When discussing the decline of Christianity in Europe there are many reasons that can be discussed for the

causes of the decline. Though it is true that since 1675 there has been declines of Christianity in some countries there has also been increases in others; however pertaining to Europe as a whole Christianity is surely in decline even to this present day. According to USA Today, "Pope Benedict XVI lamented the weakening of churches in Europe, Australia and the USA. 'There's no longer evidence for a need of God, even less of Christ." The Catholic Church has made it a priority to stop the decline of Christianity in Europe and over the years there has been a large amounts of Christian missionaries to European countries in an attempt to stop the decline. This paper will look into the causes of the decline of Christianity, looking into the Age of Enlightenment, the emergence of Protestantism, and the emergence of other belief systems. Emergence of Protestantism and the Thirty Years' War The spark that ignited the entire decline of Christianity in Europe was first ignited perhaps with the Thirty Years' War. According to Gonzalez, "The sixteenth century had been a period of enormous religious vitality which swept up Protestants and Catholics, theologians and rulers."1 During these wars Christians attack Christians base off their "strength of their convictions, and to the overwhelming experiences that formed the basis of their confessions of faith"2 Rulers used religion and beliefs for political reasons during these wars and the results were leaders changing their religious views depending on the circumstances and the loss of human life. Eventually a new movement took hold across Europe, and the reason for this

Noelle Knox, " Religion takes a back seat in Western Europe," USA Today, August 10, 2005, http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-08-10-europe-religion-cover_x.htm/ (accessed July 16, 2011). Justo Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity, the reformation to the present day, (New York: HarperOne, 2010), 173.
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movement was that there "were those concerned about details of Christian doctrine that produce nothing but quarrels and prejudice"3 and furthermore they believed that "if natural reason, a faculty common to all human beings, can answer the fundamental questions regarding God and human nature."4 Due to this new movement the beliefs of both Protestant and Catholic's were questioned. Age of Enlightenment This movement that stemmed from the Thirty Years' War was called the Age of Enlightenment. It swept across Europe and is also known as the Age of Reason.5 According to Immanuel Kant, "enlightenment was humanity's coming of age."6 During this age there would be many philosophers and theologians that wrote articles and books on their beliefs. Two of these men attacked the church and Christianity in France. Brown states, "that in France, Rousseau and Voltaire led the attack on the church and institutional Christianity."7 Voltaire's belief system was largely influenced by English deists, who "claimed that true religion was the religion of reason and nature, and that Christianity, which was perverted by 'priestcraft,' should be made to conform to this view."8 The Age of Enlightenment brought about many different many different Rationalism ideas to include, empiricism, deism, pietism, and many other options other than
3

Ibid., 174 Ibid., 174

C. Brown, Enlightenment, The In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), 377.
6

Ibid., 377. Ibid., 378 ibid., 378.

Christianity. The ideas and concepts that were brought about in the Age of Enlightenment would impact multiple nations and even the foundation of America; however it would also directly change the way people thought and looked at religion, aiding in the decline of Christianity. Empiricism Empiricism is the "philosophical theory that all ideas are derived from experience, asserting that both internal and external experience are the sole foundation of true knowledge and of science."9 This theory has many different names attached to it to include, John Locke, Francis Bacon, and David Hume. According to Scheleiermacher, "every man must have a private description of his feelings, an individual theology."10 The concept of ideas and religion comes from one's own experience and inwardly search for their theology is the basis of this theory. According to Locke, "Christianity was little more than a very clear expression of truths and laws that others could have known by their natural faculties."11 Deism According to Macdonald, "Deism refers to what can be called natural religion or the acceptance of a certain body of religious knowledge acquired solely by the use of reason as opposed to knowledge gained either through revelation or the teach of a church."12 "Deism has

D.A. Rausch, Empiricism In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), 375.
10

Ibid., 376.

Justo Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity, the reformation to the present day, (New York: HarperOne, 2010), 241. M.H. MacDonald, Deism In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), 329
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five basic doctrines which are the belief of a supreme being, the obligation to worship, the obligation of ethical conduct, the need for repentance of sins, and divine rewards and punishments in this life and the next."13 However Deism is not Christianity due to the fact that they "deny the Trinity, the incarnation, the divine authority of the Bible, the atonement, miracles, and any particular elect people"14 This belief system has similar beliefs as Christians it is not Christianity. Deism relies on the analysis of their doctrine and the ability to reason and understand their beliefs. This belief system has continued to impact religion even to this day. Today people are more analytical of their beliefs and includes criticism of different beliefs in Christianity to this day. Conclusion Though there are multiple factors that could cause the decline of Christianity in Europe the topics discussed in this paper are key components that changed that way people thought about the church and how they worshipped and their individual analytical thought process towards religion. Today people question everything based off logic or things they can feel or touch. It is an epidemic that has spread not just across Europe, but across the world. Though free thinking and analysis is not a bad thing, it has slowly replaced faith and a belief in the supernatural and more important Christ and God in our lives. As Christians we should not just be concerned about the decline of Christianity in Europe, but also in America and across the globe.

13

Ibid., 329. Ibid., 329.

14

Bibliography Brown, C. Enlightenment, The In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell 377-79 . Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. Gonzalez, J. The Story of Christianity, the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation New York: HarperOne, 2010 Knox, Noelle "Religion takes a back seat in Western Europe," USA Today, August 10, 2005, http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-08-10-europe-religion-cover_x.htm/ (accessed July 16, 2011). MacDonald, M.H. Deism In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell. 32930. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. Rausch, D.A Empiricism In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell. 375-76. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.