The annual conference of the Central and Eastern
European Association of Mission Studies (CEEAMS) was held in Heiligenkreuz,
near Vienna between the 10th and13th of February 2015. Its theme was, Beyond
the Iron Curtain: Being Church in Central and Eastern Europe twenty five years
after the political changes. The participants told stories of Christians
living and working in that region and analysed the trends in the church and
mission after the momentous events of 1989.
CEEAMS,
established in 2002, is an international, interdenominational and intercultural
body committed to the scholarly study of issues related to Christian mission,
especially focusing on Central and Eastern Europe, in order to support,
strengthen and equip local congregations to function as open and welcoming
communities witnessing to Jesus Christ in today’s world.
The organisers of the conference were concerned
to make sure that the events of the 25 years were analysed rigorously. Through the experiences of 'Iron Curtain', Europe has been divided in
west and east for more than four decades. Christian communities from both sides
were challenged to deal with the reality of barbed-wired borders. Therefore the
fall of the communist systems had consequences both for east and west. The
collapse of the Iron Curtain does not mean it has disappeared, as its rusted
pieces continue to influence the life of those who ‘step’ on it.
This conference’s objective was to provide an opportunity to
theologians-missiologists to reflect on the questions of the extent and the
ways in which the communist experiences continue to influence the life of
Christian communities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and what it means to
be or become church in the post-1989/1990 period.
Often focus is only given to the changes in former communist countries.
The present conference departs from the understanding that both west and east
are standing on the remnants of the Iron Curtain and therefore it is important
to reflect together on the complexities which have been shaping the life,
position and form of the Christian communities in Central and Eastern Europe in
the last twenty five years. The conference aim was to bring together
theologians-missiologists, Master and PhD students researching in mission
studies as well as reflective practitioners coming from different confessional
backgrounds.
But this rigour didn't not leave the practical
consequences on the side. Each speaker was encouraged to draw out the meaning
of these stories and analysis for the present and future mission of the church
here in Central and Eastern Europe. The scene was set in the first two papers
given on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. These sessions established the
fundamental approaches of this conference; viz. personal and praxis orientated
approaches.
It has been said that all theology is ultimately
biographical. To achieve this the conference began by Prof. Dr. Peter Penner
describing his pilgrimage in mission from being born as an ethnic German in
Kazakhstan, at that time still part of the Soviet Union, as a teenager moving
with his family to Germany. Since his studies of theology in Germany, he has
served in a number of leadership positions in theological institutions became
subsequently widely known as a leading mission thinker in Central and Eastern
Europe. This personal approach was followed by subsequent speakers.
The second fundamental approach was established by
Prof. Dr. Anne-Marie Kool. She argued
that in theology and missiology there is often a dichotomy between theory and
practice. On one hand, theology and theological education can remain at the
abstract level, not dealing with the context, and, therefore, have no relevance
to practical church and mission life. On the other hand, mission can ignore the
importance reflecting critically upon mission in the light of the gospel.
Missiology must begin with understanding the context where we are placed,
taking the issues the context raises, to the gospel and reflect upon the
context critically from a biblical-theological perspective. The other speakers
followed closely this approach.
In the light of this personal and praxis orientated
approach, after each paper, there was vigorous discussion and debate around the
subjects expounded. The papers were wide and varied but all focussed upon how
the Christian church existed in the past 25 years and how it should move forward
into the future.
There are some interesting facts to note within this
width and variety. The variety of speakers was very wide. One third of the
speakers in the devotional times and the papers were female; an impressive
number for missiological conferences! There were also a good number of younger
speakers (under 30). They also came from a wide variety of confessions
(Protestant, evangelical, Baptist, Orthodox and Roman Catholic) with the
majority being local to Central and Eastern Europe as well as others from
Western Europe. The thirty participants represented 13 different nationalities.
Not only were the speakers varied but the contexts of
reflection were also varied. There were papers on the whole region but also on
various countries (Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova, East
Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Poland). The denominational
contexts were also varied (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran,
Protestant and Pentecostal).
In addition to the variety of contexts, the approaches
to the subjects were varied. Approaches including statistical analysis,
critical comparison and use of missiological models (Niebuhr’s “Christ and
Culture”, the Pastoral Circle, critical postmodernity and generational
analysis).
Finally, the themes of study were varied. Subjects
ranged from minority ethnic/religious experience and witness, missiological
issues such missional church, pluralism, social engagement, missiological
education and church/state relations post 1989.
This conference covered a multitude of themes, with a
multitude of approaches, in multitude of contexts, by a multitude of speakers,
using a personal and praxis orientated approach. The reflection was rigorous,
personal and practical. The participants left enriched by the experience of the
papers and dialogue. They also have the possibility of bibliographic material,
which will help the Churches, missionaries and agencies to approach mission in
Central and Eastern Europe in a more theologically coherent way and be more practically
equipped to fulfil this task.
