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Mission and Multiculturalism. On Communication Between Europeans and Africans

Mission and Multiculturalism. On Communication Between Europeans and Africans MISSION AND MULTICULTURALISM. ON COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EUROPEANS AND AFRICANS Frans Wijsen The debate on multiculturalism has been raging in several European countries for some ten years.' By and large it centres on the question whether European society is, or ought to be, a multicultural society and whether new migrants must adapt to European lifestyle, or whether they can and may retain their distinctive character. The discussions we are hearing currently in the political debate clearly demonstrate how unprepared European countries are for becoming a multicultural society. Whether it is a matter of head scarves, female circumcision, arranged marriages, Islamic primary education, acceptance of homosexuality or separation of church and state: on the whole the countries of Western Europe are completely at a loss what to do about it or, even worse, believe they know best. The thesis I want to defend here is that missionaries and missionary institutions have considerable expertise in dealing with cultural differences. Often they have worked for many years in non-Western societies and nowadays they are increasingly working in multicultural communities in the European continent. As an empirical study and theological reflection on missionary practice,2 missiology can not only contribute to a theory of intercultural http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Exchange Brill

Mission and Multiculturalism. On Communication Between Europeans and Africans

Exchange , Volume 32 (3): 18 – Jan 1, 2003

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
Copyright © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0166-2740
eISSN
1572-543X
DOI
10.1163/157254303x00055
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

MISSION AND MULTICULTURALISM. ON COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EUROPEANS AND AFRICANS Frans Wijsen The debate on multiculturalism has been raging in several European countries for some ten years.' By and large it centres on the question whether European society is, or ought to be, a multicultural society and whether new migrants must adapt to European lifestyle, or whether they can and may retain their distinctive character. The discussions we are hearing currently in the political debate clearly demonstrate how unprepared European countries are for becoming a multicultural society. Whether it is a matter of head scarves, female circumcision, arranged marriages, Islamic primary education, acceptance of homosexuality or separation of church and state: on the whole the countries of Western Europe are completely at a loss what to do about it or, even worse, believe they know best. The thesis I want to defend here is that missionaries and missionary institutions have considerable expertise in dealing with cultural differences. Often they have worked for many years in non-Western societies and nowadays they are increasingly working in multicultural communities in the European continent. As an empirical study and theological reflection on missionary practice,2 missiology can not only contribute to a theory of intercultural

Journal

ExchangeBrill

Published: Jan 1, 2003

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