Celebrating and Assessing Twenty Years of Freedom
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 28-31 October 2009 at Evandeoski Teoloski Fakultet in Osijek, Croatia.
(For further information and interaction see www.evtos.hr and http://20yearsoffreedom.wordpress.com)
