European communities, with their sprawling churches, ancient cities, culinary skills, dance, music, et al, were once proud of their Christian roots. They slowly became secular in the 20th century and the evolution continues to move in a trajectory of despising the Christian faith and its followers.
When former German chancellor Helmut Kohl suggested that Turkey would never join the European Union (EU), it was hard to dismiss the criticism that he was speaking on behalf of Europe’s Christian fraternity and his concern for preserving a common cultural heritage.
When Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi described it as a Franco-British plot to prevent the princess from marrying a Muslim
In the past, despite a policy-based separation of church and state, they worked together in crises as hands of the same body. In a secularized society, the state distanced itself from the church in the guise of nationalism and secular policies.
This has led to populist leaders in Europe interpreting religion according to their political views. Their current mantra of “inclusion” excludes the continent’s Christian roots and traditions. According to liberals, Europe’s strength lies in its diversity, and embracing differences of approach is necessary to pre-vent another war from taking place among European nations.