UNDERSTANDING
FRANCE
(AND THE FRENCH)
Al has lived in France for ten years and Nicole for five years. Of these ten years, eight have been in Paris and one has been in Nogent-sur-Marne, an eastern inner ring suburb in Val-de-Marne (94). Only one year has been spent away from Ile-de-France. This was in Albertville in the Savoie (73) in the Rhône-Alps region. This limited geographical experience colors our understanding of France and the French.
We have found a number of resouces helpful in understanding
our adopted country and its dear people. Of course, while there
are tendancies of different cultures, there are always
individuals who break the mold. Therefore, while these books have
been useful, they need to be taken with a grain of salt.
We have found a number of resouces helpful in understanding our adopted country and its dear people. Of course, while there are tendancies of different cultures, there are always individuals who break the mold. Therefore, while these books have been useful, they need to be taken with a grain of salt.
Au Contraire! Figuring Out the French by Gilles Asselin and Ruth Mastron (Intercultural Press: Yarmouth, 2001).
Culture Shock! France by Sally Adamson Taylor (Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company: Portland, Oregon, 1990).
France 2002. Focusing on France's spiritual situation, this is extremely insightful.
Francoscopie: Comment vivent les Français? by Gérard Mermet (Larousse: Paris, new edition comes out every 1-2 years). This book is a goldmine of material on the French by a French sociologist).
French or Foe? Getting the Most out of Visiting, Living, and Working in France by Polly Platt (Cultural Crossings: Skokie, Illinois, 1996).
French Way, The: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the French by Ross Steele (Passport Books: Lincolnwood, Illinois, 1995).
Le Mal Français by Alain Peyrefitte (2 volumes) (Librarie Plon: Paris, 1976).
Management in France by Jean-Louis Barsoux and Peter Lawrence (Cassell: London, 1991).
Sorbonne University Cours de Civilisation Française (Paris, France) We both did this program at the Sorbonne. The conferences on French philosophy, history, politics, geography, economics, literature, music, etc. enriched our understanding of the French culture. Nicole did one semester and Al did two semesters. We highly recommend this program.
Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French, and Americans by Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall (Intercultural Press: Yarmouth, 1989).
We don't necessarily agree with all the contents or conclusions of the resources listed below. However, they are nevertheless useful resources for understanding the situation today.
Alliance des Eglises Evangéliques Indépendentes (AEEI) (Alliance of Evangelical Independent Churches)
Alliance Evangélique Chrétienne Missionnaire (AECM) (Christian & Missionary Alliance)
Alliance Evangélique de France (AEF) (Evangelical Alliance of France)
American Evangelical Missionaries in France 1945-1975 by Allen V. Koop (University Press of America: Lanham, Maryland, 1986). This is helpful in understanding the positive impact and negative effect of American evangelical missionary movement on the French church.
Annuaire Evangélique Française (list of French evangelical churches & organizations)
Armée du Salut (AS) (Salvation Army)
Assemblée de Dieu (ADD) (Assemblies of God)
CAEF (Brethren)
CIJEM (Centre Internationale de la jeunesse en mouvement). This is a movement among French Christian young people.
COEF5
(interdenominational fellowship of French-speaking
organizations and churches on the 5 continents)
English
Version
VERSION FRANCAISE
Communauté des Diaconesses de Reuilly (protestant religious order established in 1841)
Croire et Servir. Evangelical journal appearing 10 times a year.
Eglise Apostolique (EA) (Apostolic Church)
Eglise de Dieu de France (EDF) (Church of God in France)
Eglise de la Confession d'Augsbourg d'Alsace et de Moselle (ECAAM) (Church of the Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Moselle)
Eglise Evangélique Luthérienne de France (EELF) (Evangelical Lutheran Church of France)
Eglise Réformée d'Alsace et de Moselle (ERAM) (Reformed Church of Alsace and Moselle)
Eglise Réformée de France (ERF) (Reformed Church of France)
Eglise Réformée Evangélique Indépendante (EREI) (Evangelical Independent Reformed Church of France)
Embrase Nos Coeurs/Intercession France. This interdenominational group organizes regular prayer gatherings for France, as well as an annual 40 day prayer and fasting period for France, as well as a 3 day conference each spring.
Espoir pour la ville: Dieu dans la cité by Ray Bakke, André Pownall, and Glenn Smith (La Clarière: Québec, 1994). Especially helpful for understanding Paris and other French cities.
Evangélisation.com (lists different events in France)
Faculté Libre de Théologie Evangélique (Vaux-sur-Seine, France). This is perhaps the most important evangelical seminary in France.
Fédération des Eglises Evangéliques Baptistes de France (FEEB) (French Evangelical Baptist Church Federation)
Fédération Evangélique de France (FEF) (Evangelical Federation of France)
Fédération Protestante de France (FPF) (Protestant Federation of France)
France 2002 If you only have time for one site, this is the one. It gives valuable information in the context of 40 days of focused prayer and fasting for France (February 20-March 31, 2002).
Francement: Un jour nouveau sur le pays by Philippe Joret (Philippe Joret: Montpellier, 2000). Written by a French pastor, this is an excellent resource for understanding the current situation of the Church.
French Huguenots, The by Janet Glenn Gray (Baker Books: Grand Rapids, 1981).
Institut Biblique de Nogent (Nogent-sur-Marne, France). This is a key evangelical Bible institute in France.
Jeunesse Pour Christ (French branch of Youth for Christ)
Jours Mondials de la Jeunesse (Catholic movement among young people)
Le Pentecôtisme au pays de Voltaire by George R: Stotts (Association Viens et Vois: Craponne, 1982). This was originally published as a Ph.D. dissertation at Texas Tech University on the history of the Pentecostal movement in France.
Les Eglises évangéliques en France (CD Rom) by Daniel Liechti (Daniel Liechti: Amiens, 2001). Useful statistics and charts on the evangelical Church today in France.
"Les Protestants de France 16è-20è siècle," special issue of Notre Histoire: La mémoire religieuse de l'humanité, No 154 - April 1998 (Paris)
Ligue pour la Lecture de la Bible. French branch of Scripture Union.
Mission Radicale (youth movement)
Musée Virtuelle du Protestantisme Français (Virtual museum of the history of the French Protestant movement)
Stop Evénement. This is a Protestant Christian media guide containing web site addresses and information on events in Ile-de-France. It is published bi-monthly and can be ordered through the association B.S.V.O. (3, rue de Gisors, 95300 Pontoise, 01.34.24.07.32, stopevenement@yahoo.fr. Each issue costs 2 Euros. An annual subscription of 6 issues costs 11 Euros.
Réforme. This is a weekly journal with a Protestant reflection on cultural, social, political, religious events.
Taize. This prayer center draws people from all the nations.
Témoins This is an interconfessional Christian movement with a special focus on being a witness. It produced a book titled Itinéraires: Des chrétiens témoignent.
Union de l'Eglise Evangélique Méthodiste (UEEM) (Evangelical Methodist Church of France)
Union des Eglises Evangéliques Libres (UEEL) (Evangelical Free Church of France)
