Migration

• Christian attitudes towards migration


  Christians are often at the front line of welcoming migrants, as a religion with a strong history of migration (e.g. Abraham and Sarah, the flight into Egypt).

  The Parable of the Good Samaritan highlights the value of the ‘foreign neighbour’.

  The Catholic Church annually celebrates The World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
• Impact of Christian Migration in UK Churches

  Christianity is the religion with the largest representation amongst immigrants to the UK who have a religious affiliation. Major challenges are presented by language barriers and diversity in worship styles.

  Pentecostal forms of Christianity have experienced dramatic growth and in the UK there are now 500,000 Christians who attend Black majority churches.
• Challenges if Intergration

  1. Worship Differences: experiential style vs liturgical approaches; language barriers.
  2. Social support: migrant groups have their own specific needs that require support.
  3. Uneven distribution: The majority of migrants are in London and southern cities
• Reverse Mission Movement


  Countries such as the UK that once sent missionaries become themselves the target for missionary work from the countries they once evangelised.

  Caused by global shift of Christianity to the southern hemisphere and the rise of atheism and secularism in Britain.

  The reverse mission has not stemmed the Church decline but has caused reflection.

  Secularisation Thesis suggests that reverse mission remains necessary, however some statistics challenge the thesis as there is evidence of growth.
• Activities of the Reverse Mission Movement

  1. Short term visits from non-British Christians
  2. Church workers who come to the UK to evangelise and convert.
  3. Appointing leaders from a migrant background.
  4. Migrant-majority churches who outreach to white-British nationals.
• The UK is a modern mission field

  Secularisation Thesis suggests the UK needs missionaries.

  Anywhere where there are people who do not follow Jesus is a mission field.

  Many established evangelical Churches and growth in new evangelical denominations.

  The fact that the ’reverse mission’ is so established means it is sociologically a mission field.
• The UK is not a modern mission field

  The UK is still a Christian nation and has been an historic source of missionaries.

  The rise of theological pluralism in the UK might mean Church decline is not a critical issue.

  Not all Christians are evangelical and it is God who saves souls, not other Christians.

  Secularisation is by no means inevitable.