Another way of being a Christian in France: a century of Baptist implantation: France is the largest country of Western Europe. Its cultural influence is very ancient and still strong today, in spite of the fact that, since the beginning of the twentieth century, English has gradually replaced French as the language of the world's cultural elite

Baptist History and Heritage, Wntr-Spring, 2001 by Sebastien Fath

Since 1945, the French Baptist Triad has been confronted by many changes. In a more global world harmed by the Cold War, and affected by a growing secularization especially in Europe, French Baptists had to redefine their priorities. From 1945 to the end of the twentieth century, they experienced a new phase of their history. After a "time of stabilizing," characterized by the end of their institutionalization process and the achievement (at a cultural level) of their implantation, the last half of the twentieth century can be defined as a new phase of growth.

A New Phase of Growth: From World War II to 2000

At the beginning, this new phase of growth was linked to the impact of globalization on Baptist churches. Little by little, the old "Europe of the nations," with its political, religious, and economic frontiers, declined after 1945. The victory of the Allies opened the way to an increasing cooperation between the Western democracies. Borders and distances became less important. This globalization had a direct impact on French Baptist churches.

The impact of globalization on Baptist churches.--French Baptists have been affected in three different ways by the impact of globalization. These three grounds are an increasing American influence, an intensification of evangelical ecumenism, and the spread of pentecostal and charismatic influence.

The development of American influence after 1945 is probably the most obvious impact of globalization on the French Baptist churches. In spite of General de Gaulle's action with "France Libre," France had been occupied for five years by the Germans. It had been a defeated country. After 1945, faced with the increasing Soviet influence on Eastern Europe, France came under the American umbrella. The United States was the big winner of the war. Through NATO, most western European countries had to host America troops and France was a key country in this arrangement. Many American soldiers (including Baptists) were stationed for years in La Fayette's country before de Gaulle's surprising decision to withdraw from NATO in 1967.

This long-lasting American presence in France had direct influences on the French Baptist churches. The decision of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to support missionaries in France was one of the consequences. Their increasing involvement in France provided the Baptist Federation with considerable help in spite of cultural difficulties. Several new Baptist churches would not have been started in France without the strong support of the SBC.

The impact of Billy Graham is another consequence of globalization. Graham's impact in France started with the initiatives of Jacques Blocher, who had been a former student at Northwestern Seminary in Minneapolis. This dynamic Baptist pastor belonged to the independent Tabernacle Church, but he was convinced that French evangelicals had to "open their windows" to inventive international cooperation. This is why Jacques Blocher supported the beginnings of Youth for Christ. Youth for Christ became the most "notably successful of the new organizations." (20) Just after 1945, Billy Graham was one of the leading figures of this organization. Jacques Blocher was aware of it, and established a first contact with Graham and Torrey Thomson (president of Youth For Christ) at the beginning of 1946. At the end of this year, a direct cooperation began with France, changing some habits and attracting the attention of a new generation of French. Caradoc Jones, Baptist pastor in Paimpol (Brittany), realized it when he discovered that the new type of music used by the Youth for Christ teams attracted "big crowds." (21)