The Changing Spiritual Landscape of Europe — Focusing on Italy

Cheol-young Lee

Head of the International Affairs Research Association

When people think of Europe, they often envision magnificent cathedrals and a long-standing Christian tradition, rather than a mission field. Though many have left the church today, the notion that Europe remains a continent with deep Christian roots persists. However, the reality is quite different. Today, Europe is considered nearly unreached in terms of evangelization indices. Particularly alarming is the mass exodus of young people from the church, leaving mainly the elderly to maintain church life.

This secularization is evident across Europe, and even Italy—long regarded as the heartland of Roman Catholicism—is no exception. Although religious practice is low, Italy still retains a deep image and identity as a "Catholic nation." Perez-Agote (2012) points out that despite the trend of secularization, Italy maintains this image largely due to the longstanding organizational strength of the Catholic Church. In fact, despite the decline in religious practice, the collective myth of "Catholic identity among Italians," as mentioned by Garelli, Guizzardi, and Pace (2003), still strongly persists.

Recently, Italian society has entered a major turning point regarding religious diversity—primarily due to a sharp increase in immigration. According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), as of January 2024, there are approximately 5.3 million immigrants in Italy, accounting for 9.2% of the total population. These immigrants come from 189 different nationalities and are spreading religious diversity across markets, hospitals, prisons, schools, welfare centers, and society at large. Notably, the Muslim population is growing and now makes up about 3% of Italy’s population—with about 420,000 Moroccans alone. Additionally, Orthodox Christianity, Protestantism, Sikhism, and new religious movements such as Jehovah’s Witnesses are actively proselytizing. As of 2011, Jehovah’s Witnesses had over 3,000 congregations, 1,500 Kingdom Halls, and around 250,000 evangelists and members. Many conversions are occurring among Albanian, Romanian, Chinese, and African immigrants (Naso, 2013).

Evangelical churches have also shown significant growth in Italy. In particular, Pentecostal churches have experienced remarkable revival over the past decades. The Assemblies of God has 1,181 churches across Italy, with a strong presence in the southern regions such as Sicily, Campania, and Calabria. The Federation of Pentecostal Churches comprises about 400 churches with 50,000 members. Alongside these are neo-Pentecostal churches from African, Latin American, and Chinese backgrounds, as well as the Catholic-originated “Charismatic Renewal” movement (Rinnovamento nello Spirito) with around 250,000 members and 1,842 communities. These developments are increasingly challenging the traditional Catholic parish-centered model.

How should the global church view and serve a changing Italy? Caught between a declining Catholic Church and a growing Muslim population, Italy still desperately needs the gospel. This article seeks to share insights into Europe’s changing spiritual landscape through an interview with Pastor Albert, who served for 12 years in Italy, 14 years in Austria, and is currently ministering at a Baptist church in Jerusalem.

Interview Summary: Pastor Albert

Q: Many consider Europe to be composed of “Christian nations.” Why did you choose to go as a missionary to places like Italy or Austria, which are seen as Catholic countries?

A: I spent a summer in Italy as a missionary in 1975. I'm also of Italian descent. Around the time I finished seminary, I was seeking God’s direction and felt a strong call to go abroad. I was unmarried then and hesitant, but someone encouraged me: “Seek first the kingdom of God. Just go—God will provide.” So after graduation, I applied to a mission agency and naturally ended up in Italy.

Italy is still a mission field. Many people are nominal Catholics but don’t know the Lord. Most become Catholic by birth. Accepting the gospel often means letting go of their Catholic background to some extent, which is not easy. Evangelical Christians are a small minority. There are groups like the Plymouth Brethren, Baptists, and Pentecostals (Assemblies of God), and I worked closely with them in evangelism.

Q: How do Italians respond to the gospel?

A: Italians love things like football, wine, pasta, and cars. So believing in Jesus means accepting that those things can't take precedence over Him. Materialism and worldly culture are big obstacles. Telling people to let go of worldly ambition for Christ is hard.

Most people think, “I’m Catholic, so I’m already Christian,” but they don’t understand the need to be born again. Their faith is more cultural tradition than conviction. They might attend Mass at Christmas or Easter, make the sign of the cross, and that’s it. Few truly follow Christ.

That’s why the message “You must be born again” is essential. We must call people to believe in and follow Christ, not just religion. This isn’t unique to Italy—it’s the same across Europe, with its materialism, secularism, and carefree lifestyle. But when someone genuinely meets Christ, they’re truly transformed. We preached the gospel through street evangelism, door-to-door outreach, and concerts, and many were baptized.

Q: What’s your perspective on Catholicism? Some say there’s no salvation in Catholicism, or that it’s heretical because of Marian worship.

A: My mother is Catholic. Catholics do acknowledge Jesus as Lord and believe in the Bible to some extent. But the issue is that they place tradition on equal footing with Scripture. They treat the pope’s words almost as infallible and venerate Mary to the point of deification.

Mary was Jesus’ mother—not a co-redemptress. She said, “My soul rejoices in God my Savior,” which shows she needed salvation too. Catholicism promotes salvation by works and venerates Mary and the saints, which strays from the gospel of grace.

So, while I can personally be friends with Catholic priests and members, I don’t see them as gospel partners. One Polish priest once privately asked me, “What does it mean to be born again?” He was hearing it for the first time.

We must share the message of new birth, not religion. In Catholic countries, evangelical Christians are such a minority that they’re sometimes lumped in with Jehovah’s Witnesses or other sects. But God still opens doors.

Evangelizing anywhere is not easy—Satan hates the gospel. In traditional Catholic regions like Italy and Austria, people fear that “being born again” means they’ll lose their national identity. Jews feel similarly: “If I believe in Jesus, am I no longer Jewish?” But that’s not true. You can be Italian and follow Jesus. You can be Jewish and believe in Him. The key is being born again and having a personal relationship with Christ.

I had heard about Jesus as a child, but it wasn’t until a Billy Graham crusade that I truly received Him into my heart. That’s the message I share in Europe: “It’s not enough to know Jesus in your head from childhood—you must accept Him in your heart and be born again.”

Q: How was your ministry in Austria?

A: In Vienna, we did street evangelism every Sunday evening. Many Iranians came to the church—especially post-9/11, when Muslim immigration to Europe surged. Around 2002, 80 Iranians were baptized, some in the Danube River and others in my home bathtub during winter.

Most of them couldn’t go to the U.S., so they stayed in Vienna. About 50 of them have remained faithful. Some moved to America, others planted Iranian churches, and some joined Austrian congregations.

I visited Vienna again last year—there are still many Arabs and Iranians. The city is very international. Churches have many opportunities to share the gospel with them. Often, people associate Muslims with terrorism, but many are just ordinary people. Sharing the gospel with them is both our responsibility and joy.

I remember an Iranian female doctor who had been persecuted in Iran and came to faith in Vienna. I continue to pray for the collapse of Iran’s regime and for the salvation of the Iranian people. Reportedly, 80% of Iranians dislike the current system—they are pro-American, pro-Israel, and open to Christianity. That’s why the church there is growing rapidly.

Q: What challenges did you face in Italy and Austria?

A: One of the greatest difficulties was the deep-rooted traditions. People fear that leaving them means losing their national identity. So I explain that the gospel isn’t about losing identity—it’s about gaining true salvation.

This is true in Israel and Islamic cultures too. All religions essentially say, “Reach God by your effort,” but the gospel says, “God came down to us.” Jesus’ cross is the only way. It’s not our effort, but His grace. We just need to open our hearts, repent, and believe.

Q: How do churches in Italy and Austria minister to Arab immigrants?

A: It varies by city. In international churches, immigrants often integrate naturally. Our church had people from Africa, the Philippines, Lebanon, and more. Sometimes, Arabic-speaking believers form their own churches.

Big cities like Vienna and Milan are more open and have churches actively ministering to immigrants. The government sometimes provides housing for them, and we would go there with cakes and Arabic tracts.

Before 9/11, this kind of outreach was easier. Afterward, people started equating Muslims with terrorists, but there are many good and peaceful Muslims. We must approach them with love and share the gospel.

In Jerusalem, I meet Muslims through an evangelistic sports team. One former Hamas member came to faith, and I’ve shared the gospel with his family. It’s not easy for such people to be welcomed by churches, so they need much prayer.

Q: How does the European Church view the Middle East and Muslims as a mission field?

A: The European church, in my experience, feels a heightened sense of responsibility toward the Middle East, mainly due to geographical proximity and the large number of refugees arriving. Brothers in Austria that I know are deeply committed to ministry among Muslims. In Italy, there is also interest in reaching Muslims, and some are involved in ministry supporting Israel and the Jewish people.

I always emphasize to my European brothers and sisters: “God loves both Jews and Arabs.” The gospel can bring reconciliation between them, so we must pray. Last year, while preaching at churches in Vienna and Poland, I urged the congregations to pray for the Middle East—for both Jews and Arabs. Only the gospel can bring true peace. I especially ask people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Ultimately, wherever the church is located, it must maintain a missionary mindset—whether in Italy or Austria. God is a missionary God. He chose Israel to be a blessing to the nations. Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost. In the Book of Acts, we see the early church being scattered and carrying the gospel into cities and to the ends of the earth.

So in Italy, I often emphasized that the church should not only evangelize Italians but also reach out to Africans and other immigrants. Some people said, “We should focus on Italians first,” but Jesus commanded us to “go into all the world and preach the gospel.” We must share the gospel beyond race or ethnicity.

In Austria as well, rather than saying, “We only need to preserve Austrian culture,” we must reach out to other nations. Jesus met the Samaritan woman. He reached out to the poor and the marginalized. Paul declared, “I am a debtor both to Jews and to Greeks. I am not ashamed of the gospel.”

Q: As we conclude the interview, do you have anything more you'd like to say about the churches in Italy or Austria?

A: If I were to add one thing, it would be this: churches in every nation must not forget their missionary calling. God is a missionary God, and the church is meant to reach out to the world. We must pray together and share the gospel—whether it's Israel or any other nation.

In Italy, we tried to embrace Africans and Arabs. Some said, “We should serve our own people first.” But Jesus told us to go to all nations. The same applies in Austria. In fact, the church grows by embracing multiethnic and multicultural communities.

Jesus embraced the Samaritan woman. The apostles preached the gospel in every city. I believe we must adopt the same mindset.

Conclusion

Europe—particularly Italy—still carries the symbolic image of a “Catholic country,” but in reality, it has become a pluralistic society where various religions coexist. The Catholic Church is gradually declining due to factors like an aging population and a shortage of priests. Meanwhile, the influx of immigrants has introduced new religions and denominations, presenting both challenges and opportunities.

In this context, the growth of evangelical churches is very encouraging. As Pastor Albert stated, we must not stay at the level of religious formality but return to the core of the gospel—being born again.

Europe has already become a mission field. Not only are Muslim immigrants a target for evangelism, but also many “Nicodemuses”—those who know the Bible yet have never experienced rebirth—must be reached.

This is not just a challenge for the European church. The churches in the U.S. and Korea are also facing the danger of becoming overly institutionalized. It is time for all of us to return to the essential gospel.

When the global church once again turns to the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus Christ proclaimed and recovers its missionary calling, God will surely grant a new revival.

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’” (John 3:3)

References

Garelli, F., Guizzardi, G and Pace, E (2003). “Un singolare pluralism”. Bologna: Il Mulino. ISTATA. https://www.istat.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Indicatori_demografici_26_03_2024_english.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Naso, P (2013). “Il Protestantesimo storico e i suoi nuovi volti. In: Pace E (ed.) Le religioni nell’Italia che cambia: mappe e bussole.” Roma: Carocci, 97–130.

Perez-Agote, J.M. (2012). “Portraits du catholicisme en Europe.” Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes.