Culture Shock! London/ Great Britain
Sept. 3-5: Reading – Hargraves, CultureShock! London and Tan, CultureShock! Great Britain
We visited London for the first time in 1997 when my wife and I were on our way to Equatorial Guinea Africa as missionaries. We only really stay in London for a few hours and din got a good sense of the British culture or country for that matter.
Visiting England is like going to back to the motherland. By that, I mean the homeland of the North Americans. We went to visit for the second time back in 2005 on my way back to the US from Cameroon. That time we did stay for a couple of days and sightseeing, especially great city of London.
Reading the books bring back memories of my shore experience in London, but overall it reminded me of the home of the WEC International Mission headquarters. That is a big deal for me as WEC is the mission that we served God within Africa for eight years.
For those wondering about the connection, “Charles Thomas Studd, often known as C. T. Studd, was a British missionary, a contributor to The Fundamentals, and a cricketer. In 1888, he married Priscilla Stewart, and had four daughters, and two sons (who died in infancy). As a British Protestant Christian missionary to China, he was part of the Cambridge Seven and later was responsible for setting up the Heart of Africa Mission which became the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International). As a cricketer, he played for England in the 1882 match won by Australia, which was the origins of The Ashes”. https://wec-uk.org.
Furthermore, into a reading couple of subject caught my attention, and I wanted to elaborate on those too. One is in regard’s to the change in immigration and religion in the UK and how these social changes have impacted the culture. As a formal Latin missionary from the US, we see Europe and especially the UK as the mother of all missions to the American continent. Well, Spain and Catholicism to Latin America as well, but that’s for another topic.
Hargraves & Tan both are very inclusive and cultural sensitivity as well as acutely aware of the many cultures represented in the UK and how they are contributing to the new England. Despite the many challenges that this may serve, England seems to have a different approach to immigration. There is a long history going back to the 16th century in which England has hosted political asylum seekers which ironically also came from the US that were in disagreement with the revolution.
England and the US are experiencing a big challenge that is obligating them to take mayor measures. The overwhelming traffic of illegal emigration into England is instigating radical and extremist to rise in defense of something that they feel has been taking away from them.
Both US and UK share very similar issues with immigration, especially when their global political ambitions have provoked the reason for such.
I was intrigued by what Hargraves said that “London is less ‘ghettoized’ than many other world cities. Thanks to the availability of low-cost housing provided by housing trusts, housing associations, and local governments, immigrants can and do live in every London borough. Hargraves, Orin. CultureShock! London. Marshall Cavendish Corporation. Kindle Edition”. 831. As is the case in the US, this reality continues to be very different, and with a visible line of social and cultural differences.
In conclusion, with my report on Culture Shock, first of all, I am excited that I will get to visit the land of John Wesley. I am a fan of Wesley as I am a Free Methodist ordain pastor, and Wesley is also as an idol to the Methodist. Unfortunately, the Wesleyan legacy seems to be featuring away over the years from the equation and left alone in the history books. New movements and expressions of faith are emerging in the US an are unaware of the many pioneers from Englan to our Christian faith in America.
I am intrigued by how historical and routed missionary movement that came out of England has wholly changed but also how the church is in a state of feebleness. Tam. 685.
The church in the US seems to be in similar situations. Many churches are closing down; many others have to be reinventing trying to be “relevant” and losing their focus in the process. Despite that, I want to recognize the God is at work in the mix of the non-Caucasian immigrants, mainly from Latin America migrating to the US. Caring their Christian traditions in their journey to the “promised land,” bring along their pentecostal indigenous church movement who are planting many churches, as well the new generations of Latinos American who are planting multicultural churches with parishioners from many nationalities background. So there is hope, and I pray that England takes advantage of the nation’s that are coming to their home and see that they are reached with the gospel. I hope and pray that they are sending missionaries not only to the world but to their own Jerusalem Judea in Samaria.
5 responses to “Culture Shock! London/ Great Britain”
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I’m glad you brought up Studd and his connection to The Fundamentals. I’m interested in the history of Evangelical movements in the US and UK in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I find it fascinating that you bring up Studd and immigration in the same post. A previous professor of mine is currently arguing to add imperialism as a fifth part of the definition of Evangelicalism in addition to Bebbington’s conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism. This imperialism had the roots of superiority, giving full birth to racism. I’m eager to see how current Evangelicals in the UK might be attempting to detox and learn from this past.
Thanks for this post. When we travel to England later this month, I will interested to explore the differences about life in London and life in Oxford. As a large, cosmopolitan, city of the world, London seems to be much more of a “melting pot” of cultures. I’ll be curious to see how that shows up away from the city.
It seems to me that in so many ways, we are all wanderers and immigrants to some degree. As a United Methodist pastor, I too have a deep affection and affinity for England as the birthplace of Wesley and Methodism. It feels like part of my heritage, even though I was born and raised in the USA. I feel like if we were to see one another as citizens of our world (and more importantly citizens in God’s Kingdom,) rather than as merely people from the various places we live, we would take great steps to bridging the things that divine us today.
I look forward to learning more with you.
Hello to my fellow Angeleno!
Thanks for sharing your many mission opportunities!
“I was intrigued by what Hargraves said that “London is less ‘ghettoized’ than many other world cities.” Me too. Since I live in downtown LA and have Skid Row in my backyard, I’m curious what “less ‘ghettoized'” really means.
What do you hope to learn from your time in London and Oxford?
Blessings,
Nancy
Joe, thank you for weaving in the historical church movements with the realities of how the church is moving today. The vibrancy of God’s working in Latin American and Africa is a result (both positive and negative) of the work others have done in centuries past. How to rekindle that passion for Christ and people in places where the church is diminishing will be a question I carry with me during our time in London. I look forward to walking in the steps of the faithful, like John Wesley. My early Christian roots are Methodist, so it will be an honor to stand on those roads where Wesley walked. Like you, while recognizing the decay, I want to be attentive to where life is being breathed into the Church in new ways within the British context. Maybe those ways will once again move to the US and inform how we, too, and be part of new life evidenced in our ministry contexts. I look forward to learning with you in the years to come:) See you soon.
Joe I appreciated your historical insight. Though I not Methodist I openly acknowledge the great influence the Wesley’s have on the Christian faith. I also have great respect for your heart for missions. Reading your post as well as those of the others I am filled with anticipation to get to know you better.