Guest speaker: András Simon, artist
Monday, November 24, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Impressions from Climate Change in the Worldwide Church course
Guestlecturer: Drs. Dorottya Den Hulster - Nagy lecturing on the Chinese Christian Communities in Hungary and Romania.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Interview with Angela Papp -- Cindy Ippel
Angela Papp interview: 11/08
Cindy: Tell me about yourself.
Angela: My mom is Polish; my Dad is Hungarian. I learned Polish at home because my Mom spoke Polish at home. I always lived in Budapest , but my Mom spoke Polish until I was 4 or 5 but then she had to speak Hungarian so my 3 younger brothers don’t know any Polish. When I was 3 my parents became Christians; my Dad first and then my Mom. She needed a whole year of convincing because Polish are very Catholic. My Mom was raised Catholic, very devout Catholic, so my Mom’s family rejected her when she became a Christian. My Dad’s family was accepting and they also became believers later. I accepted this faith as a child but did not really make it my own until I was 18 years old. I never rebelled, it just wasn’t really my faith before that, it was my parent’s faith. I really feel that I became a Christian when I was baptized. I knew that I should be baptized, so I became baptized in my church, the Hungarian charismatic church and that’s when I really felt the Holy Spirit enter into my life, so that’s when I would say I became a Christian. My whole way of faith was transformed. The Holy Spirit really filled my life after I was baptised. It has really changed the attitude of my life. I was baptized when I was 18, older than most of my friends because my parents wanted me to make that step when it was my own faith. That’s really when I feel like my life was changed. We went to many different churches as a family. Every time we switched it was because of a split; mostly because the church would split very often over very small issues. For example, the last split was over whether we should be baptized twice. I was baptized into the ˝Father , Son and Holy Spirit˝ but because Jesus name was not mentioned, it’s not good enough. The Hungarians are like that you can’t forgive and forget and move on.
When I graduated from high school I wanted to go to Canada because my aunt lived there and I wanted to learn English better. But I was refused three times, because I could not prove that if they let me in that I would return. Because I was not married, and I had no car or house or anything that would show that I would return. A friend told me about a ministry in England for Eastern Europeans called Ellel. It is a healing, deliverance and evangelism ministry that trains people in these ministries. I stayed there for two years, first as a young people team member then as a household manager. I took care of running things and then helped manage the conferences on the weekends. We had conferences every Saturday and Sunday. We ministered and trained at that time.Then I came home to Budapest to go to university. But ended up with a scholarship to study in England at the West Yorkshire School for one year. I studied about world view but it was very academic. Quite unlike the KMTI classes at KRE.
I met my husband last year. He is actually the director of Ellel Hungary. He is from near Budapest. His father is a pentecostal pastor and my husband is the worship leader. When we met we had a lot to talk about because I love the work of Ellel. We got married in August and we live in a flat just about Ellel.
Cindy: Why did you chose KRE?
Angela: There were two universities to chose from. I wanted to study English and there was KRE and another university in Budapest, but the one university is much larger. The class size at the KRE is much smaller and more intimate. I also found out that KRE was apparently religious and that appealed to me. I had heard that there was a student was dismissed from KRE because he was homosexual so then I thought they (KRE) must be Christian, not just in a historical sense but in a practical way. They really followed through in their beliefs. There are many Christian teachers here. And even though they are teaching secular subjects, they are incorporating their faith somehow into their subjects. You can sense it (their faith) by their teaching.
Cindy: How do you know Anne-Marie?
Angela: I met her in the first course I took at KMTI last year. ˝The Revival in Ghana˝with Dr Cephas Omeno lecturing. Now I am taking two more courses through KMTI: The Veritas Forum and ˝The Climate Change in the Church˝.
Cindy: What courses would you recommend to others?
Angela: The Veritas Forum. It started originally in Harvard where Christians and non-Christians debate about their faith and what it means to believe. They invited famous speakers to talk about their faith and we are replicating this forum here and so far we have invited speakers to come and tell us about their faith. It is very interesting; I really enjoy it. I am so happy to do something Christian finally in my courses here. I tell my friends about this course. If this faculty at KMTI did not exist, it would be very boring; very non-Christian. We have everything that an English department should have but the KMTI courses are so much more. It's really effecting my life.
Cindy: Are there courses that you would suggest that we add to the KMTI course offerings?
Angela: Yes! First what is the goal of this faculty?...to spread knowledge or to help students find faith?
Cindy: I think this is part of the goal. That student's faith will grow as a result of these courses is not always the goal but becomes the result of the courses. I think that many students take the course because they are interested in Christian ideas and then through the course grow in their own faith and applying what they learn in their own lives.
Angela: I think that it is important that the courses offered appeal to both Christians and non-Christians because KRE has a much higher non-Christian population. First of all what came to mind is a very popular topic: Creation vs. Evolution. I think this is something that non-Christians like to talk about just as much as Christians. It's very popular in Hungarian media right now. There are several books that have just been written about this topic.
Something my husband suggested has to do with the decline in the institution of the family in Hungary. Actually, he thinks it is a global problem. But it would be good to look at the institution of the family and it's decline effects society. Actually Otto Bixler, the American/Hungarian director at the Center (Ellel), would love to do a lecture on this. He just wrote a book on communism and how it effects Hungarian families. I also thought this would be a good topic: How Communism Effected Hungary. Otto Bixler wrote his book out of his experience at Ellel East. It is a healing ministry for all of Eastern Europe and he has observed much through this. He has lived here for twenty years and has good insights on how communism has effected this area.
Another topic that would be good is ˝Global Warming from a Christian Perspective˝. It's also very popular right now. To discuss what is our responsibility as Christians, how God told us to take care of the world and what that means now.
Also, I would be interested in hearing how the politics of America effects American Christianity. Perhaps to have someone from the U.S. Speak on how they see the changing of society in America. Actually our teachers at KRE are already teaching us that the 19th century was pax Brittanica; the 20th was pax America and the 21st will be pax China. Through time Britain became debted to America and now America is debted to China. All the products are made in China and now all the brains from Europe are being attracted there as well. Engineers from Europe are going to China.
Cindy: How do you think we can best advertise KMTI?
Angela: You need to interconnect with the faculty. Anne-Marie needs to make KMTI better known in the other faculties. You should advertise during the one or two week period when students are applying for their next semester courses. You should put out posters in all the different facilities of KRE around Budapest. No one knows about where you are located except students who are already in this building. You need to get the courses on the internet and have posters in all the locations the end of January/beginning of February.
Cindy: What are your hopes for your future?
Angela: For myself, I hopefully will graduate next year in English with a degree that allows me to teach. But I would really like to work with my husband at Ellel ministries. I would like to try teaching, elementary students. I used to work at the American International school and would enjoy working there again as a teacher. I have aslo done some translation work and would enjoy doing more of this.
Cindy: What are your hopes for the future of the church?
Angela: The church I go to is in a small village outside of Budapest. It is a pentecostal church with about 100 people. My father-in-law who is the pastor has his eyes on getting the whole village saved. He actually has prophesied about this. We will see. But we are actually looking for a place to buy a plot of land to build a new building. We constantly have space problems. About the church in general in Hungary. The work we are doing at Ellel, we are trying to build bridges with pastors. We train pastors twice a year and I'm the translator for these conferences. That's how I'm involved. We try to build bridges because in the past there was a wrong perception of our ministry that it was only about deliverance from demons and we were seen as super spiritual. Once Hungarians have a certain perception, it is very difficult to change their minds.
Cindy: What about the future of your country?
Angela: That's a big question. The political situation is so depressive. I don't have too high hopes for the country. As a Christian, I hope that we can do some work here. Many of my friends who live abroad think Hungary is crazy. We had communist rule for 50 years. Then there comes democracy and then we go back to communist leadership thinking that they had changed. I just don't understand that. The leaders right now, they are communist...their dad's were communist. Hungarians have a saying ˝a dog will never be a sausage˝ (it sounds better in Hungarian) but it means that something is not going to change just because you change the name or dress it up. It's still the same. People don't think outside the box. They only remember that there wasn't unemployment before and think that's all that matters. They only see it one way. All this depression, it's the fault of communism and all the alcoholism too. The suicide rate is going up. People don't see any other way out. An important matter that people seem to be missing is the whole decline of the family. It's so obvious and it effects everybody even Christians are getting divorces.I think it's important to focus on the family and what a difference it can make in our society. The stability of the family can make a big difference.
Cindy: Tell me about yourself.
Angela: My mom is Polish; my Dad is Hungarian. I learned Polish at home because my Mom spoke Polish at home. I always lived in Budapest , but my Mom spoke Polish until I was 4 or 5 but then she had to speak Hungarian so my 3 younger brothers don’t know any Polish. When I was 3 my parents became Christians; my Dad first and then my Mom. She needed a whole year of convincing because Polish are very Catholic. My Mom was raised Catholic, very devout Catholic, so my Mom’s family rejected her when she became a Christian. My Dad’s family was accepting and they also became believers later. I accepted this faith as a child but did not really make it my own until I was 18 years old. I never rebelled, it just wasn’t really my faith before that, it was my parent’s faith. I really feel that I became a Christian when I was baptized. I knew that I should be baptized, so I became baptized in my church, the Hungarian charismatic church and that’s when I really felt the Holy Spirit enter into my life, so that’s when I would say I became a Christian. My whole way of faith was transformed. The Holy Spirit really filled my life after I was baptised. It has really changed the attitude of my life. I was baptized when I was 18, older than most of my friends because my parents wanted me to make that step when it was my own faith. That’s really when I feel like my life was changed. We went to many different churches as a family. Every time we switched it was because of a split; mostly because the church would split very often over very small issues. For example, the last split was over whether we should be baptized twice. I was baptized into the ˝Father , Son and Holy Spirit˝ but because Jesus name was not mentioned, it’s not good enough. The Hungarians are like that you can’t forgive and forget and move on.
When I graduated from high school I wanted to go to Canada because my aunt lived there and I wanted to learn English better. But I was refused three times, because I could not prove that if they let me in that I would return. Because I was not married, and I had no car or house or anything that would show that I would return. A friend told me about a ministry in England for Eastern Europeans called Ellel. It is a healing, deliverance and evangelism ministry that trains people in these ministries. I stayed there for two years, first as a young people team member then as a household manager. I took care of running things and then helped manage the conferences on the weekends. We had conferences every Saturday and Sunday. We ministered and trained at that time.Then I came home to Budapest to go to university. But ended up with a scholarship to study in England at the West Yorkshire School for one year. I studied about world view but it was very academic. Quite unlike the KMTI classes at KRE.
I met my husband last year. He is actually the director of Ellel Hungary. He is from near Budapest. His father is a pentecostal pastor and my husband is the worship leader. When we met we had a lot to talk about because I love the work of Ellel. We got married in August and we live in a flat just about Ellel.
Cindy: Why did you chose KRE?
Angela: There were two universities to chose from. I wanted to study English and there was KRE and another university in Budapest, but the one university is much larger. The class size at the KRE is much smaller and more intimate. I also found out that KRE was apparently religious and that appealed to me. I had heard that there was a student was dismissed from KRE because he was homosexual so then I thought they (KRE) must be Christian, not just in a historical sense but in a practical way. They really followed through in their beliefs. There are many Christian teachers here. And even though they are teaching secular subjects, they are incorporating their faith somehow into their subjects. You can sense it (their faith) by their teaching.
Cindy: How do you know Anne-Marie?
Angela: I met her in the first course I took at KMTI last year. ˝The Revival in Ghana˝with Dr Cephas Omeno lecturing. Now I am taking two more courses through KMTI: The Veritas Forum and ˝The Climate Change in the Church˝.
Cindy: What courses would you recommend to others?
Angela: The Veritas Forum. It started originally in Harvard where Christians and non-Christians debate about their faith and what it means to believe. They invited famous speakers to talk about their faith and we are replicating this forum here and so far we have invited speakers to come and tell us about their faith. It is very interesting; I really enjoy it. I am so happy to do something Christian finally in my courses here. I tell my friends about this course. If this faculty at KMTI did not exist, it would be very boring; very non-Christian. We have everything that an English department should have but the KMTI courses are so much more. It's really effecting my life.
Cindy: Are there courses that you would suggest that we add to the KMTI course offerings?
Angela: Yes! First what is the goal of this faculty?...to spread knowledge or to help students find faith?
Cindy: I think this is part of the goal. That student's faith will grow as a result of these courses is not always the goal but becomes the result of the courses. I think that many students take the course because they are interested in Christian ideas and then through the course grow in their own faith and applying what they learn in their own lives.
Angela: I think that it is important that the courses offered appeal to both Christians and non-Christians because KRE has a much higher non-Christian population. First of all what came to mind is a very popular topic: Creation vs. Evolution. I think this is something that non-Christians like to talk about just as much as Christians. It's very popular in Hungarian media right now. There are several books that have just been written about this topic.
Something my husband suggested has to do with the decline in the institution of the family in Hungary. Actually, he thinks it is a global problem. But it would be good to look at the institution of the family and it's decline effects society. Actually Otto Bixler, the American/Hungarian director at the Center (Ellel), would love to do a lecture on this. He just wrote a book on communism and how it effects Hungarian families. I also thought this would be a good topic: How Communism Effected Hungary. Otto Bixler wrote his book out of his experience at Ellel East. It is a healing ministry for all of Eastern Europe and he has observed much through this. He has lived here for twenty years and has good insights on how communism has effected this area.
Another topic that would be good is ˝Global Warming from a Christian Perspective˝. It's also very popular right now. To discuss what is our responsibility as Christians, how God told us to take care of the world and what that means now.
Also, I would be interested in hearing how the politics of America effects American Christianity. Perhaps to have someone from the U.S. Speak on how they see the changing of society in America. Actually our teachers at KRE are already teaching us that the 19th century was pax Brittanica; the 20th was pax America and the 21st will be pax China. Through time Britain became debted to America and now America is debted to China. All the products are made in China and now all the brains from Europe are being attracted there as well. Engineers from Europe are going to China.
Cindy: How do you think we can best advertise KMTI?
Angela: You need to interconnect with the faculty. Anne-Marie needs to make KMTI better known in the other faculties. You should advertise during the one or two week period when students are applying for their next semester courses. You should put out posters in all the different facilities of KRE around Budapest. No one knows about where you are located except students who are already in this building. You need to get the courses on the internet and have posters in all the locations the end of January/beginning of February.
Cindy: What are your hopes for your future?
Angela: For myself, I hopefully will graduate next year in English with a degree that allows me to teach. But I would really like to work with my husband at Ellel ministries. I would like to try teaching, elementary students. I used to work at the American International school and would enjoy working there again as a teacher. I have aslo done some translation work and would enjoy doing more of this.
Cindy: What are your hopes for the future of the church?
Angela: The church I go to is in a small village outside of Budapest. It is a pentecostal church with about 100 people. My father-in-law who is the pastor has his eyes on getting the whole village saved. He actually has prophesied about this. We will see. But we are actually looking for a place to buy a plot of land to build a new building. We constantly have space problems. About the church in general in Hungary. The work we are doing at Ellel, we are trying to build bridges with pastors. We train pastors twice a year and I'm the translator for these conferences. That's how I'm involved. We try to build bridges because in the past there was a wrong perception of our ministry that it was only about deliverance from demons and we were seen as super spiritual. Once Hungarians have a certain perception, it is very difficult to change their minds.
Cindy: What about the future of your country?
Angela: That's a big question. The political situation is so depressive. I don't have too high hopes for the country. As a Christian, I hope that we can do some work here. Many of my friends who live abroad think Hungary is crazy. We had communist rule for 50 years. Then there comes democracy and then we go back to communist leadership thinking that they had changed. I just don't understand that. The leaders right now, they are communist...their dad's were communist. Hungarians have a saying ˝a dog will never be a sausage˝ (it sounds better in Hungarian) but it means that something is not going to change just because you change the name or dress it up. It's still the same. People don't think outside the box. They only remember that there wasn't unemployment before and think that's all that matters. They only see it one way. All this depression, it's the fault of communism and all the alcoholism too. The suicide rate is going up. People don't see any other way out. An important matter that people seem to be missing is the whole decline of the family. It's so obvious and it effects everybody even Christians are getting divorces.I think it's important to focus on the family and what a difference it can make in our society. The stability of the family can make a big difference.
Kool News of the Károli -- 7
Budapest - 1st November, 2008
Dear Friends and Family,
'Do not say anything at school about what is discussed at home.' This sentence still goes on resounding in the minds of the participants of the international missions conference which was held in Hungary at the end of August.
IAMS conference
The fourth world conference of the International Association for Mission Studies took place in Hungary under the auspices of the Gáspár Károli Reformed University. A large part of the local organization fell to the staff of the missions institute.
A few years ago a very specific decision was taken to hold it in a country in Central Europe and to have as the main theme of the conference, Human Identity and the Gospel of Reconciliation, a theme which fits with the burning issues in the region. (See more: www.iams2008.com)
Six young women in mission
In order to give the more than 250 participants from 44 countries - according to one of the participants a real 'abundance of nations, tribes, people and languages' - insight into this situation and in particular to make them acquainted with the experience of the Communist time, a number of young women participants were asked to tell something about their lives and that of their families, and in particular to reflect on what it meant to live as a Christian in an atheist system.
Figure 1, from left to right: Vija, Olga, Tanya, Dorottya, Eszter and Edit
Not telling anyone that your parents and your grandparents hold to the message and values of the Bible and go to Church on Sundays, taking you along. Because of this, being an outsider, being avoided as a child, not being able to play naturally with friends. It all seems so long ago that this occurred in the families in the various countries of the region. So many years ago, yet still quite fresh in the memories of Vija, Olga, Tanya, Dorottya, Eszter and Edit and many others who experienced it. It remains a part of your life, even if you were only ten years old at the time. The shadows of the past have not yet disappeared either.
For many participants, it was a moving introduction into what went on behind the Iron Curtain.
Figure 2 Some of the fifty participants from Central and Eastern Europe
A world opens up...
For the missions institute it was a very special experience to have so many guests for a whole week and to introduce them in various ways to Central and Eastern Europe. Gina, one of our students, expressed it like this,
'So many different people from different parts of the world: it was such an encouragement... It was wonderful to receive them. I was proud of my home country. It warmed me to see how they were surprised at the beauty of Lake Balaton, Budapest and the countryside... The conference helped me to broaden my vision of the Church of Christ.'
For two days, Hungary was in the spotlight. On the Sunday, many of the participants were guests in Churches in Budapest. More than forty congregations received foreign guests during the Sunday worship services. Many were able to preach or to bring greetings from their home Churches. A second day focused on the subject of missionary work. Exposure visits were made to a great variety of projects: the problem of the urban cities, the so-called 'house of terror', Jewish diaspora yesterday and today, and much attention was also paid to the work among the Roma (gypsies).
Identity and reconciliation
Of course there were other days hallmarked by introductions to the development of missions and missiological research. The central theme was constantly “Human identity and the Gospel of reconciliation”. In Christ we receive a new identity, which means that other identities disappear or slip into second place (cf. Gal. 3:26-19). One of the fruits of this is that 'enemies become friends'.
The theme and the stories from the region continue to resound in the minds of the participants, and in Hungary itself as well. It was not just a conference you go to, pick up something or not, and then proceed to the order of the day. It was not for nothing that there was so much media interest.
Hungary 'moral sacrificial lamb'
Hungary is facing the burning question of reconciliation with the past. This has to do with the shadows of the past at all levels of society.
I had wanted to write this Kool News already quite soon after the conference, but there were many things that still had to be rounded off and the new academic year was about to start straight away. Now I am writing it, it has taken on an extra charge. I read last week in a Dutch newspaper (NCR - 22nd October):
'Hungary is a moral sacrificial lamb. Hungarians no longer have any trust whatsoever in politics. This is seen with a vengeance now that the country is being hit by the credit crunch. The ultra-right is taking advantage of this dissatisfaction.'
The questions which are now facing Hungary had been around for some time, visible in political debate, through the great conflict between government and opposition, and more under the surface among many Hungarians. With the credit crunch, many nerves seem to have been laid bare.
This relates to several matters: economic growth is severely restricted in comparison with the surrounding countries; there is an urgent need for a revision of the health care system; there are issues relating to the future of education; and there are major questions about the way in which things are run. Partly because of the great political contrasts, it has not been possible to achieve a substantial approach in many areas.
Wonderful task for Church and university
Churches and universities are part of this society. When it says 'sacrificial lamb', there is a wonderful task for the Church and the university to bring into the limelight the values for which they stand and to be an example for society. After all, reconciliation is taught in God's Word. Unfortunately, in practice it is not (yet) the case that this task is being taken up.
Mission as a ministry of reconciliation
The institute is trying to incorporate in the lectures some conditions which are necessary in the present situation to be an example. Students remarked that what they learn at the lectures is 'very useful in many area of the work of a minister', or 'I expected dry and boring teaching material. Instead of that I was given a wonderful new perspective on the Church and missions.' Another remarked, 'The subject of missiology has taught me an openness, so that later when I am a minister that I will not only be concerned with those who come to Church, but also with those who do not have any contact whatsoever with the Church. Besides this, I have gained the courage to go and seek them out and talk to them about the gospel. In the future, I also want to find fellow workers and to equip them.' 'Missiology helps us to be more consciously involved in questions of mission, to talk about them and not to allow it to be an ad hoc matter.'
An important lecture that is on the timetable for this semester is, Missions as a service of reconciliation, in which we translate the issues from the conference into everyday life. What do the Biblical notes about reconciliation mean for our own identity in Christ and for dealing with conflicts? Yet another lecture, also for students from the whole of the university, is linked with human identity. The students invite persons known to them from the Church and society and put question to them such as why these people believe, what drives them as Christians in their professions.
Figure 3 Students listen attentively to a Nigerian guest speaker
One of the first guests was a senior official from the Nigerian embassy and the pastor of the African Church in Budapest.
A personal note and some topics for prayer
1. Against the background of the crisis in Hungary, there is a strong tendency throughout society to turn back to forms of leadership which were widely applied under Communism. This situation does not pass the Church and the university by. Please pray for all the attempts which are being made to uphold the truth and to live in the Truth.
2. This autumn, elections are being held in the Reformed Church of Hungary for new Church leadership and for new bishops. Please pray that people will be elected who are an example in doctrine and in deeds and who are capable of leading the Church and the congregations in the way of hope, faith and love. Pray that the Spirit of Reformation will continue to work with power, even today.
3. Pray for the Károli University. Pray for the leadership of the university, for wisdom, dedication and perseverance, that the university may fulfil its important calling as a Christian university in a society which is becoming increasingly secularised.
4. Give thanks for the new team of the Missions Institute. Also for the lectures this semester and for the positive feedback from the students. Please pray that the students will be touched, and will be stimulated to follow Christ in all the areas of their life. Pray for the development and accreditation of new programmes, not a simple matter at this time. The difficulties are not only in the area of the finances (no small challenge either!), but voices are also being raised in favour of tinkering with the equal rights of Christian education.
5. In these troubled times, with God's help and trusting in His strength and wisdom, I am trying to stand steadfast and to be a signpost for students and colleagues. Please pray especially for my role as the mentor of a new generation of preachers and teachers, who are posing missionary questions in the Church and university and studying them and trying to share their vision and knowledge with others. 2 Tim. 2:2.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Anne-Marie Kool
Dear Friends and Family,
'Do not say anything at school about what is discussed at home.' This sentence still goes on resounding in the minds of the participants of the international missions conference which was held in Hungary at the end of August.
IAMS conference
The fourth world conference of the International Association for Mission Studies took place in Hungary under the auspices of the Gáspár Károli Reformed University. A large part of the local organization fell to the staff of the missions institute.
A few years ago a very specific decision was taken to hold it in a country in Central Europe and to have as the main theme of the conference, Human Identity and the Gospel of Reconciliation, a theme which fits with the burning issues in the region. (See more: www.iams2008.com)
Six young women in mission
In order to give the more than 250 participants from 44 countries - according to one of the participants a real 'abundance of nations, tribes, people and languages' - insight into this situation and in particular to make them acquainted with the experience of the Communist time, a number of young women participants were asked to tell something about their lives and that of their families, and in particular to reflect on what it meant to live as a Christian in an atheist system.
Figure 1, from left to right: Vija, Olga, Tanya, Dorottya, Eszter and Edit
Not telling anyone that your parents and your grandparents hold to the message and values of the Bible and go to Church on Sundays, taking you along. Because of this, being an outsider, being avoided as a child, not being able to play naturally with friends. It all seems so long ago that this occurred in the families in the various countries of the region. So many years ago, yet still quite fresh in the memories of Vija, Olga, Tanya, Dorottya, Eszter and Edit and many others who experienced it. It remains a part of your life, even if you were only ten years old at the time. The shadows of the past have not yet disappeared either.
For many participants, it was a moving introduction into what went on behind the Iron Curtain.
Figure 2 Some of the fifty participants from Central and Eastern Europe
A world opens up...
For the missions institute it was a very special experience to have so many guests for a whole week and to introduce them in various ways to Central and Eastern Europe. Gina, one of our students, expressed it like this,
'So many different people from different parts of the world: it was such an encouragement... It was wonderful to receive them. I was proud of my home country. It warmed me to see how they were surprised at the beauty of Lake Balaton, Budapest and the countryside... The conference helped me to broaden my vision of the Church of Christ.'
For two days, Hungary was in the spotlight. On the Sunday, many of the participants were guests in Churches in Budapest. More than forty congregations received foreign guests during the Sunday worship services. Many were able to preach or to bring greetings from their home Churches. A second day focused on the subject of missionary work. Exposure visits were made to a great variety of projects: the problem of the urban cities, the so-called 'house of terror', Jewish diaspora yesterday and today, and much attention was also paid to the work among the Roma (gypsies).
Identity and reconciliation
Of course there were other days hallmarked by introductions to the development of missions and missiological research. The central theme was constantly “Human identity and the Gospel of reconciliation”. In Christ we receive a new identity, which means that other identities disappear or slip into second place (cf. Gal. 3:26-19). One of the fruits of this is that 'enemies become friends'.
The theme and the stories from the region continue to resound in the minds of the participants, and in Hungary itself as well. It was not just a conference you go to, pick up something or not, and then proceed to the order of the day. It was not for nothing that there was so much media interest.
Hungary 'moral sacrificial lamb'
Hungary is facing the burning question of reconciliation with the past. This has to do with the shadows of the past at all levels of society.
I had wanted to write this Kool News already quite soon after the conference, but there were many things that still had to be rounded off and the new academic year was about to start straight away. Now I am writing it, it has taken on an extra charge. I read last week in a Dutch newspaper (NCR - 22nd October):
'Hungary is a moral sacrificial lamb. Hungarians no longer have any trust whatsoever in politics. This is seen with a vengeance now that the country is being hit by the credit crunch. The ultra-right is taking advantage of this dissatisfaction.'
The questions which are now facing Hungary had been around for some time, visible in political debate, through the great conflict between government and opposition, and more under the surface among many Hungarians. With the credit crunch, many nerves seem to have been laid bare.
This relates to several matters: economic growth is severely restricted in comparison with the surrounding countries; there is an urgent need for a revision of the health care system; there are issues relating to the future of education; and there are major questions about the way in which things are run. Partly because of the great political contrasts, it has not been possible to achieve a substantial approach in many areas.
Wonderful task for Church and university
Churches and universities are part of this society. When it says 'sacrificial lamb', there is a wonderful task for the Church and the university to bring into the limelight the values for which they stand and to be an example for society. After all, reconciliation is taught in God's Word. Unfortunately, in practice it is not (yet) the case that this task is being taken up.
Mission as a ministry of reconciliation
The institute is trying to incorporate in the lectures some conditions which are necessary in the present situation to be an example. Students remarked that what they learn at the lectures is 'very useful in many area of the work of a minister', or 'I expected dry and boring teaching material. Instead of that I was given a wonderful new perspective on the Church and missions.' Another remarked, 'The subject of missiology has taught me an openness, so that later when I am a minister that I will not only be concerned with those who come to Church, but also with those who do not have any contact whatsoever with the Church. Besides this, I have gained the courage to go and seek them out and talk to them about the gospel. In the future, I also want to find fellow workers and to equip them.' 'Missiology helps us to be more consciously involved in questions of mission, to talk about them and not to allow it to be an ad hoc matter.'
An important lecture that is on the timetable for this semester is, Missions as a service of reconciliation, in which we translate the issues from the conference into everyday life. What do the Biblical notes about reconciliation mean for our own identity in Christ and for dealing with conflicts? Yet another lecture, also for students from the whole of the university, is linked with human identity. The students invite persons known to them from the Church and society and put question to them such as why these people believe, what drives them as Christians in their professions.
Figure 3 Students listen attentively to a Nigerian guest speaker
One of the first guests was a senior official from the Nigerian embassy and the pastor of the African Church in Budapest.
A personal note and some topics for prayer
1. Against the background of the crisis in Hungary, there is a strong tendency throughout society to turn back to forms of leadership which were widely applied under Communism. This situation does not pass the Church and the university by. Please pray for all the attempts which are being made to uphold the truth and to live in the Truth.
2. This autumn, elections are being held in the Reformed Church of Hungary for new Church leadership and for new bishops. Please pray that people will be elected who are an example in doctrine and in deeds and who are capable of leading the Church and the congregations in the way of hope, faith and love. Pray that the Spirit of Reformation will continue to work with power, even today.
3. Pray for the Károli University. Pray for the leadership of the university, for wisdom, dedication and perseverance, that the university may fulfil its important calling as a Christian university in a society which is becoming increasingly secularised.
4. Give thanks for the new team of the Missions Institute. Also for the lectures this semester and for the positive feedback from the students. Please pray that the students will be touched, and will be stimulated to follow Christ in all the areas of their life. Pray for the development and accreditation of new programmes, not a simple matter at this time. The difficulties are not only in the area of the finances (no small challenge either!), but voices are also being raised in favour of tinkering with the equal rights of Christian education.
5. In these troubled times, with God's help and trusting in His strength and wisdom, I am trying to stand steadfast and to be a signpost for students and colleagues. Please pray especially for my role as the mentor of a new generation of preachers and teachers, who are posing missionary questions in the Church and university and studying them and trying to share their vision and knowledge with others. 2 Tim. 2:2.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Anne-Marie Kool
Monday, November 3, 2008
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