper, Reformatorisch Dagblad: https://www.rd.nl/artikel/1095880-europa-moet-zijn-christelijke-wortels-herontdekken-en-doorgeven