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Quick to Listen

France Loves Notre Dame. Do They Still Believe the Faith That Inspired It?

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3622 Ratings

🗓️ 1 May 2019

⏱️ 65 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Two weeks ago, the Notre Dame caught fire and burned. In the aftermath of the blaze, fundraising efforts to repair and reopen the church have raised millions of dollars. But they’ve also highlighted disparities in the ability of other religious traditions—primarily Protestants and Muslims—to open new places of worship and maintain their existing ones. Currently, a new church opens every 10 days in France, says Raphaël Anzenberger, the director of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries for the French-speaking world. But expensive rents often mean that these churches can’t move to the city center, and consequently have a harder time influencing their culture’s leaders. Existing congregations seeking to renovate their buildings also run into challenges. “It's getting really complicated for our pastors, who not only need to feed the flock, which is their first calling, but also to be experts in handicapped law [and how to] fireproof buildings. You have to be a lawyer, a notary, it's just crazy, an architect,” said Anzenberger. And the government isn’t necessarily a friend. “Sometimes what they'll say is, ‘We really like you. We think we understand who you are. We think we understand you're not a cult,’ which is already a good progress, but then they'll say, ‘You know, if we help you then we'll need to help all the other ones.’ And the other ones is basically the Muslims.” Anzenberger joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss why the relationship between church and state in France is so terrible, why the fashion industry needs more evangelists, and what’s behind a recent spate of vandalism in French churches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.

0:11.1

Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion. Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.

0:22.1

This episode of Quick to Listen is brought to you in part by Brotherhood Mutual

0:25.8

Insurance Company, a ministry-focused insurance and payroll provider serving Christian

0:30.1

churches, schools, and related ministries. For more information, visit Brotherhoodmutual.com.

0:37.0

Today is May 1st, and you're listening to Quick to Listen, where we go beyond hashtags and hot

0:42.5

takes, discuss a major cultural event. Today we will be talking about the state of Christianity

0:47.5

in France, one of the world's most secular countries.

1:01.3

Music world's most secular countries. I'm Morgan Lee, digital media producer here at Christianity today.

1:05.4

I am joined by my co-host, Mark Galeigh.

1:08.5

Good morning, Mark.

1:09.3

Good to be in warm Chicago.

1:12.0

Absolutely.

1:12.5

I'll foreshadow my precious moment, and that left Denver, and it was 31 degrees in snowing.

1:18.0

Oh, wow.

1:18.7

You have something nice to say about the weather here.

1:20.5

That is a great thing.

1:22.5

I'm happy to hear that.

1:24.1

All right, so who are we talking to?

1:25.6

This morning, we're talking to Rafael Anzenberger.

1:28.8

He is director of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries for the French-speaking world,

1:33.8

president of France Evangelization,

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