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European culture is at a crossroads. Many of the old forcesmodernism, Christendom, and communismhave fallen; what will fill the void? A similar cultural crisis developed nearly 600 years ago, with the breakdown of the feudal system, severe financial crises within the Roman church, and the devaluation of the papacy. Fuelled by the decline of these dominant cultural forces, the Renaissance began in Italy in the first half of the 14th century, and spread to northern Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. Centred on the world of ideas, its greatest influence was in the formation of worldviews. Renaissance was willing to ask bold questions, and was not afraid of experiments. Speculation, initiative, experiment, and exploration were rewarded. The old world order was beginning to make less sense; the accepted wisdom of the past was no longer satisfactory to the people of the day. A new understanding of reality encouraged new thoughts and ideas.

Initially the Renaissance was a movement within the arts, architecture, and literature. Realising the importance of history, scholars tried to reconcile the ideas (and ideals) of antiquity with the beliefs of Christianity. There was renewed interest in human life on earth and its significance. Artists began to represent human form with greater realism and accuracy, even when painting Christ. Literature, in a similar fashion, was enriched by the new possibilities. Poets showed a new fascination with human nature. These movements began to spread not only geographically across Europe, but also across disciplines. Space was created for people to venture to new territories.

But how does this apply to Schloss Mittersill today? And what would ‘Christian renaissance’ look like? Is it not better to speak of the ‘new Reformation’, especially since renaissance is often thought of as a humanistic movement away from God? The Reformation was a movement primarily identified with reforms within the Christian church. Our interest is wider; we long to see Christians authentically ‘living out’ faith in all walks of life and across all strata of society. We believe that as new forces surge into the cultural vacuum, Christians in all walks of life need to understand the bearing of the gospel on the decisions they make within their vocational and cultural contextsboth public and private.

It is our responsibility as followers of Jesus to proclaim the gospel as public truth, not relegate it to our private lives. As God calls people to politics, the arts, and the marketplace; we want to encourage them to be salt and light. We want to assist them by praying for them, equipping them with biblical-theological insight, standing with them, and connecting them with others.

Today’s Christians in Europe are faced with an identity crisis. On the one hand, we areas the Bible clearly showsa minority band, following an alternate Lord, on the margins of society. On the other hand, Christianity has played a pivotal role in the formation of European culture. Lesslie Newbigin points out that before Christianity, Europe was simply a peninsula of Asiaa cul-de-sac into which Asiatic people had migrated for centuries. It was in Christianity that Europe first found shared identity and common culture.

We believe that Christians can and should have a unique voice in Europe. Christians should be ‘renaissance people’, willing to ask bold questions, and not afraid of living in a way that is counterintuitive to the world around themchallenging that world with the values of the Kingdom of God in all strata of society, and across vocational and cultural contexts in all parts of Europe.

Two things will help this process. First, Christians need to become connected in order to encourage, inform, and disciple each other. Christian artists need to network with Christian artists, and Christian bankers need to meet Christian bankers, butin the cross-disciplinary renaissance spiritvital connections also need to be made across vocations and cultures. Second, Christians need to be theologically and culturally equipped to discern the bearing of the gospel upon the decisions they have to make and the priorities they have to establish within their vocations and culural contexts. We believe that as people are connected and equipped in these ways, they will become part of an avant garde that is prepared and inspired to have a voice in the marketplace of ideas.

As we seek to be faithful in our generation, we must remember that we are not only to pursue societal change, or only to seek individual conversion. As we follow Christ together, we must live out an alternative culture that fuses the eternal goodness, beauty, and truth of the Kingdom of God with a clear understanding of our times
and its challenges.

This article has been reprinted from the Autumn 2006 issue of Schloss Mittersill's quarterly newsletter, Schloss Views. If you are not on our mailing list, visit the Newsletter Archive and listen in on the conversation that is taking place here, while catching up on the latest news and prayer concerns.