The picture that Jesus uses in Matthew 10:16 is quite stark: He sends his disciples like sheep among wolves. Many Christians in secular western or in muslim societies or in communist China feel like that. In Europe, we are often intimidated by the dictate of „neutrality“: Christian teachers are made to believe they must not reveal their Christian identity, because that would violate the religious freedom of others. So we live in contradiction between our faith that the world can only be redeemed through Christ, and the dictate of secularism.
Do you know that the European Convention on Human Rights ECHR*, §9, states that „Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom … in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.“
Since all European countries (including Switzerland!) have subscribed to the ECHR, we must learn to claim our right to freedom of faith and to overcome the intimidation by secular dominance.
Matt Kaegi matthias.kaegi@vbg.net