Johan Jozef Bonny

 CHALLENGES FOR CHRISTIANITY AND FOR THE CHURCHES

• the inner-catholic challenge of integrating different historical, cultural or ecclesial realities into a more effective and inspiring catholic ‘communion’ (different Catholic realities in Eastern-Europe;  Western-Europe and Southern-Europe;  different branches in Catholic thinking and commitment);
• the ecumenical challenge: a question that finds its origins in European history and is still looking to Europe for finding new paradigms of growing together in unity;   the urgent need of a new ecumenical spirit and openness in Europe;  
• the cosmopolitan challenge of Christianity particularly in our major cities and agglomerations;  how do we integrate Christians coming from all over the world into a new network of local communities, that reach beyond the natural borders of nations, language, culture?; integration at the local level as a primary witness to the Gospel.

• a unique role for the Churches in Europe in fostering and mediating interreligious dialogue with other religions (Jews;  Muslims; Eastern religions);  the universal dimension of salvation in Jesus Christ, of Christianity and of the Church as a potential and a mission for building bridges between religions;  
• a particular role for the Churches in Europe for developing a constructive dialogue with secularization, agnosticism or atheism;   in Europe, both Christians and non-Christians are children of the Enlightenment, of rationalism and of scientism;   both are searching for new paradigms in dealing with the “other dimension”;
• the challenge or test is not in the universal but in the particular:  how can Christian communities become active places of dialogue and meeting;  see what happened in France the weekend after the murder of father Jacques Hamel.

• Churches can enlarge the horizon of life; only large horizons generate creativity:  lager than someone’s own country, people or culture;   larger that the short time purposes or initiatives;   larger than my happiness or satisfaction;  the vision of the Kingdom of God;   the Church as one worldwide family;
• creativity requires and supposes a sense of belonging;  the Church as an all-embracing family;  the Gospel and God’s mercy;  the creativity of mercy;  too many people lose their deepest energy or creativity by feeling abandoned or rejected;      
• Churches should foster the creation of local, small-scale experiences that really change the lives of persons,  that give them a new energy and hope,  that give sense to their lives;   that make them free from apathy or disinterest,  mistrust or pessimism; ‘communities of hope’.