Christianity in Austria

Our feature story for this edition is on Austria, a land-locked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. Austria is highly mountainous due to the presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 metres. The majority of the population speaks German, which is also the country’s official language. Other local official languages are Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene.

The origins of Austria date back to the time of the Roman Empire when a Celtic kingdom was conquered by the Romans in 15 BC and later became Noricum- a Roman province, in the mid-1st century AD. In 788 AD, the Frankish king, Charlemagne conquered the area and introduced Christianity. Under the native Habsburg dynasty, Austria became one of the great powers of Europe. In 1867, the Austrian Empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary Empire.

 The Austria-Hungarian Empire collapsed in 1918 with the end of World War I. The first Austrian Republic was established in 1919. The country was subsequently occupied by Nazi Germany from 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. It was occupied by the allies and its former democratic constitution restored. In 1955, the Austrian Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state, with Vienna as its capital, ending the occupation. In the same year, the Austrian Parliament created the Declaration of Neutrality which affirmed that the country would become permanently neutral in the event of the outbreak of another World War.

       Religious freedom is guaranteed in the Austrian constitution. Roman Catholicism is the oldest and most predominant faith in the country, with 56.9% of the total population identifying with it. Other religions are Eastern Orthodoxy (8.8%), Islam (7.9%), Protestant (3.3%), Buddhism (0.3%) and those not affiliated with any faith (22.7%).

God’s Canvass in Austria

           Austria’s geographical position has long made it a crossroads for trade routes between the major European economic and cultural areas. Approximately 60% of its territory is mountainous and belongs to the Eastern Alps. The Bohemian Massif is in Upper and Lower Austria, north of the Danube. The most densely populated areas of the country are the large plains, such as the Alpine Foreland and the Vienna Basin, in the east along the Danube, and the Graz Basin in southern Styria.

Fauna

       There is a predominantly Central European fauna in Austria with species that include deer, stag, rabbit, pheasant, fox, badger, marten and partridge. Native to the alpine regions are the chamois, groundhog, eagle and mountain jackdaw. Some of the unique species of animals native to the country are shown below.

Flora

The diversity of topographical and climatic conditions accounts for the country’s species-rich flora. Austria is one of Europe’s most heavily wooded countries. Especially diverse and colourful is the alpine flora which includes edelweiss, gentian, alpine carnation, arnica, alpine rose and heather. The diversity of flora is captured in some of the pictures presented below.

Beaches in Austria

Austrian Culture

           Austrian culture is known for the people’s characteristic way of enjoying life (Gemutlichkeit), art, strong coffee, healthy lifestyles, and sports. Popular national pastimes include attending concerts, playing music and taking walks. The country’s culture has been influenced by its past and present neighbours, including Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy and Bohemia.

Traditional Attire

         ‘Tracht’ is the word used in Austria for their traditional clothing and fashion. It is worn very often in the countryside, less in cities- only for special occasions like weddings or receptions. Austrian women wear ‘Dirndls’, a close-fitting bodice combined with an apron in different colours; either it is a sleeveless and worn with a cotton and lace blouse, or it has sleeves and a high neck. Men wear ‘Lederhosen’, knee-length trousers or short-pants made from leather. These are worn with rustic shoes and wool socks. Some of the traditional attires are shown below.

Austrian Cuisine

 Austrian cuisine is influenced by other Central European cultures, especially those formerly under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The country’s cuisine also has significant regional variations. Popular dishes of Austria include tafelspitz, which is considered the national dish. It is a boiled beef broth served with horseradish, root vegetables, spices and minced apples. Some of the delicacies in Austria are shown below.         

Status of Christianity in Austria

          Although religion in Austria is completely separate from the state, the country maintains strong ties to the Catholic Church. Additionally, religion is part of the state school system. This means that all children in state schools receive religious education according to their own legally recognized community.

 The status of Christianity in the country is influenced by its Catholic roots. At one point, Vienna was the seat of the so-called Holy Roman Empire. Because of this, Christianity- and Roman Catholicism in particular, has been hugely influential in shaping Austria into the country it is today. During World War II, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, exposing its Catholic community to untold hardship. Consequently, the Catholic religion has never regained its former stronghold on the Austrian population, even decades after the war.

Nevertheless, Catholicism is still the dominant religion in the country as many Austrians identify with it, even if they do not practice their faith. However, many younger Austrians have abandoned the Church, especially because of the imposition of a contribution known as ‘Kirchensteuer’ on all members by the Catholic leadership in the country. This is 1.1% of each member’s total annual salary.

Like many countries in Western Europe, Austria has become increasingly secular. Although the vast majority of adults in the country say they were baptized, many do not describe themselves as Christians. Some say they gradually drifted away from religion, stopped believing in religious teachings, or were alienated by scandals or church positions on social issues. Even among those who identify as Christians, many attend church services occasionally.

 The decline of true religion in Austria is hardly surprising as the Catholic Church which dominates its landscape is not in favour of evangelism. The incumbent Pope is promoting Ecumenism, basically the alignment of all world’s religions. He insist that God accepts all faiths; hence it is pointless to try to convert other people from their religions to Christianity. He is not deterred by the fact that his pronouncement on the matter is at variance with the Great Commission introduced by Jesus Christ Himself. Obviously, the Pope is deluded by the Catholic tradition that purportedly gives him authority over the church here on earth. That is the worst kind of delusion because the Lord declared in Mathew 16:18, “……I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. It is His church, His body; not the Pope’s or any other deluded folk. Daniel 2:44 clearly states that the Kingdom of God, expressed through the church, will not be under the sovereignty of anyone except God Himself.

In the light of the foregoing, we need to intercede earnestly for the deluded souls in the Catholic system, as well as other Austrians that have not surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. We stand on the authority of God’s word in 1 Timothy 2:1 that “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men”.

Prayer Points

1. Pray the revival of true faith in Austria.
2. Ask the Father to pour out His Spirit on all unsaved souls in the country to bring them to genuine repentance.
3. Pray that God would destroy all faulty religious foundations in the lives of Austrian people and open their eyes to the deceptions of satan.
4. Pray that God would judge all demonic principalities and powers holding Austrians in captivity.
5. Ask the Father to destroy all coverings of darkness from the hearts and minds of Austrian people.
6. Pray that He would purge the church of the pollutions of satan through doctrines of devils.
7. Ask the Father to open the eyes and understanding of Christian believers to the importance of the Holy Spirit and His ministry.
8. Pray that God would destroy the lies of satan that prevents many Christians in Austria from receiving the Holy Spirit for victory over sin and the flesh.
9. Ask the Father to sanctify Christian believers with His word and empower them by His Spirit to preach Christ with their lives.
10.  Pray that He would stir up hunger for His holiness among people of other faiths and help them to accept His mercy in Christ Jesus.

Intercession Checklist

1. Select a city, region or town from the political map of Austria provided in the article.
2. Present the chosen city, region or town before God and tell Him that you are claiming all the souls in that territory for Christ as His ambassador. Remind the Father that He told the Messiah in Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession”. Jesus Himself told us His disciples, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you” (John 20:21). Moreover, we are told in Revelation 5:9 that Jesus Christ redeemed us by His blood from every tribe and language and people and nation. It is the responsibility of the Saints of God to intercede for lost souls globally because God desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

*** Materials sourced from About Austria,
https://www.austria.org; Austria, Geography,
https://www.bmeia.gv.at;
Fauna and Flora of Austria,
https://www.austria.info;
Traditional Austrian Clothing in Vienna,
https://www.myguidevienna.com;
Being Christian in Western Europe,
https://www.pewforum.org;
Religion in Austria,
https://www.expatica.com.