The time's they are a-changing ....

So sang Bob Dylan - and in his era the times were radically changing!

On a smaller, probably very insignificant scale on the French scene, especially since religious affairs and the State are nicely separated and may not mix, there is one change which should be noted.

The Eglise Réformée de France (French Reformed Church) and the French Lutheran Church have joined forces to become L'Eglise Protestante Unie : the United Protestant Church. Given that both are descended from the two major figures of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther and Jean Calvin, this is quite a momentous move and NOT to be ignored!

Both are historically recognized by the French State and have been strong cultural influences at different times in French history. For example, Protestants were instrumental in writing the Human Rights charter, in particular to guarantee religious freedom given that France had greatly suffered in the Wars of Religions.

The Reformed Church had been heavily influenced by liberal theology which lead to our Union of Churches forming in 1849 (The Union of French Free Evangelical Churches - l'Union des églises évangéliques libres de France). A significant number of believers felt that faith was a personal choice and should be openly adhered to, not just inherited. They also objected to the literary critical approach to the Holy Scriptures. They wanted to mark their difference also in being the first official church to be separate from State control. In other words, our churches became independant and undertook to pay their own pastors. Thus our name: The Union of Free Evangelical Churches of France. This was later formalized by the French Government declaring the separation of State and religion in 1905.

Getting back to the United Church: their numbers have been dropping dramatically for years and resources diminishing. The move was probably fuelled by the same reasons as the Australian Uniting Church. However, in our years of pastoring in the UEELF, we have been involved in various Ministers' Fraternals and have noted that a number of pastors in the Reformed Church were theologically evangelical. Can we assume that the Spirit is moving and that Christianity in France will awaken ?? Let's pray so.