For some weeks German chancellor Angela Merkel’s two statements — about the failed policy of multiculturalism, and that in Germany Christian positions are slackened are discussed. It is very pleasant that in Europe have designated disturbing many problem. Performance of madam Angela Merkel was preceded by scandal — rough reaction to the book of Tilo Sarratsina «Germany goes through self-dissolution» — about Islam future in Europe. Discussion was enormous. And madam Merkel already established the fact — a failure of an integration policy. By the way, it is a question not only of a failure of an integration policy concerning Moslems, but also concerning other ethnic and confessional groups.
Mutual relations of Islam and Christianity develop not the first century. In Islam there is deep enough internal religious and cultural tradition, on this base there are relations of religious psychology of Islam in relation to an external world. This world shares on Gift al-Islam (world Territory) — the earths where Islam has already affirmed, Gift al-harb (war Territory) — territories where while exists pagan or atheistic (read devilish) the power and Gift al-ahd (peace treaty Territory). There are people of the Writing — Jews and Christians — followers of monotheist religions who with Islam have a general religiously connecting base — the Genesis. People of the Writing are allowed to live, sometimes on enough severe constraints, in territories where Islam has affirmed. In many, historically Muslim countries, for example in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, the coexistence of Moslems and Christians weeps as a whole easy.
In Europe at the moment lives, and freely profess the belief set of Muslim communities. They are successfully enough integrated into legal and economic space of the European countries. Families are usually having many children and lawfully use all social blessings which exist in the European countries. The internal policy of the states of EU, fixed legislatively, it doesn’t demand from foreigners of assimilation (that is refusal of own religious and cultural self-identification) that, certainly, correctly. Despite it there is a paradox outwardly not connected with all aforesaid and disturbing, for a Christian civilization of Europe, a tendency. Europeans start to be afraid that Europe can become Islam territory.
It is necessary to reflect, why such danger exists.
Since from the general constitution of Europe the thought has been withdrawn that the Christianity is civilized forming religion for this part of the world (and it really historic fact), the European governments, as a matter of fact, officially declare themselves commonwealth of the states, because of incorrectly understood tolerance, refusing the religious roots. Hence from the point of view of normal and it is active itself religious consciousness of carriers of Islamic tradition showing in the world, Europeans voluntary putting values of «this world» above their own Christian values — any more people of the Writing, therefore a religious debt of each Moslem is «the spiritual gain» neogenic «pagan» territories.
Civilizations can and should exist together. Here, for example, in Russia there is an experience of positive cooperation — through many centuries orthodox and Moslems peacefully coexisted. If historically to remember even violent inclusion of such Islamic earths, as the Kazan, Astrakhan khanate, subsequently Bukhara emirat etc. in structure of the Russian state after natural primary problems with the local Muslim population, subsequently on all space of the Russian empire are established worthy, equal in rights, good-neighbourhood in social and religious sense of the relation.
There is an example and in the European historical retrospective show — in Spain during blossoming of khalifat when the population Christian and Muslim was approximately identical, relations between them were not simply tolerant, in this case it is possible to speak, (certainly, with many reservations), about creative interaction of two great religious cultures. Both in it, and in all other similar examples, it became possible only thanks to that, as Christians and Moslems equally professed the Belief not only in words, but also in practice and were ready to die for it that caused also mutual respect and as consequence and social balance of a society.
Multiculturalism is possible, when it is based on one firm platform. Speaking about Europe, it is not necessary to forget that here the Christianity was this platform always, on this basis all European culture has grown. Present, a return situation if to any historically Muslim country there arrive many Christians, and they will begin the aggressive sermon in «another’s territory» — that will be? Certainly, will forbid and will be right — you on the earth which historically has Islamic traditions.
In Europe, to Germany for the different political and economic reasons there come many foreigners. What do Moslems see? That the Christianity (proceeding from EU declaration) became «cultural reserve of Europe», for Moslems it means that in spiritual sense there is an empty territorial space, free for Islam sermon.In this case there are no those moral deterrents which could be in a situation if incorporated Europe, and at level of political organization, would remain the Christian country.
All situations in historical space repeat. After all if to glance in the past, we will understand that multicultural Europe was already since existence of Roman empire which occupied almost all territory of modern Europe and incorporated many people. All has been subordinated to uniform Roman idea, about general happy and existence of all people equal in rights under the power of Rome which was based on the firm law (the Roman right) and military force. In the beginning of the fourth century emperor Konstantin publishes Milan adict on which Christianity to become legitimate. Building of a new Christian civilization which keeps external administrative and political forms begins, but other already is under the spiritual maintenance. However, in 476 year, already Christian, Roman empire has fallen, under the impact of barbarous tribes, to fall old Rome and the epoch of barbarous kingdoms begins. The beginning of coexistence of splinters of a Christian civilization with, for the present, pagan people. So conquerors gradually accept belief of the won people. Thanks to a feat of new Christian missionaries the great Christian civilization and culture affirms as Europe for many centuries.
We don’t speak here about Islam problems. Being Christians, we are obliged to speak about Christianity problems, and now we bring up a question on slackening of Christian positions in the Western Europe.
At the moment, at least, at official level, Europe tries to construct the civilization only on the indistinctly enough formulated universal values, trying to contain all religions, all civilizations and simultaneously in a daily reality refusing the historical Belief, expelling God from life, symbolics, schools and hymns. But the Christianity doesn’t exclude universal values. Moreover the second grows from the first. The Christianity recognizes in each other person of the carrier of an immortal image of Eternal God and therefore its unique personal uniqueness. But if human individuality ceases to breathe air if universal values are shown to level «you me don’t touch, I don’t touch you», «I don’t disturb you, and you — the main thing — me don’t stir» then it is time to hand over really such unpromising civilization in a museum
Islam will respect only the equivalent partner in dialogue. If the European society is the belief carrier if people are religious, and the society should be monotheist and Christian, not only in words, but also in practice, then probably not only peaceful co-existence, but also creative dialogue of cultures.
About authors: Timothy and Elvira Kitnisy — heads of the pilgrim center of sacred apostle Foma in Europe, for many years organize pilgrimage of believers to relics of undivided Church, representatives of magazine «Foma» in Europe.