Why Cape Town 2010?
A
statement from the Third Lausanne Congress outlines six key reasons for meeting
in Cape Town, and the survey asked leaders to choose which one they personally
consider the most urgent.23
The most frequently cited reason is “the brokenness of our world” (35%). As explained
by LCWE Executive Chair Doug Birdsall, this phrase refers to the need for
Christians to serve as “agents of reconciliation” identifying “with the pain
and suffering in the lives of individuals, families, communities and nations.”
About
a fifth of leaders say that shifts in global Christianity (21%) and globalization
(20%) are the most urgent reasons for holding the Congress.
Less
frequently cited reasons include “the reality of Islam” (11%), “the impact of
hedonism” (5%) and “the challenge of the new atheism” (5%).
Most
of the leaders are optimistic that the Cape Town 2010 gathering “will make a
significant contribution” to evangelical Christianity around the world.
Overall, 44% of leaders say it definitely will do so, 49% say it probably will
do so and just 6% think it will not make a significant contribution.
Leaders
from the Global South are more certain than those from the Global North that
the Congress will make a difference. Among leaders from the Global South, 57%
say the Congress definitely will make a significant contribution; this compares
with 27% among leaders from the Global North.
Footnotes:
23 See www.lausanne.org/cape-town-2010/why-cape-town-2010.html. (return to text)
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