"When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel." Judges 2:10 NKJV
Certainly no one would dispute that the majority of Europeans no longer know the Lord, nor the works He had done on their behalf. One would think that their rescue from the clenches of a Satanic regime in 1945 would have drawn them closer to the Lord. Instead, for so many it has only left a vacuum that is being filled by anything but God.
Why did this happen? The answer is obviously multi-faceted and extremely complex. To be sure, we don't presume to have all the answers; however, we are willing to share our personal perspective.
We believe you have to go all the way back to the time before the Reformation and then come forward to understand why Europe by and large has renounced the Christian faith. Prior to the Reformation, the Catholic Church was the predominant religious system in Europe. Only the Pope and his chosen men were allowed to interpret Scripture — not the common people.
The commoners were greatly controlled by the religious establishment and were often manipulated into paying penance for their sins; otherwise, they would face purgatory in the life to come. Who do you think paid for all of those magnificent cathedrals throughout Europe? Sadly, they were often built on the backs of the citizens, many who were peasants, who were coerced with threats of purgatory and hell if they did not contribute as well as a promise to get a dead relative out of purgatory for a contribution. For example, Notre Dame (pictured above) was completed around 1345, after 180 years of construction. It was built during an age of illiteracy (many priests were illiterate, as well), and even today the cathedral retells the stories of the Bible in its portals, paintings, and stained glass. Interestingly, most of the cathedrals throughout Europe were constructed prior to the Reformation.
The construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City (often described as "the greatest of all churches in Christendom") began on April 18, 1506, and was completed on November 18, 1626. It has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world and can seat 60,000 people. It continues to be regarded as one of the holiest Catholic sites in the world.
It was primarily the sale of indulgences to build extravagant structures like St. Peter's Basilica that led to Martin Luther's call for reform. If you haven't seen the movie, Luther, we highly recommend it! It will help you understand how corrupt the Catholic Church had become early in the 16th century and why Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of All Saints' Church on October 31, 1517, marking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Some Bible scholars believe this account has been embellished and argue that Luther may have delivered the Ninety-Five Theses instead of posting them.
Prior to the Protestant Reformation, the Renaissance (Italian for "re-birth") had been impacting European thought. This new movement began in Florence, Italy in the 14th century and served as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern Era. In the 15th century, the Renaissance spread quickly, first to the rest of Italy, and soon to the rest of Europe. The invention of the printing press, which also proved useful during the Reformation, allowed the rapid transmission of these new ideas.
The Renaissance promoted new ideals of humanism and elevated the common man. It ran parallel with the Protestant Reformation, which gave dignity to the common man and promoted the idea they he was directly involved in God's work in his day-to-day life. With all of these new thoughts and ideas circulating throughout Europe, it's difficult to determine which should be attributed to the Renaissance and which came from the Reformation. Martin Luther's newfound beliefs regarding "the priesthood of the believer" were absolutely critical to the Protestant Movement while the Renaissance took up the cause of the average person who became the subject of art during this period.
Unfortunately, the end result of the Renaissance was that man, not God, was glorified.
The Reformation made the case that the average Christian is as much a priest as those elevated to the position of priest (e.g. the Catholic hierarchy). When Luther promoted the belief that the average person should be able to interpret Scripture, he dealt a mighty blow against the Catholic Church. During his seclusion at the Wartburg (where have we heard this name before?)Castle, Luther translated the Bible into German so that the average person could read God's Word. The Protestants, such as Jan Comenius,would come to strongly support public education so that everyone would be able to read the Bible. Interestingly, the Bible, the prime motivator for public education, has been banned by that same institution.
Other Reformers such as John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli influenced Christendom. The reform movement soon split along certain doctrinal lines. Theological disagreements between Luther and Zwingli and later between Luther and Calvin led to the establishment of rival Protestant churches. The most important denominations to emerge from the Reformation were the Lutherans and the Reformed/Calvinists/Presbyterians. In England the Reformation gave rise to Anglicanism.
When the French Revolution occurred (1789-1799), it marked a further extension of humanistic ideals. In humanistic thought, man is essentially good as well as altrustic. The French Bourgeoisie (middle class) and petit Bourgeoisie (lower class) began to believe the French aristocracy was evil and joined forces to overthrow them. Sadly, the French also excommunicated God during their revolution.
Ideals of socialism and communism naturally followed during the late 19th century with continued development of a belief system that man is primarily good and everyone would freely share what they have with each another. Unfortunately, the important factor, that was not addressed, is that man is a sinner who, in his sinful condition, is incapable of putting the needs of others ahead of his own. In the end, socialism and communism contributed to the death of God in the lives of Europeans. As our dear Swedish friend and Christian, Denny Norman, would often say, “Socialism became God to the people. It took care of all of their needs such as food, housing, and education.People no longer felt a need to seek out God.”
Unfortunately, two world wars, as well as the spread of Communism, during the 20th century further weakened the spiritual beliefs of the survivors throughout Europe. These were, perhaps, the most difficult times the citizens of the long-established European countries had ever faced. Sixty-four years have gone by since World War II, and Europeans for the most part have forgotten God, just as the Israelites did during the time of the Judges. The pressing question is — will America follow in Europe's footsteps?