3B - immigration

3 Reasons for forced migration

Religious discrimination

Lack of educational opportunities

Humanitarian Crisis

3 Countries where citizens seeking refuge in UK as result of humanitarian crisis

Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq

Examples of fears that might arise in people from a host country as a result of immigration

Security, economic stability, social cohesion

Biblical justification for Christians who believe they have a duty to welcome migrants into their country/churches

1. Call to Abraham and Sarah to leave their land

2. Moses

3. Mary and Joseph uprooted from their home

4. Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) - the Jewish man’s enemy still had an obligation to save him

3 Challenges churches may face when Christians from other countries join their church

1. Language barriers

2. Different worship styles

3. Large influx learning English can make pastoral care a challenge

How do language barriers challenge the Church and solutions

1. Can’t understand teachings - use leaflets in different languages

2. Vicar find it difficult to do pastoral care - use older migrants with language skills to bridge the gap or appoint an ‘episcopal vicar’ responsible for the migrant community

solutions for the challenge of different worship styles

Respect diversity and encourage incorporation of different forms of worship

solution for large influx learning English which can make pastoral care a challenge

Appoint an immigrant chaplain

3 features of pentecostalism

Emphasise experience of worshipper - including spontaneous expressions of prayer, faith healings and speaking in tongues (oral liturgy)

Emphasises power of the HS - references experience of early church in Acts 2 in which HS speaks to them

No written liturgy (instead singing, spontaneous prayer, faith healing)

Geographical features of pentecostalism

Dramatic growth in Africa, Asia, Latin America

Estimate number of Pentecostal Christians

300-500 million

2 Indigenous Pentecostal churches in the beginning of C20th

Assemblies of God

Elim Pentecostal Church

New branches/denominations due to immigration

Redeemed Christian Church of God 1952 (predominantly Nigerian membership)

Freedom Centre International

Kingsway International Christian Church (predominantly West African membership)

How many Redeemed Christian Church of God Churches are there

almost 800

What is the RCCG’s largest Church

Jesus House - over 2,000 people on a Sunday

Aim of the Kingsway Church

To reach the entire population of Kent with the message of Jesus

3 Reasons why trad. British churches have not assimilated more foreign-born worshippers

1. Worship differences

2. Social support

3. Uneven spread of immigration

How worship differences prevent assimilation of foreign-born worshippers

Experiential style of Pentecostal worship different to liturgical approaches of many trad. churches

Why worship differences do not necessarily lead to a lack of assimilation

Charismatic churches

Indigenous pentecostal denominations in England

What is a charismatic church

churches from long-standing denominations which have embraced a Pentecostal style of worship

How social support prevents assimilation of foreign-born worshippers

• Migrants have own needs related to pressure of establishing a new home/income/social network

• Churches with a significant proportion of migrant membership can offer more understanding and support than trad. British churches

• Black and ethnics minority churches offer counselling on legal aspects of immigration process and classes on career development, educational issues, financial management

How uneven spread prevents assimilation of foreign-born worshippers

Large regions across the UK have no foreign-born worshippers so no opportunity for assimilation

75% of immigrants are in London

Another 10% in south-west

What is the reverse mission movement

countries that once sent missionaries became target for missionary work from the countries they once evangelised

2 reasons for the appearance of the reverse mission movement

Global shift of christianity to southern hemisphere (e.g. Increase in pentecostal christianity in Brazil, Nigeria, Korea)

Church decreased in UK

4 Main activities of a reverse mission movement

1. Short term visits of a group of non-British countries sponsored by UK church

2. Church workers who come to UK to evangelise and bring conversions

3. Church/church bodies intentionally appoint a migrant pastor

4. British churches with a significant migrant population outreach to white-British nationals

What is the secularisation thesis

Modern societies becoming secular

3 ways modern societies becoming secular

1. Decreases in church attendance

2. decreased role of church in public life

3. Loss of personal faith

Key statistics supporting secularisation thesis

• Increase of ‘no religion’ in England and Wales census

  • 2001 - 15%

  • 2011 - 25%

• Decrease of ‘Christian belief’ in England and Wales census

  • 2001 - 72%

  • 2011 - 59%

• Christianity = oldest age profile

• CofE reports 20 church closures per year

Statistics challenging secularisation thesis

• Growing in younger citizens (18-34)

  • 47% have religious affiliation

  • 67% pray regularly/occasionally

  • Holy trinity Brompton has relatively young membership (and started the alpha course which has been implemented across the UK)

• Church membership increase

  • E.g. London Diocese of CofE increased by 70% since 1990

• Increase in evangelicals in the Church

  • 1989 - 26%

  • 2005 - 34%

Study of Churches in NE England

• 1980-2015 125 new churches opened

  • Many = new denominations/independent with minority backgrounds

  • 47 churches = predominantly attendees from black/ethnic backgrounds

  • Only 18 are historical denominations (none Catholic and only 1 CofE)

• In same area there were 148 church closures from 1989-2010