Where is Estonia? go to google maps and check it out. Here are some other facts about Estonia.
Estonia is a former Soviet block country. It was Russia for a long period of time, like many other countries. When communism fell and the wall came down the Estonian people began the quest for their freedom. In the near past it was granted its full independence and has embraced capitalistic democracy.
Estonia Fast Facts
Location: Northeastern Europe, on the Baltic Sea across from Finland
Size: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Population: 1.3 million
Languages: Estonian (official) 67%; Russian 30%
Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Land: flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
Capital: Tallinn
Independence: August 20, 1991 from Soviet Union
Economy: modern market-based economy and one of the highest per capita income levels in Central Europe.
Religion: Lutheran 13.6%; Orthodox 12.8%; Christian 1.4 %; nothing 66%
Open to the Gospel
Estonia is less than 2% Christian. This categorizes it as an “unreached people group”. A URP is a location that has little exposure to the gospel of Christ. Being under former communist control the people are mainly atheistic. This is not the intellectual style atheism, it is lack of exposure atheism. They have not heard the most basic truths of the gospel. What makes this a fascinating opportunity is the openness of the country. It has only been recently that the country has been opened to new ideas of any kind. This lends itself to a great opportunity for the gospel
Estonia Fast Facts
Location: Northeastern Europe, on the Baltic Sea across from Finland
Size: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Population: 1.3 million
Languages: Estonian (official) 67%; Russian 30%
Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Land: flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
Capital: Tallinn
Independence: August 20, 1991 from Soviet Union
Economy: modern market-based economy and one of the highest per capita income levels in Central Europe.
Religion: Lutheran 13.6%; Orthodox 12.8%; Christian 1.4 %; nothing 66%
Open to the Gospel
Estonia is less than 2% Christian. This categorizes it as an “unreached people group”. A URP is a location that has little exposure to the gospel of Christ. Being under former communist control the people are mainly atheistic. This is not the intellectual style atheism, it is lack of exposure atheism. They have not heard the most basic truths of the gospel. What makes this a fascinating opportunity is the openness of the country. It has only been recently that the country has been opened to new ideas of any kind. This lends itself to a great opportunity for the gospel
2 comments:
You shouldn't be so optimistic about Estonia... Actually, about 30 % of the people "with no religion" are actually pagan or pagan-minded and want to preserve the Estonian native religion. The rest are not at all interested in religion.
Cf. http://shaan.typepad.com/shaanou/2005/06/the_estonian_na.html
"Being under former communist control the people are mainly atheistic." Right... Even in 1939, before "communist control" only 39 % of Estonians were church members. Many were into a revival of a Nordic pagan religion. In addition, in Estonia not being a church member does not necessarily mean being atheist. There are all kinds of New Age people, pro-witchcraft people etc...
"This is not the intellectual style atheism, it is lack of exposure atheism. They have not heard the most basic truths of the gospel." Sorry, it IS mainly intellectual style atheism. Exposure won't make Estonians more Christian...
"It has only been recently that the country has been opened to new ideas of any kind. This lends itself to a great opportunity for the gospel." Hmm. Only recently open to new ideas? It has been about twenty years now and anyone who wanted have been able to become Christians. In addition, Buddhism spread to Estonia already in the Soviet times...
Thanks for your interest in this blog and Estonia. I think it is a wonderful country and I really enjoyed getting to meet some of the people. Let me address some of your critiques.
The assessment of Estonia that I wrote about was based on research I had done and was confirmed by what I experienced when there. I understand these are generalizations and do not pretend to be an expert on Estonian culture. I would contend that you are not either and that you do not speak for all Estonians.
I did not say that there was no intellectual atheism. Clearly there is, especially among the 18-25 year old demographic.
From my research, I have learned that Estonia does have a stronger Christian history than most people know.
I am not interested in the spread of religion. I am interested in Truth and the spread of Truth. Communism suppresses the spread of truth and 20 years of openness is not a very long time at all.
I would challenge you to objectively examine the claims of Jesus Christ - not a religious system, but the person and work of Jesus Christ. I have and found the evidence overwhelming.
Scott
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