3B: Migration Flashcards
Migration
movement of people from one area to another
Immigration
coming into a country
Emigration
exiting a country
Refugee
moves out of necessity ie war or famine
What are some reasons for migration?
- to find better job prospects
- to join family members who have already moved to a different place
- to escape violence/war/persecution
What are some benefits of migration?
- can contribute to cultural diversity
- can allow families to be together
- can benefit economy
- provides opportunity to enrich a population
What are some of the challenges of migration?
- migrants may struggle to adapt to new language/culture
- discrimination/racism/xenophobia
- might cause a strain on resources
In what ways might Christianity be seen as a ‘story of migration’?
- story of Israel’s faith begins with call to Abraham and Sarah to leave their land and make a journey to Canaan
- “you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt”; Leviticus 19:34
- Mary and Joseph were uprooted from their community three times: from Nazareth to Bethlehem, from Bethlehem to Egypt and from Egypt to Galilee
- Parable of the Good Samaritan: kindness and compassion should be extended to migrants, no matter where they come from
What are some of the challenges of Christian migration to the UK?
- tens of thousands of ‘new’ Christians join churches each year; some will attend churches that have long been in Britain that are also in their country of origin but others will join new denominations/independent churches with a significant immigrant population
- this has caused traditional churches to reflect on how effectively they welcome newcomers into their communities
What are some of the particular challenges likely to be faced by Christian migrants when coming to the UK?
- pastoral care: hard for priests to provide care during personal crisis. sometimes an immigrant chaplain is appointed to take responsibility
- difference in worship style: different people have different ways of worshipping, even when an immigrant attends the same denomination in Britain as the one in their native country
- language barriers: can make it hard to teach catechism, confirmation classes and preparation for the sacraments. leaflets in the native language can help
What is the overall challenge?
maintaining a sense of community while simultaneously keeping an openness to the traditions and preferences to those new to the worshipping community
What is meant by Pentecostalism?
a worldwide Christian movement composed of many denominations and independent churches that focus on the experience of the worshipper and gifts of the Spirit of God
How has Pentecostalism spread worldwide?
- massive growth in Africa, Asia and Latin America
- estimated 300-500million Pentecostal Christians
- for the first time, there are probably more Christians in the Southern hemisphere than in the Northern
How has Pentecostalism spread in the UK?
- Pentecostal Churches in the UK from the start of the 20th century but there was a huge growth due to the Windrush generation
What did Daniel Akhazemea say and how far do you agree?
- he says that black majority churches are making up for the decline in Christianity and are filling a religious void, becoming more influential: BMCs as a “source of religious hope in Britain”
- I neither agree or disagree: BMCs have attracted diverse and enthusiastic congregations but they haven’t really done anything to reduce the decline in Christianity, it has just helped make the religion more diverse but has not make Christianity as prominent as it used to be
What is the Redeemed Christian Church of God?
- a Nigerian denomination founded in 1952
- experienced dramatic growth and has a vision for global expansion
- there are now almost 800 RCCG congregations in Britain with hundreds having opened in the past few years
What is the Freedom Centre International?
- Pentecostal church in Welling
- meets in a refurbished bingo hall
- interior displays the words “Free to Prosper’
- the church states their mission is to “set people free to pursue their God-given life”
What is the Kingsway International Christian Church?
- a large independent church with a predominantly West African membership
- claims to be the largest church in Europe
- seeks to ‘share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the 1.5 million people resident in Kent and the 64.1 million in the UK at large’
Why aren’t more congregations integrated?
- social and cultural differences; ethnic churches understand immigrant struggles more than British churches
- worshipping differences; traditional worship is very different to Pentecostal worship
- language differences: the deeper the sentiment, the harder it is to express it in another language
- uneven spread of immigration: 75% of migrants go to London (Office of National Statistics). means there are large regions across the UK that do not have a significant number of immigrants so some churches have no opportunities to assimilate those from different cultures
What is reverse mission?
countries that once sent missionaries become themselves a target for missionary work from the countries they once Evangelised
What reasons are there for a growth in reverse mission?
loss of faith in countries that were once considered Christian
What different activities might count as reverse mission?
- short visits by non-British Christian’s to share their faith
- Church workers coming to convert British citizens
- Church bodies appointing a leader from a migrant background to bring new life to British churches
How has reverse mission had positive impacts?
- growth of new Churches established by immigrant communities
- has made British churches think more about how they reach out to people
How has reverse mission had limited success?
- England and Wales census; ‘no religion’: 15% in 2001 —> 25% in 2011
- resistance from people who aren’t interested in the message
- it is hard to connect with secular British people
- hadn’t stopped the decline in Christianity
What is the secularisation thesis?
the view that modern societies are becoming secular in one of three ways:
1. decline in Church attendance
2. decreasing role for Church in public life
3. loss of personal faith in God
What evidence is there to support the secularisation thesis?
- response of ‘no religion’ in census: for England and Wales. 2001: 15% 2011: 25%
- decrease in those associating with Christianity. 2001: 72% 2011: 59%
- Church of England: 20 church closures a year
What evidence challenges the secularisation thesis?
- 47% of 18-34 year olds declare themselves religious: 67% pray occasionally/regularly
- Evangelicals in CofE: gone from 26% to 34%
- Churches (eg Holy Trinity Brompton) are known for their vibrancy and relatively young membership
- Church membership in some locations is on the increase
Why might growing secularisation in the UK meant that reverse mission is increasingly important?
- there is evidence to suggest that modern societies are becoming more secular (eg the England and Wales census)
- the churches will feel a sense of urgency to turn the UK religious again and use reverse missionaries to do so
- however reverse missionaries most likely won’t work because it has been made clear from previous attempts that the British public usually reject the message and aren’t interested
How many churches opened from 1980-2015 and why is this important?
125
- important because many of these were new denominations/independent with a migrant make up
- 47 of them were majority black and ethnic attendees
- 37 of them had a significant amount of minority attendees
- 18 of them were historical denominations ie Anglican, but none were Catholic
- however 148 churches closed in the same area between 1989-2010
Reasons why Christians should see the UK as a modern mission field
- some Christians think that any place where there are people that don’t yet follow the way of Jesus is a mission field
- there is an unprecedented number of Pentecostal Christians from the Caribbean and West Africa —> RCCG Church: goal is “to make heaven. to take as many people with us”
- sharp decline of Christianity (72% to 59% in 10 years)
- increase of those who say they belong to no religion
- increase in popularity of new Atheist thinkers and lease/sales of empty Church buildings
- it is viewed and treated as a mission field by countries with a predominately Christian population
- reverse missionaries: some sponsored by Churches outside of the UK or come independently, feeling called to visit “non Christian land”
Reasons why Christians should not see the UK as a modern mission field
- the notion that it is God’s job to convert, not humans. it is arrogant and presumptuous to treat any country as a mission field
- Christianity is still an integral part of the UK: churches offer weddings, funerals and baptisms
- the Church leads the nation in times of crisis, mourning and celebration
- the Royal Monarch is head of the Church of England and 26 bishops sit in the House of Lords
- new Churches are formed every year
- it is misguided to see the UK as a mission field; the drift from Christianity might be a part of evolution, increasing survival value
- the decline of Christianity is inevitable. there is still signs of life in the Church, it is just in a “dormant” phase
In what way is it relatively easy for Christian immigrants to assimilate in the UK?
- story of Biblical faith involves themes of migration
- helping ‘aliens’
- migrants who attended Catholic churches in their origin country will find familiar features in their UK counterparts
- it is easy to assimilate in indigenous UK churches as they are attuned to the challenges of migration
- 75% of migrants settle in London, 10% in the South East
In what way is it relatively difficult for Christian immigrants to assimilate in the UK?
- difference in language, worship style, and culture
- issues with offering pastoral care when English is not spoken by those in need
- every year a number of new Churches open that serve primarily migrant communities; many of these aren’t denominations that had a historic UK presence
