Echoes of Graz Highlights of the Graz Diversity Echoes of Graz The setting was beautiful: a lovely Austrian city straddled along a fast flowing river; an old castle brooding on top of the hill overlooking the busy marketplaces below; beautiful old churches in abundance and of varied denominations. A short tram ride from the station was "the Messe", a meeting place and exhibition centre. It needed to be large to accommodate the delegates and participants numbering over ten thousand. There were five hundred from Great Britain and over a thousand from Romania. The main conference sessions were held in a great hall with interpretation into English, German and French as required. Speeches by Karekin I, Catholicos of the Armenians, Metropolitan Daniel from Romania, and Dr. Brigalia Hlophe Bam of South Africa, and Bible studies by Bishop Michael Doe and Father Abiola of the UK and many other ensured plenty of wisdom on which to meditate. Plenary reports were interesting, but it was not easy to engender discussion in a hall so vast and with so many people. However, the formal procedures resulting in the Message and Recommendations for Action were only one part of this creative happening. There was the "Agora", a great market place where a host of organisations involved in peace-making and reconciliation displayed their visual and written materials and had people standing by ready to engage in discussion. European Pilgrimage 2000, Keston Institute, Corrymeela Community, Christian CND, Mission Centre of Slovenia and Pax Christi were just a few of the myriad organisations repre-sented. The Ecumenical Village was another meeting point with sixty groups forming four theme neighbourhoods around a central acting, singing, dancing and discussion area. Each neighbourhood was devoted to some aspect of justice, peace and the integrity of creation and there was a great exchange of experience in the many presentations and discussions. In addition there was an area for refreshments and informal encounter. Some distance away, on the other side of the river, was the Peace House where hearings and workshops were held on a variety of subjects related to reconciliation. In addition, a new musical, "The Bridge", written by Stephen and Hilary Tunnicliffe, was performed nightly. Church and Peace and many other organisations displayed literature at various stalls. The "House of Hospitality" gave focus to the overcoming of racism and the offering of hospitality to migrants and refugees. It included plays, international cuisine and various exhibitions. "Reconciliation in Northern Ireland" was one of many issues to be given a focus at this venue. In addition there was the great Marquee for imaginative services planned for that vast throng, and the local churches for smaller but crowded worship experiences. The experience was an encounter with God and with people and it was enriching. We met with many old friends and made many new ones. John Johansen-Berg
Opening Worship Service at the Freiheitsplatz in Graz, 23rd June Pilgrims on the Way to Graz....By Bike!
In the evening of June 16th six Eastern Europeans met to begin a mission: that of a cycling pilgrimage from Budapest to Graz for the Second European Ecumenical Assembly. The original idea had been to have one person from each Eastern European country, representing different churches, so that, in spite of our different backgrounds, our journey could be a practical symbol of reconciliation. Unfortunately, three of the expected participants had to cancel due to visa problems. This was truly a mission, not just a cycling tour. On our way we met with many groups: Christians and the marginalised of society such as the homeless, gypsies, the mentally handicapped and children in state-run homes. We already had contact with persons who have been doing a lot for the "poor", so we were able to express our respect for their work and offer our encouragement. We gave these people a special flag to help them remember the need to find a peaceful solution to conflicts. Many times we were able to enter into deep discussion with people. We had a book in which they could write their messages and thoughts about this topic. In other places we simply socialised with them and played games. This showed how relaxing and laughing together can calm a situation; people suddenly realise that the tension is gone. On one occasion we were able to have a workshop with young adults. We did not forget the clergy, either. We visited them to ask for blessings on our pilgrimage. We were also supported by fellow pilgrims on bike the first day of the trip. Other people joined us for 65 out of the 70 kilometres covered that day. We met with the press as well, which was important for informing people about the Assembly. I had the chance to talk on some television news programmes and with four local and several national newspapers. I have also been invited to do some radio and newspaper reports when I return home. All in all cycling 70-80 kms a day and meeting with many people was very challenging. We learned a lot about ourselves and resolving our own conflicts within the group- how we reacted when we misread the map, got little sleep, were behind schedule or had to cycle in heavy rain. Our most striking experience occurred in Balatonfuzfo. The people we were to meet did not show up and there were only four others in addition to our group as we started our worship in our usual fashion with guitar music. A group of young men between the ages of 15 and 20 from state-run homes were on holiday in the neighbourhood. The light of the candles and the sounds of the guitar and singing drew them to the church. We invited them in to talk. Later that evening after they had left, two of the young men came back and very kindly invited me for supper. I agreed but went back first to my accommodation to rest a bit. When I returned, I was amazed: they were sitting around a nicely set table waiting for me. And while we were eating, I realised that one of them was attempting to eat the juicy stew with a fork. Then I understood. They only had eight spoons and because I was there, there were nine of us, so one of them gave his spoon to me. I must admit, I had never experienced such kindness and attention as from these people and that from a group which one tends to put into a preconceived box and label... Now our cycling pilgrimage has ended but our mission continues. In many places people expect us to return. Having shared about the problems they experience, they now want to share their lives as well. This is the greatest experience of all - that the desire to learn to live in peace is stronger than ever before. Elisabeth Zsoldos
In my last meeting as a member of the expanded Administrative Committee of Church and Peace, I expressed my willingness to participate at the Assembly in Graz as a "delegated representative" (Ed-representative of an associate organisation). I traveled with Christa Viogt, representative of the war tax resistance group Initiative zur Kriegssteuer-verweigerung. A friendly welcome at the airport: apples, strawberries and carrots. We registered and received orientation information quickly and found a warm welcome at our lodging in the city centre. Our host proved to be an interesting discussion partner who was very open to what we shared and to hearing about our projects. Assembly participation was broken
Plenary session Opening I found it unfortunate that the South Africa Council of Churches' General Secretary Dr. Brigalia Hlope Bam's presentation was planned for last as the sessions were already hopelessly behind schedule. Her speech, Reconciliation - Fight for Life, What We Can Learn from South Africa, could have been a good link between the delegates and the lay initiatives as it was the only presentation which described practical steps (particularly the Truth and Reconciliation Commis-sion) in reconciliation work. I was also very impressed by the sermon during the opening worship service at the Freiheitsplatz in Graz which began with the surprising sentence, "Europe is pregnant". The message described the dialogue between the twins "Fear" and "Hope" who are so different yet so inseparably bound to each other. The sermon compared this dialogue to Jesus Christ, who embodies reconciliation. It was a reminder to the churches that none of them can bring about healing alone, that even they only experience reconciliation through Christ. The testimonies of four young people of their experiences as minorities in their societies made the assembly theme even more concrete for those present A Delegate's Perspective Even though the dialogue fora were well attended in general, partic-ipation from the delegates left something to be desired. The absence of the Orthodox in particular was keenly felt in both the dialogue fora and the working groups. This was probably partially due to language, as translation into Russian and other Eastern European languages was not offered nearly as frequently as that into English, for example. There were Orthodox representatives in only one of the working group meetings I attended. I did not observe much dialogue taking place with the Orthodox. The "dialogue" fora were solid blocks of informational speeches, occasionally broken up by different forms of presentation which actually did enable dialogue to occur. In many cases, however, the presentations and panel discussions were so long that there was shamefully little time left for reactions from the audience. In view of the fact that the delegates had already had a lengthy morning, the solid three-hour afternoon session was tiring and long. Perhaps this is the reason why some delegates did not attend many dialogue fora. Inside a Working Group Proposals which we submitted had to do with a clearer theological basis for nonviolence, the acknowledgement of European institutions as stabilising agents and - for the Recommendations for Action - peace services. Plenary For the Third European Ecumenical Assembly I would hope that much more interaction would take place. In any case the only paper which the delegates should voted on should be the Final Message. The working groups (a mix of laity and clergy) should discuss the content more and be ready to justify it. The delegates should have more time to examine and consider grassroots'' material and work. I have no solution to the problem of motivating delegates who do not get very involved. Ute Caspers
Members and friends of Church and Peace have an important part to play in responding to the challenges put forth in the documents from the Second European Ecumenical Assembly. As CCEE and CEC General Secretaries Aldo Giordano and Jean Fischer noted, these texts are "part of a much longer ecumenical process which is to now go forward under the heading of reconciliation". Their goal is to promote the "Christian witness of reconciliation". Thus it is important for Church and Peace to examine the documents for new insight and inspiration. In accordance with the decision of the CEC/CCEE Joint Committee, there are three final documents from the Assembly: the Final Message, a Basic Text and the Recommenda-tions for Action. The intention of the Final Message is to convey the spirit and main discussion topics of the Assembly. First it reflects back on the first Assembly in Basel and the time between Basel and Graz. Then it proceeds to enumerate the various challenges the churches will face in their commitment to the process of reconciliation. The Final Message was presented during the closing worship service on Sunday. Sections of the meatier Basic Text--consisting of major theological statements and ethical principles--and Recommendations for Action--a product of the Assembly working groups- speak directly to the mission and activities of Church and Peace and its members. For example, segment A29 of the Basic Text concerns promoting reconciliation in politics at national, European and global levels. It urges "security through co-operation" and the further development of voluntary services for justice, peace and integrity of creation. The fourth sub-topic of the Assembly dealt with reconciliation between peoples and the promotion of conflict resolution. Recom-mendations for action in this regard call upon the churches to take an active role in the development of European politics and the peaceful transformation of conflict. The CEC and CCEE along with their member churches are to work at creating a "culture of non-violence through educational processes". One recommendation for action is the establishment of a "permanent committee for conflict analysis and resolution", e.g. a form of professional peace services. Shalom services ...The Church's commitment to non-military conflict resolution, preventive measures and reconciliation work in areas of political, social, ethnic or religious tension requires a large number of persons who have been trained in the basic attitudes and methods of non-violent conflict resolution. Thus in Basel the churches were encouraged to set up ecumenical "shalom services" to offer men and women the opportunity to work for international understanding. ... it is now time for the churches to create conditions for expanding the training and work of Peace Teams, Peace Ministries and Civil Peace Services. ... It is realistic to expect that in the next few years church-sponsored centres will be established in all European countries, which offer practical and especially spiritual training in non-violence. Portions B33-39 of the Background to the Recommendations for Action are of note for Church and Peace as they address issues such as the role and responsiblity of the ecumenical community's respon-sibility in preventing conflicts. There is the "firm conviction that the unity of the people of God transcends the borders between nations, and that loyalty to one's nation and to one's ethnic group is secondary to the ecumenical community as visible expression of the unity of the body of Christ". This portion of the Background includes segments concerning shalom services and the churches' work on behalf of victims of barbarism. Churches should be spaces where victims can express their pain and be treated justly. "The churches should commit themselves to initiating and supporting national and local Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, and to creating of the necessary institutions for their work." Terri Miller
Having left Laufdorf for Graz with a certain hesitation--I detest mammoth gatherings--I returned filled with joy... 700 delegates sent by a wide range of churches, from Orthodox to Baptist, Methodist to Catholic, Anglican to Mennonite, Reformed to Waldensian and Armenian Ortho-dox. Over 10,000 guests from across Europe, 50% of them from Eastern Europe. The crowd which descended upon Graz from the 23 to the 29th of June overwhelmed the hosting capacities of this very welcoming Austrian city which was chosen due to its central location in Europe. This Assembly took place under the emblem of "Reconciliation", a theme suggested by the churches of the East because of their recent history with its tensions and conflicts, the most murderous of which occurred just across the border from Graz in the former Yugoslavia. The delegates were to attempt to agree upon a document to represent the churches and address a range of topics stemming from the message "Reconciliation - Gift of God and Source of New Life". The remainder of the participants were invited to attend any of the numerous meetings, workshops and theme. Church and Peace felt especially called to contribute during this assembly as the subject of reconciliation has always been one of its key preoccupations. In co-operation with the International Fellowship of Reconciliation and Pax Christi International, a very enriching program was organised and presented at the Peace House: stories of reconciliation, introduction of projects such as the WCC's "Programme to Overcome Violence" and the "Peace Diaconie", seminars about nonviolent conflict resolution, theatre and musical performances, Bible studies concerning reconciliation, mediation and nonviolence...and many others. It is nearly impossible to get an overall impression of an event of this magnitude because of the dilemma of having to chose from such a rich and varied program. Thus I was almost happy to be limited in my choices by my function as translator in the Peace House. Still I was able to participate in the communal morning prayers and Bible studies. These gave me the impression that, despite everything else, I was a part of this group of Christians who came sincerely to listen for God's voice in order to live out their faith more authentically once they returned home. The speakers, from the different churches represented at the assem-
Stories in the Peace House From the translation booth, I had the privilege of hearing stories of reconciliation from all over the world and Europe. In her introduction of these stories Hildegard Goss-Myer demonstrated that any movement towards reconciliation between enemies has its foundations in the Gospel. What was striking in the stories and testimonies was their similarities, independent of where they took place. No matter whether the setting was in Northern Ireland or in the former Yugoslavia, the protagonists in the conflict all made the same claims and assertions: each one considers itself the victim, each thinks the "other side" is better off, each person suffers... Trevor Williams from the Corrymeela community in Northern Ireland explained that, even though church people sometimes act as "tribunal chaplaincies", the political structures and the work of the churches keep the situation in his country from becoming as catastrophic as in the Balkans. Corrymeela welcomes people from both sides of the conflict and tries to help dialogue occur. At these meetings importance is placed upon each person sharing about their suffering (family members killed in the hostilities, for example). Healing becomes possible when the participants realise that people from "the other side" of the conflict listen to them with compassion... The Balkan war led to the creation of a variety of ecumenical initiatives - Christian Information Service in Zagreb, "The Braided Rope" in Osijek, and many others. These organisations have been active at all levels - spiritual, theological and practical - since the beginning of the hostilities. A Franciscan, Ivo Markovic, never stopped working for reconciliation in Sarajevo during the war. He came up against the incomprehension of other church officials who, trapped in their nationalist loyalties, didn't consider themselves called to work for reconciliation. In South Africa the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was in-stalled to see that all crimes committed under Apartheid come to light in Programme to Overcome Violence The World Council of Churches, alarmed by the growth of violence worldwide, introduced its "Peace to the City" initiative aimed at encouraging those working to overcome the flow of violence in its various forms, particularly in urban areas. Here once again, many stories: initiatives in Graz, Rio de Janeiro, Boston... And here also many similarities in terms of the situation and the possible solutions. The most gripping story was told by an African American pastor, Jerry Brown. Brown related how each year murders and injuries caused by guns were decimating the youth of Boston until alarmed church leaders started to think of possible solutions. An enormous project involving the churches as well as the city, the courts, social workers and particularly the youth themselves began just a few years ago. The project is a ten point plan which includes such measures as a "gang adoption" program by churches, street evangelism, drug prevention, neighbourhood watch programs, economic development and accompanying youth to court. The results are more than convincing: the number of injuries due to guns has diminished spectacularly, and there hasn't been a single murder in 21 months. Brown invited us to "put your shoes where your theology is" to save a generation which many prefer to consider irretrievable. What does one do with the discovery that the people one loves the most are the most guilty? How to face others' questions? Is reconciliation possible? Jana gave a lesson in courage and honesty by describing her path of declaring the truth publicly, facing the agony of the most painful of discoveries, working now for peace and justice and trying to help those who need reconciliation. I hesitated about coming to Graz because I don't like such mammoth gatherings. Before Graz there was a worship service in Wetzlar where several people received the blessing of the local churches for the trip to Graz. I, conscious of belonging to one of the oldest peace churches, the Mennonite church, had prayed that the churches - the other churches! - would become aware of their calling to be ambassadors of peace. If I came back filled with joy, it is because of the stories and testimonies I heard throughout the assembly. They confirmed each in its own way that, yes, there are Christians of all denominations and churches who are aware of this calling and are responding to it. There are Christians seeking to sow the seeds of new life from God through Jesus Christ. Even if we live in situations of non-reconciliation, of conflicts to which there seems to be no solution -- and the Graz meeting certainly didn't offer ready answers to the problems of the world and the churches -- the biblical message of reconciliation has lost none of its relevance; the call to be ambassadors is more pressing than ever. Marie-No�lle von der Recke
Reconciliation through Movement
There were fifteen of us in the small room with bare, white walls and varnished parquet floors. In this serene location theatre exercises and physical movement guided each person in motions of reconciliation: an inner motion, a motion of the body and a motion joined with the movements of other people. In a gentle, non-threatening way, the workshop permitted each to face and overcome their own limitations and to discover new possibilities for relating, possibilities which no one had suspected existed because no one had ever dared to explore them. Among the participants of all ages and national and cultural backgrounds, the language barrier was dismantled. Through means of non-verbal communication, each spoke to the other and joined together on a path towards a deeper shared humanity. In this small room with white walls, true fellowship and simple and enriching sharing were embodied. That afternoon in Graz, our movements brought us closer together on the path of reconciliation, and we went on our way again much richer, lighter and joyful than before. Thierry Husser Crossing Cultural Lines
Role play formed the basis for the workshop, allowing participants to experience the difficulties of intercultural/multicultural living. The exercise
The role play was used not just to highlight cultural misunderstandings but also to make them comprehensible in a way with which people could empathise. The participants first divided into two groups, Rantaba and Malindi, and went into separate rooms to learn about their adopted culture. The very different values and goals of the Rantaba and Malindi cultures naturally would have great import for intercultural living. Each group had a leader who taught the other members of the group the important aspects of their respective culture. Neither group knew anything about the other group's culture. Once each group had learned about their culture, a representative was sent to the other group to "live" with them for some time and then return "back home". The workshop materials noted that "the goal of the exchange is to recognise as many of the rules of the other culture as possible so that after each participant has 'lived' in the other culture for a time, they gather together in their own culture group and talk about their experiences. The role play is not simply a matter of figuring out the rules of the other culture but rather of examining the manner in which each person experiences the cultural differ-ences." "Once each culture has discussed and written down their findings, both groups meet together again and each culture presents the rules of the foreign culture to the other group. It is evident in this stage of the exercise just how difficult it is to understand even relatively simple cultural 'rules' and then to know how to behave appropriately." Language did not play a large part in this exercise. Instead non-verbal communication was much more important as well as the ability to enter into another culture. An interesting insight came from our group (the Rantaba culture) as we evaluated the workshop. A participant from Sweden remarked that there is a German word in Swedish, Ego-Gesellschaft ("Ego-Society"), which he felt would accurately characterise the Rantaba culture which many of us experienced as violent and forceful. The Swedish participant made the observation: "I enjoyed acting the part of a member of this culture but don't want to be like one. I can see, though, how easy it is to become like the character we are trying to portray." Another participant emphasised how important it is in everyday life to periodically stop and reflect upon one's own behaviour. Birgit Dobrinski
A Mosaic - Nonviolence in the World Religions
An interreligous prayer proceeded the hearing which was organised by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. The moderator, Dr Kurt Remele, opened the hearing with greetings and blessings from Cardinal König in Vienna. In his introduction Remele commented that members of different religious traditions have fought each other for centuries and that persons motivated by religion are often the most intolerant and fanatical. At the same time he emphasised that each religious tradition has made decisive move-ments towards reconciliation and dialogue. Islam The role of women is also an issue that needs to be dealt with through exegesis and hermeneutics, though Balic stated his regret that the historical-critical methods in Islam theology are underdeveloped. The world has changed, and women today have equal rights and worth. Female circumcision does not have its origins in the Koran but rather from the traditions in secondary source material which expands upon the teachings in the Koran. Buddhism He stated that the concept of reconciliation sounds like a compromise, in the negative sense of not living out one's convictions. One cannot, however, live out religion as a compromise. There are those who live a secular lifestyle while claiming to be religious, and there is much violence which has nothing to do with religion. Reconciliation happens only when each person strives to live out their religion and practice integrity and mercy. Individual integrity is the solution to problems. Buddha taught that each person and every living thing is complete.. When one can feel empathy for another human being, then there is no room for jealousy, envy, greed, fear or hate. Through enlightenment it is possible to transform these human weaknesses, and by the end of this process there is no more violence. Rinpoche summarised, "When you have no inner peace, then there will be no peace in your neighbour-hood. If there is no peace in your neighbourhood, then there is no peace in your country. Peace begins at home. The seed will be planted at home and this will grow." With regards to reconciliation between world religions, Rinpoche suggested forming councils through which the essence of each religion would be preserved. The councils should be made up of respected believers willing to engage in open, honest dialogue. He pointed to organisations already in existence which are working along these lines, for example "United Traditions", which is linked to the United Nations, and IFOR. Judaism Hinduism Hinduism emphasises purity of the spirit, which can be attained through meditation, yoga, prayer and asceticism. Inner peace must be achieved before peace with others can occur. There can be no absolute peace as long as good and evil co-exist. The
In closing Kundu quoted Krishna saying one should not return evil with evil but rather with goodness. Kundu emphasised the similarity of this teaching with the teachings of Jesus. Christianity Next Dr. Peter Trummer, Roman Catholic, made a distinction between the concepts of the freedom from violence and nonviolence. He underlined that peace is not possible within a corrupt system. Due to time constraints, open discussion following the main presentations was next to impossible. It is obvious that this hearing was quite On the other hand the session was a mosaic within the overall process of interreligious dialogue. By listening to each other, recognising our common points and dismantling prejudices, this dialogue served as a step in overcoming violence. Birgit Dobrinski "The Bridge" "The Bridge", a play with music, was performed on five successive evenings in the Peace House. Here the author Stephen Tunnicliffe writes about the play. In spite of romantic ideas about inspiration or 'the Muse', most writers welcome an opportunity to create something for a specific occasion. So I was delighted when the executive of Church and Peace agreed to commission me to write a piece for the Assembly in Graz. As a member of Church and Peace's Administrative Committee I had already had experience of writing for them: during the 1995 Kirchentag ("Church Day") in Hamburg we had included in our worship service a short dramatic 'morality' about St Martin of Tours, which we presented in German with an amateur cast of friends with the minimum of rehearsal. Nevertheless, "Martin and the Sword" met with a favourable enough response to lead to the decision about the new work for Graz. It was to be a much more ambitious undertaking; there would be international audiences, and the 'theatre' was to be a fine baroque concert hall in the centre of town. It was evident to me that the play must be as near to professional as I could make it, given the very severe financial and other limitations. "Gift of God" - "Source of new life"
Drawing by Peter Upton, My play could not portray a world already reconciled, especially not in central Europe, home to such recent, bloody, apparently irreconcilable conflicts. Two hundred years ago a Quaker iron master, Abraham Darby, commissioned the great Iron Bridge that gave the iron bridge Gorge in Shropshire, England, its name. Here was the symbol I needed; for what is reconciliation but the building of bridges? Visually, our central image must be the Iron Bridge itself. . . The play had to be short; nevertheless, it must present `real' people in a recognisable conflict situation. It had somehow to acknowledge how hard it is to achieve true reconciliation. Finally, I felt it had to leave audiences with questions rather than glib answers in their minds. We would be playing to international audiences, so it would be necessary to supplement the English words with other means of communication. I am one of a family of musicians, so this meant music, together with its visible patterning, dance. For this vital element I was able to enlist the services of my wife, the musician and composer Hilary Tunnicliffe. I decided to set the play in an unnamed European country two centuries ago, and to portray a clash between a wealthy land-owning iron master and a band of itinerant gypsies. My choice of subject was apposite, as it turned out. The River Mur flows through the centre of Graz, so there are many bridges; and Graz residents had recent first-hand experience of gypsies, not altogether favourable. In addition, the topic of land- or state-lessness is very much alive in Europe today, with its millions of homeless. Our concluding visual images were contemporary photographs of refugees. The Graz experience was for me salutary. "The Bridge" was I believe unique in being an original work written and presented specially for the Assembly. In general such occasions are devoted to talk, discussions and meetings; such 'cultural' items as were listed in the programme were seen, I suspect, by most delegates and participants as fringe events, a diversion after the serious business Photo: Stephen Tunnicliffe of the Assembly. I was quite glad, in fact, to find that we had been listed under "workshops". We aspired to present the Assembly's theme in a more direct way. We would entertain, of course, but also perhaps move people emotionally, as art, perhaps only art, can do. I hope we may have succeeded in a small way, both to add to the atmosphere of the Peace House and to leave our audiences with memorable images that bring home what reconciliation really involves besides talking about it. Stephen Tunnicliffe
"They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4) We, as representatives of Christian denominations and peace groups here, would like to: - ask for the solidarity of the whole Church with them; - speak up on behalf of humane spirit and conscience against blessing on weapons, cooperation of religious institutions and armies, religious justification of wars, defining murder as a "loyal and Christian" duty; - ask for the forgiveness of those who have the right to an undistorted preaching of Jesus' Gospel; - represent the Catholic Church's positive attitude towards non-violence, as expressed in synodal declarations which are hidden and rejected in Eastern Europe. The intention of the hearing "Conscientious Objectors: Criminals? Dreamers? Heroes?" was to bring together peace groups from Eastern and Western Europe. IFOR, Pax Christi International and BOCS Foundation organized the hearing which took place in the Peace House. Witnesses and experts from both sides shared their views on the theme or reported on the experiences from their peace work. - church leaders in Eastern Europe demand that, in their countries, a civilian service be introduced, of equal duration and without any penalties attached: and if it exists already, than it should be a peace service, carried out at churchly and civil organizations; - church leaders openly offer solidarity to those who have been suffering imprisonment for their conscientious objection; - those who remained faithful to Jesus' command to love their enemies (and were accused deserters and traitors, and murdered by policemen, court and brutal officers of the army) be recognised by church leaders; these real heroes and martyrs be remembered on scripts in churches and burial grounds; church leaders urge the ordainment of Franz Jägerstätter, who was executed by Hitler; - the Bishops' Conference in Hungary officially and publicly withdraw its declarations (of 1986 and 199O) which rejected conscientious objection; and ask the forgiveness of Catholic conscientious objectors, who were imprisoned by the dictatorship's military courts, whose judgements were based on the bishops' declaration; - church leaders preach St. Martin of Tours as a conscientious objector; on the 16OOth anniversary of his death they give up at last the false myth that declares him a soldier saint. Bokor Movement, June 1997 To indicate your support for this campaign, please send declaration signatures to:
Four young people from North Ossetia, Ingushetia and Chechnya in the North Caucasus of Russia presented the tensions and hopes of their nations through photographs and hearings in the Peace House. The young people were present at the invitation of Ohne Rüstung Leben. Chris Hunter and Roswitha Jarman, frequent visitors to the region, assisted them in making the trip. The young people's presence as non-Christians in a mainly Christian assembly was very enriching for me (Roswitha). I welcomed their fresh and unconventional approach and their enthusiasm. I hope that those present at the hearings will have been touched and inspired by these courageous people. For me the most inspiring event in the Peace House was the morning meditation on Saturday when a Buddhist gong, a Jewish prayer song and Hindu and Muslim prayers mingled with Christian voices. I suddenly realised that now all my spiritual longings were deeply touched. I knew I was in the right place. This common meditation from all different traditions was to me like the common memory that Ruben Richards spoke so movingly about when he told us of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commis-sion in South Africa. We cannot find the truth as a single entity. What we can do is collect our pieces and offer them as part of the whole truth. This is the base for reconciliation and a peaceful future. I was deeply grateful to this unscheduled spontaneous event. It gave me deep hope. The hearings in the Peace House and the liveliness of the Ecumenical Village were the highlights of Graz for me (Peter). I feel deeply indebted to Gordon Matthews for his dedicated and conscientious stewardship of the Peace House and to the International Fellowship of Reconciliation for their inspiring contribution and organisation of several of the events there. Peter and Roswitha Jarman
What were your most moving experiences at the Ecumenical Assembly in Graz? The theme of the assembly was "reconciliation". What were your impressions with regards to the cooperation and interaction between Eastern and Western churches? The changes since 1989 have made Eastern Europeans' basic existence very unstable. They are facing economic and political challenges that we can scarcely comprehend. The effect of the completely different contexts upon cooperation between Eastern and Western churches should not be underestimated. In addition there is the question of the different ways of thinking of the Orthodox and non-Orthodox churches. The most important effect is upon the understanding of church and religious life. For example, it is not common in Orthodox churches to take communion outside of one's own congregation. For this reason it is incorrect at this point in time to make a joint celebration of the Eucharist the measure of true ecumenism. What effect could the Assembly have with regards to the congregations in our region? Secondly we need to see our political and social involvement as being an integral part of our faith and our responsibility to God. The closing message in Graz specified Heidi Janina Stiewink
My roommate during the Assembly was an Orthodox priest. The first time we talked, I shared, among other things, that I am a Mennonite. One morning just as I was about to walk out the door, he asked me what I thought about military service. When I responded that on the basis of my understanding of Jesus' teachings I prefer to work for peace in other ways, he asked me whether armies still might be necessary. I asked him to consider that nonmilitaristic methods of conflict resolution have not been tried often enough and attempted to illustrate this with several examples. But shouldn't we defend ourselves and our country from unjust invasions, my companion enquired. He didn't contradict me when I pointed out that in most wars each side claims that their interests are "just" and that in wars in Europe there are usually Christians fighting other Christians. I had the impression that many of my arguments were new to him, but he listened attentively and took seriously all that I said. In the end we agreed that our loyalty to Christ should take precedence over loyalty to our respective nations.
Following is a brief account of Sisters Irmtraud and Anne-Emmanuelle's experiences at the Graz Assembly with the request that we not stop praying that this Assembly would bear fruit in churches locally. From the opening statements it was made quite clear that "reconciliation is both an immense and arduous task which we can only learn from the crucified and resurrected Christ" (Cardinal VLK, CCEE President). Morning prayers and Bible study forged our unity in Christ by exploring in depth the theme of reconciliation, a theme which was further examined during the rest of the day through meetings and discussions with others. Thanks to the organisers as all that occurred encouraged true sharing. The importance of the work of the delegates--the Final Documents--is clear since the text is to encourage the church hierarchy to support the work of grassroots groups. But to evaluate the assembly based on these texts and to compare the document with that of Basel was difficult for me because the European context has changed so radically since 1989. Each local church, from Estonia to Portugal, has its own specific situation and must respond accordingly. This is why some of the texts come across as being vague. Such an assembly cannot solve the world's or the churches' problems. Big conferences like the women's conference in Peking or that in Rio concerning the environment have already analysed such problems in recent years; the churches have addressed many issues through dialogue commissions (for example discussion between Catholics and Lutherans concerning justification by faith).
One discovers ways in which churches in the same region could work together, responding to their specific contexts. In one country, the critical question may be that of proselytising. In another it may be a matter of reviewing an excommu-nication. In other areas people will want to begin the path to healing by rewriting together sections of church history, that one requests forgiveness for an event which is still a painful burden for others. Or it may be a question of healing very recent wounds caused by ethnic conflict. The worth of such an assembly is not to be found in its "paper" results of documents and resolutions but rather in the experience of prayer, dialogue, meeting others and fellowship. For a gypsy from Rumania or a child from Chernobyl to be given a chance to speak and be heard is truly magnificent! This experience is an enormous encour-agement but perhaps also makes us aware that road of reconciliation in Europe is not easy and a long distance remains to be travelled. As His Holiness Karekin I, Catholicos of the Armenians said, if we as Christians wish to be the salt in the European world, "then let us speak no longer in contradictory and discordant voices, but rather let us be moved by an inner renewal for the unity which Christ has prepared for us. Our unity in him, our Reconciler, is one of the essential elements of our being salt in the world." Sister Irmtraud from Grandchamp |