What would you do if tourists came into your church service and began taking photos of your
building and service? Not only this, but their guide would be eloquently narrating to them the
history of your church in hushed tones. And then they would walk out with awkward smiles. This is unfortunately true of many classic cathedrals in Europe from all three faith traditions: Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant.
Myra and I just returned from a ministry trip to Prague, Czech Republic, where we again
encountered such a spectacle. At a cathedral in Prague Castle, hundreds of people flocked in
and out of the historic church every minute, but no worshippers were disrupted. In fact, on
the way to the castle on a day off we stood near a tram stop and looked up to see that we
were surrounded by four or five historical cathedrals, all empty except for tourists. And all of this in a city that was once the cradle for the Reformation. Czech Republic is the most secular nation in Europe today where only 27 percent of people profess belief in God. The enormous statue of John Hus dominates the old town square where few who walk by are aware of his pivotal role in our faith’s history.
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