Current Events & Trends: The growing preeminence of Germany
As just noted, many see the latest developments in the European Union as pushing Germany to greater dominance over the other member states.
"'For the first time in the history of the EU, the Germans are now in charge. But they are also more isolated than before [with other nations resentful of German austerity demands],' said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform thinktank. 'The British are certainly more marginal than before. Their influence has never been lower in my lifetime'" (Ian Traynor, "As the Dust Settles, a Cold New Europe With Germany in Charge Will Emerge," Dec. 13, 2011).
Of course, the leaders of the EU are more typically deemed to be Germany and France, with Britain often seen as obstructionist.
For several decades following World War II, Germany appeared content to let France largely assume the reins of leadership, particularly with regard to European Union affairs. But in recent years their partnership has been more equal, and the pendulum now even swings toward the Fatherland.
Philip Stevens, a leading columnist for the Financial Times, wrote: "Germany will have to learn leadership, and France followship...The rules of the European game changed forever with the reunification of Germany. It has taken the euro crisis to spell out the brutal implications" ("Now the Franco-German Question," Dec. 9, 2011).
As was stated in The New York Times, "'The Germans had a strategic insight or advantage to let the crisis get to the threshold within the European Union necessary for France to be willing to hand over the kind of sovereignty the country has always resisted,' said Jacob Funk Kirkegaard of the Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. 'You could say that the crisis has either been the wake-up call or the tool that Germany has used to beat them into submission'" (Nicholas Kulish, "Euro Crisis Pits Germany and U.S. in Tactical Fight," Dec. 11, 2011).
It could even be said that Germany decided to, in the words of other political leaders, not let a serious crisis go to waste: "'This is the breakthrough to the stability union,' German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. 'We are using the crisis as an opportunity for a renewal'" ("Europe Forges Fiscal Union, Sees Way Out of Crisis," Associated Press, Dec. 9).
Just where are all these confusing events in Europe really headed? Biblical prophecy shows that leaders of 10 nations (or groups of nations) will give power to a ruthless but charismatic dictatorial leader—the Bible referring to him and the empire he rules over as "the beast" (Revelation 17:12-13). His authority and influence will be global (Revelation 13:7).
To understand much more, request or download our free booklets The Book of Revelation Unveiled and Are We Living in the Time of the End? (Sources: The Sunday Telegraph, The Times [both London], International Herald Tribune.)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: January - February 2012
Course Content
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
Tom Robinson
Tom is an elder in the United Church of God who works from his home near St. Louis, Missouri as managing editor and senior writer for Beyond Today magazine, church study guides and the UCG Bible Commentary. He is a visiting instructor at Ambassador Bible College. And he serves as chairman of the church's Prophecy Advisory Committee and a member of the Fundamental Beliefs Amendment Committee.
Tom began attending God's Church at the age of 16 in 1985 and was baptized a year later. He attended Ambassador College in both Texas and California and served for a year as a history teacher at the college's overseas project in Sri Lanka. He graduated from the Texas campus in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in theology along with minors in English and mass communications. Since 1994, he has been employed as an editor and writer for church publications and has served in local congregations through regular preaching of sermons.
Tom was ordained to the ministry in 2012 and attends the Columbia-Fulton, Missouri congregation with his wife Donna and their two teen children.
