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
