UK Christian Churches:::?

 An international think tank warned in a report that multiculturalism is 
feeding radical Islam in the U.K., pointing out that in the past couple of 
decades close to 500 Christian churches have closed in London 
alone while 423 mosques were built. "
British multiculturalists are feeding 
Islamic fundamentalism. 

 Above all, Londonistan, with its new 423 mosques, is built on the 
sad ruins of English Christianity," the Gatestone Institute argued
 in a report released Sunday. It pointed out that since 2001, 
as many as 500 churches in London of all denominations have 
been turned into private homes.
  At the same time, the number of Muslims has grown
 by almost a million. Statistics from the NatCen Social Research 
Institute showed that between 2012 and 2014, the number of 
Britons identifying as Anglicans fell from 21 to 17 percent of 
the population, representing a decrease of 1.7 million people. 

Data from British Social Attitudes surveys also showed that those 
without a religion in England and Wales now outnumber Christians. 
With the decline of Christianity, Britain has been "acquiring an increasingly 
Islamic face," the Gatestone institute warned as it looking at cities such 
as Birmingham, Bradford, Derby, Dewsbury, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, 
Luton, Manchester, Sheffield, Waltham Forest and Tower Hamlets. 

The institute noted that Birmingham, the second-largest British city,
 has hosted several jihadists who have orchestrated attacks and 
there have been petitions asking that British mosques be allowed 
to use their loudspeakers to call Muslims to prayer three times a day.
 Last month, five people were killed in London by a suspected 
Islamic State-linked terrorist. London's Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, 
vowed that the city will not cower before terrorism. 

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, meanwhile, suggested after 
the attack that multiculturalism is further dividing the U.K. 
instead of bringing it together. "The problem with multiculturalism is 
that it leads to divided communities. It's quite different to multi-racialism. 
That's fine, that can work very happily and extremely well. 

But we've finished up with very divided communities," he said. 
According to Gatestone, the number of Islamic sharia courts in 
London has been growing, with 100 of them now officially 
operating in the city. "
 These new courts are based on the rejection of the 
inviolability of human rights: the values of freedom and 
equality that are the basis of English Common Law," 
the think tank warned. 
It criticized figures such as Rowan Williams, 
the former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Chief Justice 
Lord Phillips, who have expressed sympathy toward such courts, 
by arguing that London's changing society is exposing 
people to greater terror dangers. "
The British cultural establishment is rapidly capitulating to 
Islamic fundamentalists in accepting their demands," it said. 
By Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post Reporte

Muslims and Christians in Western Europe

A Comparison of Muslims and Christians in Western Europe 
 On the basis of an original survey among native Christians and
 Muslims of Turkish and Moroccan origin in Germany, France,
 the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Sweden, this paper 
investigates four research questions comparing native 
Christians to Muslim immigrants: 

 (1) the extent of religious fundamentalism; 
(2) its socio-economic determinants; 
(3) whether it can be distinguished from 
other indicators of religiosity; and 
(4) its relationship to hostility towards out-groups 
(homosexuals, Jews, the West, and Muslims). 

 The results indicate that religious fundamentalist attitudes are 
much more widespread among Sunnite Muslims than among 
native Christians, even after controlling for the different demographic 
and socio-economic compositions of these groups. 
Alevite Muslims from Turkey, by contrast, show low levels of 
fundamentalism, comparable to Christians. 
Among both Christians and Muslims, strong religiosity 
as such is not (among Christians) or only mildly 
(among Muslims) related to hostility towards out-gro...
 ( R. W. R. Koopmans)

Christianity in Netherlands

Christianity in NL Christianity is the most common and deep-rooted religion in the Netherlands. Here are the bullet points: Protestantism in the Netherlands
The origins of Protestantism in the Netherlands go back a long way:
• At the time of the Reformation, some Dutch Protestants followed
  the teachings of Martin Luther.
• Most, however, followed the more radical John Calvin of France
• Calvinism’s key characteristic was a belief in ‘predestination’.
 Predestination  means that some people are destined for a place
  in heaven, whilst others are simply not.
• Sobriety is also greatly favoured by Calvinists.
• Over the years, these ideas have evolved in the Netherlands, and
  different streams and communities of Protestantism have developed .
                                        Protestantism in NL Today 
• Today, Protestantism in the Netherlands is a lot more varied
• Most provinces in Holland are predominantly Protestant.
• The three main categories of modern-day Dutch Protestantism are:
1. ‘Nederlands Hervormd‘, or ‘Dutch Reformed’. 7% of the Dutch
   population are of this denomination.
2. ‘Protestantse Kerk in Nederland‘, or ‘Protestant Church in the Netherlands’.
   6% of Dutch people subscribe to this stream of Protestantism.
3. ‘Gereformeerd‘ , or ‘Reformed’. Just 3% of Dutch people are
   part of this branch of Protestantism.
4. There are other groups as well! Some examples are: Evangelical, Lutheran, Baptist, Apostolic, Pentecostal, the list goes on Catholicism in the Netherlands
• The southern provinces of Brabant and Limburg are predominantly.

 Catholic in the Netherlands 

• In the 1960s and 70s, the Dutch Catholic Church became extremely progressive • A series of subsequent, rather conservative, Popes has led to its
  being less so today.
• Still, a wide range of Catholic communities exist in the Netherlands
• Some parishes still use the Latin liturgy, whilst others are committed
  to the most modern ideas and practices. There are even Byzantine
  Catholic communities in some regions.
• There are more registered members of the Roman Catholic Church
  (4.2 million), than of the Protestant Church (1.7 million)
• Yet, only 17% of Catholics living in the Netherlands go to church
  regularly, compared to 22% of Protestants.
                                                         Islam in NL 
• There are approximately 850,000 practicing Muslims living in
   the Netherlands today.
• That means 5% of the Dutch population are Islamic.
• Islam has become one of the major religions in the Netherlands
• Mosques have been built in most larger Dutch cities, by communities
   of immigrants from Turkey, Morocco and Indonesia.
• The Dutch public is gradually learning more about Islam.
• Consequently, the people of the Netherlands are becoming more
   accommodating and respectful of, for example, pupils who are
   fasting for Ramadan.

Judaism in NL 

• Before and during the Second World War, when Hitler’s awful anti-
  Semitism took hold in Europe, many Jews came to the Netherlands.
• Unfortunately, the Netherlands was occupied during the war. Therefore,
  it was unable to be the safe haven the Jewish people had hoped it would be
• Still, there is currently a sizeable Jewish community in the Netherlands
• Around 35,000 Jews remain in the Holland.
• Their Jewish center is in Amsterdam, but Synagogues can be
  found in many other Dutch cities.

 Other Religions in the Netherlands .

Other religions that have smaller, but active, communities 

in the Netherlands include: 

                          • Hinduism • Buddhism • Baha’i • Jehovah’s Witness

Contemporary Theology

What is contemporary theology?"

            Contemporary theology is generally defined as a study of theology and theological trends from post-World War I to the present. Roughly covering the twentieth century to today, the major categories typically addressed by contemporary theology include fundamentalism, neo-orthodoxy, Pentecostalism, evangelicalism, neo-liberalism, Post-Vatican II Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox theology of the twentieth century, and the Charismatic Movement. 

              In addition to these larger categories, contemporary theology also deals with specialized areas such as liberation theology, feminist theology, and various ethnic theologies. With the wide variety of credos involved, few scholars would claim to serve as “experts” in contemporary theology. Rather, the trend is to specialize in one or more areas of contemporary theological research. A more recent branch of contemporary theology is the study of interfaith dialogue. 

            Historic Christian theology is compared with the worldviews of non-Christian belief systems as the basis for dialogue between different faiths. Recent pursuits have focused on the shared values between two or more faiths, such as the “Abrahamic Faiths” (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) or Eastern Religions (including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christian movements such as the underground Chinese Church). 

                   Contemporary theology is primarily a field of academic scholarship. As such, it addresses intellectual challenges facing theology, including science, social issues, and religious practices. While many contemporary theologians share a Christian heritage, not all do. In fact, many agnostic or even atheist scholars have entered the field and are teaching their views regarding faith and belief in contemporary society. 

                     For the Bible-believing Christian, contemporary theology is important, as it traces the development of beliefs in recent history. However, it is critical to realize that contemporary theology often departs from traditional Christian theology when it evaluates faith in the context of various social movements or in comparison with other belief systems. 

                    Adhering to a biblical worldview is not usually the goal. Those who want to understand what God’s Word teaches on today’s important topics can find helpful information in a wide variety of contemporary theological materials. However, the Bible itself does not change. It is the standard of truth for the believer, both now and forever (2 Timothy 3:16-17). (Crd:gotquestion)

About Historical Theology.

What is historical theology?"

Historical theology is the study of the development and history of Christian doctrine. As its name implies, historical theology is a study of the development and formation of essential Christian doctrine throughout the history of the New Testament church period. 

                     Historical theology can also be defined as the study of how Christians during different historical periods have understood different theological subjects or topics such as the nature of God, the nature of Jesus Christ, the nature and work of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of salvation, etc. The study of historical theology covers subjects such as the development of creeds and confessions, church councils, and heresies that have arisen and been dealt with throughout church history. 

                A historical theologian studies the development of the essential doctrines that separate Christianity from heresies and cults. Theologians often break down the study of historical theology into four main periods of time: 1) the Patristic Period from AD 100—400; 2) the Middle Ages and Renaissance from AD 500-1500; 3) the Reformation and Post-Reformation Periods from AD 1500-1750; and 4) the Modern Period from AD 1750 to the present day. 

                   The purpose of historical theology is to understand and describe the historical origin of the key doctrines of Christianity and to trace the development of these doctrines over time. It examines how people have understood different doctrines throughout history and attempts to understand the development of the doctrines, recognizing how changes within the church have affected different doctrines either for better or worse. Historical theology and church history are two different yet closely related and important subjects. 

                  It would be difficult, if not impossible, to understand church history without also understanding the history of doctrine that often led to different divisions and movements within church history. Understanding the history of theology and doctrine helps us to understand the history of Christianity since the first century and why there are so many different denominations. The basis for studying historical theology is found in the book of Acts. Luke records the beginning of the Christian Church as he continues toward his goal of giving an account of “all that Jesus began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1). The work of Christ did not end with the final chapter of Acts. 

             Indeed, Christ is at work today in His church, and that can be seen through the study of historical theology and church history, both of which help us to understand how the biblical doctrines essential to the Christian faith have been recognized and proclaimed throughout church history. Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29–30 to expect “savage wolves” who would teach false doctrine. 

                It is through the study of historical theology that we see just how true Paul’s warning turned out to be, as we come to understand how the essential doctrines of the Christian faith have been attacked and defended throughout the more than 2,000 years of church history. Like any area of theology, historical theology is also sometimes used by liberal scholars and non-Christians to cast doubt upon or attack the essential doctrines of the Christian faith as simply being the concoctions of men instead of the divinely revealed biblical truth that they really are. 

                  One example of this is in the discussion of the triune nature of God. The historical theologian will study and trace the development of this doctrine throughout church history knowing that this truth is clearly revealed in Scripture, yet throughout church history there have been times when the doctrine came under attack and thus it was necessary for the church to define and defend the doctrine. 

               The truth of the doctrine comes directly from Scripture; however, the church’s understanding and proclamation of the doctrine has been clarified over the years, often in times when the nature of God had come under attack by those “savage wolves” that Paul warned would come. Some well-meaning but misguided Christians want to dismiss the importance of historical theology, citing the promise that Holy Spirit who indwells all born-again Christians will “guide us to all truth” (John 16:13). 

                   What these Christians fail to recognize is that Holy Spirit has indwelt Christians throughout church history, and it is Jesus Christ Himself who has given “some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–12). This includes not only those given in this generation but also those whom Christ ordained throughout church history. It is foolish to believe we have no need to learn from many gifted men that preceded us. A correct study and application of historical theology helps us recognize and learn from Christian teachers and leaders from centuries past. 

                    Through the study of church history and historical theology, the born-again Christian is encouraged to see how God has been at work throughout history. In it we see God’s sovereignty over all things displayed and the truth that God’s Word endures forever (Psalm 119:160). Studying historical theology is really nothing more than studying God at work. It also helps remind us of the ever-present spiritual battle between Satan and the truth of God’s Word. It shows us from history the many ways and forms that Satan uses to spread false doctrine in the church, just as Paul warned the Ephesian elders. 

                   The study of historical theology and church history also shows that the truth of God’s Word remains triumphant. As we understand the theological battles of the past, we can be better prepared to resist the errors that Satan will try to entice us with in the future. If pastors, churches, and Christians are not aware of church history and historical theology, then they will be more open to falling prey to the same type of false teachings that Satan has used in the past. Historical theology, when correctly understood and applied, does not diminish the authority or sufficiency of Scripture. Scripture alone is the standard in all matters of faith and practice. 

               It alone is inspired and inerrant. Scripture alone is our authority and guide, but historical theology can help us understand the many dangers of some “new teaching” or novel interpretation of Scripture. With over 2,000 years of church history and thousands if not millions of Christians preceding us, shouldn’t we be automatically wary of someone who claims to have a “new explanation” or interpretation of Scripture? 

               Finally, historical theology can remind us of the ever-present danger of interpreting Scripture in light of the cultural and philosophical assumptions of our times. We see this danger so much today as sin is being redefined as a sickness to be cured by drugs instead of a spiritual condition. We also see it as many denominations leave the clear teaching of Scripture and embrace the cultural acceptance of homosexuality as a lifestyle. 

              Historical theology is an important aspect of studying theology, but, like any other method of study, it is not without its dangers and pitfalls. The challenge for all Christians and for all students of theology is to not force our theological system on the Bible but to always make sure that our theology comes from the Scripture and not from some system that might be popular.

Systematic Theology

What is systematic theology?" 

“Systematic” refers to something being put into a system. Systematic theology is, therefore, the division of theology into systems that explain its various areas. For example, many books of the Bible give information about the angels. No one book gives all the information about the angels. Systematic theology takes all the information about angels from all the books of the Bible and organizes it into a system called angelology. 

                  That is what systematic theology is all about organizing the teachings of the Bible into categorical systems. Theology Proper or Paterology is the study of God the Father. Christology is the study of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Pneumatology is the study of God the Holy Spirit. Bibliology is the study of the Bible. Soteriology is the study of salvation.

                 Ecclesiology is the study of the church. Eschatology is the study of the end times. Angelology is the study of angels. Christian Demonology is the study of demons from a Christian perspective. Christian Anthropology is the study of humanity. Hamartiology is the study of sin. 

                  Systematic theology is an important tool in helping us to understand and teach the Bible in an organized manner. In addition to systematic theology, there are other ways that theology can be divided. Biblical theology is the study of a certain book (or books) of the Bible and emphasizing the different aspects of theology it focuses on. 

                    For example, the Gospel of John is very Christological since it focuses so much on the deity of Christ (John 1:1, 14; 8:58; 10:30; 20:28). Historical theology is the study of doctrines and how they have developed over the centuries of the Christian church. 

                 Dogmatic theology is the study of the doctrines of certain Christian groups that have systematized doctrine for example, Calvinistic theology and dispensational theology. Contemporary theology is the study of doctrines that have developed or come into focus in recent times. No matter what method of theology is studied, what is important is that theology is studied.

Biblical Theology

 What is Biblical Theology?

             Biblical theology is the study of the doctrines of the Bible, arranged according to their chronology and historical background. In contrast to systematic theology, which categorizes doctrine according to specific topics, biblical theology shows the unfolding of God’s revelation as it progressed through history. Biblical theology may seek to isolate and express the theological teachings of a specific portion of Scripture, such as the theology of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) or the theology contained within John’s writings, etc.
                 Or it may focus on a particular period of time, such as the theology of the unified kingdom years. Another branch of biblical theology may study a particular motif or theme in the Bible: a study of “the remnant,” for example, might search out how that motif is introduced and developed throughout Scripture. Many credit J. P. Gabler, a German biblical scholar, with beginning the field of biblical theology. As he was being inaugurated to a professorship in 1787, Gabler called for a sharp distinction between dogmatic (systematic or doctrinal) theology and biblical theology.
                For Gabler, biblical theology must be strictly a historical study of what was believed and taught in the various periods of biblical history, independent of modern denominational, doctrinal, philosophical, or cultural considerations. In general, the principles that Gabler espoused were correct, and he influenced the development of biblical theology for many years to come. However, it should be noted that there is no such thing as a study of the Bible with complete objectivity.
                Every interpreter brings certain presuppositions to the task. These biases have considerable influence upon the process of interpreting the Scriptures. As a result, the field of biblical theology is checkered with every imaginable opinion and variation of what the Bible teaches. Biblical theology is utterly dependent upon the hermeneutics of the theologian. The methods employed in interpreting Scripture are crucially important to biblical theology.
               One’s biblical theology can be no better than the methods he uses to interpret Scripture. Here is a basic difference between systematic and biblical theology: systematic theology asks, “What does the Bible as a whole say about angels?” and then examines every passage that concerns angelic beings, draws conclusions, and organizes all the information into a body of truth called “angelology.” The final product is, from Genesis to Revelation, the totality of God’s revealed truth on the subject.
                      Biblical theology asks, “How did our understanding of angels
develop throughout biblical history?” and then starts with the Pentateuch’s teaching about angels and traces God’s progressive revelation of these

beings throughout Scripture. Along the way, the biblical theologian draws conclusions about how people’s thinking about angels may have changed as more and more truth was revealed. 

                          The conclusion of such a study is, of course, an understanding of what the Bible has to say about angels, but it also places that knowledge in the context of the “bigger picture” of God’s whole revelation. Biblical theology helps us see the Bible as a unified whole, rather than as a collection of unrelated doctrinal points

New Testament Theology vs Old Testament Theology.

What is New Testament theology?"

 New Testament theology is the study of what God has revealed about Himself in the New Testament. The system of New Testament theology takes the various truths that the New Testament books teach us about God and presents them in an organized fashion. 

               The New Testament discloses the coming of the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament (Isaiah 9), the rejection of the Messiah by Israel, the fulfillment of the Law, the birth of the New Testament church (the body of Christ), the church age, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and instructions for believers in Jesus Christ. The phrase new covenant (or new testament) was spoken by Christ at the Last Supper (Luke 22:20). Paul cited the new covenant as the substance of the ministry to which he was called (2 Corinthians 3:6). 

              The Old Testament is the record of the calling and history of the Jewish nation, and it contains the Mosaic Law, the Old Covenant to which Israel was bound for many years. The New Testament deals with the history and application of the Christ’s redemption from the Law (Galatians 4:4–5), a redemption He provided through His death on the cross (Ephesians 1:7). 

              Being the New Covenant, it supersedes the Old (Hebrews 8:6, 13). Theology is the study of the doctrines of the Bible, following the progressive revelation that God made to man from the beginning of time to the end of the book of Revelation. New Testament theology primarily deals with the study of Christology, ecclesiology, and soteriology. Plus, it furthers our understanding of eschatology, pneumatology, angelology, hamartiology, and other fields of doctrine. 

What is Old Testament theology?" 

 Old Testament theology is the study of what God has revealed about Himself in the Old Testament. The system of Old Testament theology takes the various truths that the Old Testament books teach us about God and presents them in an organized fashion. 

                God's revelation of Himself begins in Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The presupposition of God and His creative work is something that all believers accept by faith and is emphasized throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. 

             Old Testament theology is a rich and rewarding study of what God revealed of Himself, His character, His attributes, etc., in the Old Testament. The Old Testament focuses primarily on God's relationship with the Jews, starting with His call of Abraham in Genesis 12. He chose Israel and covenanted with them for the purpose of relaying His message to the world and ultimately bringing the Messiah to save us from our sin. 

           Through His relationship with the Jews, God blessed the entire world (Genesis 12:3). The Old Testament chronicles God's progressive revelation of Himself, specifically to His chosen people but also to those of Gentile heritage, in order that we might learn who He is and His plan in the world. 

                Into the very heart of the Old Testament is woven the idea of a covenant between God and man: the first was made with Adam and others with Noah, Abraham, the nation of Israel, and David. Old Testament theology is foundational to our understanding of God and His purposes in the world. 

            The seeds of the doctrines of substitutionary atonement, salvation, election, holiness, mercy, judgment, and forgiveness are all found in the Old Testament. A study of Old Testament theology includes a look at theology proper, anthropology, and eschatology, among other vital subjects.