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　　The news that France's far-right National Front partyled by Marine le pen has made big gains in the firstround of regional elections, has been met with bothsurprise and shock. One commentator said that theNational Front has gone from pariah status tomainstream. While triumph may not necessarilytranslate into power, and far right means different things in different countries, part of theappeal of many such parties is a return to an old way of being, French, German, British –almost any European society. Looking back to another time or recreating the past is a way ofimagining a future and today forms part of Europe’s wider soul searching. Here, extollingEurope’s Christian past and present is one way of contrasting the desirable from theundesirable. A popular trope is to pit Christianity against Islam – Europe’s past was Christian,and her future must also remain Christian especially when facing the Islamification of herborders.

　　The last few decades have been an unusual time when it comes to religious faith in Europe. Wehave the demise of structural organised religion, the clash between religion and the publicspace, the search for individual identity and freedom within our faiths. Alongside that,globalisation means that we now live in a world of new diasporas, colliding communities, ofneighbours who were once strangers in a foreign land with foreign customs and practices. Manystruggle with this kind of difference and I can understand why. Here diversity is extolled as anethical and political imperative, cultural and religious mix is applauded even though many arenot convinced or remain indifferent; we just deal with it when we have to; for othersdiversity is enriching and meaningful, unsettling us but also, making us less complacentabout who we are.

　　The truth is that cultures, civilizations and lifestyles do not clash. It is human beings with theirown interests desire and ambitions who clash often aided by political rhetoric, whether liberalleft or conservative right.

　　In reality there is no alternative to coexistence but coexistence demands a level of humilityand generosity from us all. Fear and suspicion can paralyse us. Fear of Muslims, fear of blackpeople, foreigners and refugees. It can lead to the mindset of republican hopeful Donald Trumpwho has called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.’

　　In the relatively peaceful societies of Europe, a continent which brought down walls, ratherthan built new ones, how we speak of our faith, our culture and our nation’s pride sayssomething about ourselves. We can speak of Europe’s Christian past, we may even regret thechanges but the future still lies before us. All of us have a stake in this future and all of us havea choice - whether to use the language of religion to instil fear or to use it to inspire hope.