People everywhere long for and celebrate freedom. Marking the
twentieth anniversary of the collapse of Marxist-based totalitarian
systems, which ruled for decades over the eastern part of Europe,
Evandeoski Teoloski Fakultet in Osijek, Croatia is organising an
international consultation on “Challenges for Church and Society in
Post-communist Contexts. Celebrating and Assessing Twenty Years of
Freedom”.
The dramatic tearing down of the Berlin Wall, the most powerful symbol
of the division of Europe, signified the end of atheistic one-party
regimes that kept under their grips hundreds of millions, caused
indescribable suffering and countless victims. In addition to abuse of
political power, economic devastation and ecological disaster, this
oppressive ideology violated human rights, destroyed creativity,
personal initiative and social responsibility, and created
hopelessness and spiritual emptiness.
Twenty years after the demise of communist systems in Europe, people
in Eastern Europe and beyond need to come to terms with the lasting
effects of this failed social experiment, to assess the painful
transition from totalitarianism and centralised economies towards
open, democratic and just societies and to discover where hope resides
for the future. Christians are called to join hands with people in all
cultures and communities to work for the wellbeing of all citizens and
shape a better world for generations to come.
The organisers invite scholars, educators and church leaders to join
in the process of reflection and planning leading to this
interdisciplinary, ethically motivated, international gathering. We
live in an interdependent global world and everything we think and do
has consequences affecting communities worldwide. Therefore, let us
bring good news to the poor, heal the broken-hearted and announce
release to captives and freedom to prisoners, proclaiming that the
time has come when the Lord saves his people (Isaiah 61:1-2).
The consultation will take place 29-31 October 2009 at Evandeoski
Teoloski Fakultet in Osijek, Croatia.
(For further information and interaction see
http://www.evtos.hr/en/news_and_events/ and
http://20yearsoffreedom.wordpress.com)
—
Dr. Peter Kuzmič
Eva B. and Paul E. Toms Distinguished Professor of World Missions and European Studies
Evangelical Theological Seminary
Cvjetkova 32
HR-31103 Osijek, Croatia
Phone: 00385-31-494-244
Fax:: 00385-31-494-200
e-mail: peter.kuzmic@evtos.hr
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