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Becoming Renaissance People

2006-11-08T11:08:49Z

by Dr Andrzej Turkanik

The term ‘Christian renaissance’ may seem contradictory at first; it may even grate on the ears. This is not unintentional. The phrase, ‘toward a Christian renaissance in Europe’ has been chosen deliberately to challenge Christians in Europe to think long and hard about their role in society. To most people, the word ‘renaissance’ (meaning ‘rebirth’) refers to the Renaissancea specific period of history in which Europe experienced a cultural rebirth. So by talking about a ‘Christian renaissance’ are we proposing a rebirth of Christianity? Of course notbut we are talking about a reborn Christian presence within culture.]]> European culture is at a crossroads. Many of the old forcesmodernism, Christendom, and communismhave fallen; what will fill the void? A similar cultural crisis developed nearly 600 years ago, with the breakdown of the feudal system, severe financial crises within the Roman church, and the devaluation of the papacy. Fuelled by the decline of these dominant cultural forces, the Renaissance began in Italy in the first half of the 14th century, and spread to northern Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. Centred on the world of ideas, its greatest influence was in the formation of worldviews. Renaissance was willing to ask bold questions, and was not afraid of experiments. Speculation, initiative, experiment, and exploration were rewarded. The old world order was beginning to make less sense; the accepted wisdom of the past was no longer satisfactory to the people of the day. A new understanding of reality encouraged new thoughts and ideas.

Initially the Renaissance was a movement within the arts, architecture, and literature. Realising the importance of history, scholars tried to reconcile the ideas (and ideals) of antiquity with the beliefs of Christianity. There was renewed interest in human life on earth and its significance. Artists began to represent human form with greater realism and accuracy, even when painting Christ. Literature, in a similar fashion, was enriched by the new possibilities. Poets showed a new fascination with human nature. These movements began to spread not only geographically across Europe, but also across disciplines. Space was created for people to venture to new territories.

But how does this apply to Schloss Mittersill today? And what would ‘Christian renaissance’ look like? Is it not better to speak of the ‘new Reformation’, especially since renaissance is often thought of as a humanistic movement away from God? The Reformation was a movement primarily identified with reforms within the Christian church. Our interest is wider; we long to see Christians authentically ‘living out’ faith in all walks of life and across all strata of society. We believe that as new forces surge into the cultural vacuum, Christians in all walks of life need to understand the bearing of the gospel on the decisions they make within their vocational and cultural contextsboth public and private.

It is our responsibility as followers of Jesus to proclaim the gospel as public truth, not relegate it to our private lives. As God calls people to politics, the arts, and the marketplace; we want to encourage them to be salt and light. We want to assist them by praying for them, equipping them with biblical-theological insight, standing with them, and connecting them with others.

Today’s Christians in Europe are faced with an identity crisis. On the one hand, we areas the Bible clearly showsa minority band, following an alternate Lord, on the margins of society. On the other hand, Christianity has played a pivotal role in the formation of European culture. Lesslie Newbigin points out that before Christianity, Europe was simply a peninsula of Asiaa cul-de-sac into which Asiatic people had migrated for centuries. It was in Christianity that Europe first found shared identity and common culture.

We believe that Christians can and should have a unique voice in Europe. Christians should be ‘renaissance people’, willing to ask bold questions, and not afraid of living in a way that is counterintuitive to the world around themchallenging that world with the values of the Kingdom of God in all strata of society, and across vocational and cultural contexts in all parts of Europe.

Two things will help this process. First, Christians need to become connected in order to encourage, inform, and disciple each other. Christian artists need to network with Christian artists, and Christian bankers need to meet Christian bankers, butin the cross-disciplinary renaissance spiritvital connections also need to be made across vocations and cultures. Second, Christians need to be theologically and culturally equipped to discern the bearing of the gospel upon the decisions they have to make and the priorities they have to establish within their vocations and culural contexts. We believe that as people are connected and equipped in these ways, they will become part of an avant garde that is prepared and inspired to have a voice in the marketplace of ideas.

As we seek to be faithful in our generation, we must remember that we are not only to pursue societal change, or only to seek individual conversion. As we follow Christ together, we must live out an alternative culture that fuses the eternal goodness, beauty, and truth of the Kingdom of God with a clear understanding of our times
and its challenges.

This article has been reprinted from the Autumn 2006 issue of Schloss Mittersill's quarterly newsletter, Schloss Views. If you are not on our mailing list, visit the Newsletter Archive and listen in on the conversation that is taking place here, while catching up on the latest news and prayer concerns.

Truth and Beauty through Art

2006-07-18T09:25:01Z

How should a Christian set out to express his or her beliefs through artistic media? Ross Lawhead, recently a writer-in-residence at Schloss Mittersill, shares his thoughts:

'Since I believe in truth and beauty, which in turn feeds my faith in God and Christ who are perfect realisations of those qualities, then my artistic expression manifests itself, on my better days, as simply portraying truth and beauty (even ugly beauty, which you find in a mature artist like Dostoevsky), as, when, and where I find it. With positive motivation like that, artistic expression becomes truly creative, and not merely reactive.'

]]> 'I think that an artist’s strength comes from the truthful display of his or her emotions - that’s how they connect with the reader, audience, viewer, or whoever they’re trying to communicate with. Which means not being ashamed to admit when we don’t have ‘the answer’, which a lot of times we don’t. I think we as modern Christians are afraid to embrace the truth of uncertainty and the beauty of ineffability.'

Ross was recently interviewed by UK comic publisher Undercurrent Comics. Read the full interview here.

Networks that Transform

2006-06-07T13:53:37Z

Looking to the present and the future, could it be possible for Christians to have a voice again in what has been called ‘post-Christian’ Europe? Could culture-shaping ideas once again be based on God’s revealed word, rather than on agnostic—if not atheistic—worldviews? It is only by God’s grace that this can happen, but we realise that we can do our part by connecting with each other in order to develop ideas that have relevance, and that speak to issues beyond the four walls of our churches.

]]> Looking to the present and the future, could it be possible for Christians to have a voice again in what has been called ‘post-Christian’ Europe? Could culture-shaping ideas once again be based on God’s revealed word, rather than on agnostic—if not atheistic—worldviews? It is only by God’s grace that this can happen, but we realise that we can do our part by connecting with each other in order to develop ideas that have relevance, and that speak to issues beyond the four walls of our churches.

Christians need to get involved in networks that cross denominational and vocational boundaries, in order to encourage each other to apply their faith to their world—and to develop creative and biblically-oriented answers to the pressing questions of our times. Networks like this will be key in widening horizons, spreading and cross-fertilising Christian thinking, and opening doors for each other to step into positions where the gospel can have a formative influence on society.

- Mark Lörz

This is an excerpt from the latest issue of Schloss Mittersill's quarterly newsletter, Schloss Views. If you are not on our mailing list, visit the Newsletter Archive and listen in on the conversation that is taking place here, while catching up on the latest news and prayer concerns.

The Conversation

2006-01-08T18:37:57Z

It was a cold December evening in 1785. A man walked purposefully down a cobblestone street in East London, his breath clouding in the still air. In his mid-twenties, he could have been mistaken for older, and probably would have been recognised had anyone looked closely enough. A prominent Member of Parliament, he had quietly slipped away from the public eye to this unlikely part of town, intent on finding an answer to a nagging question. ]]> Stopping before a door, he hesitated—and knocked. The door opened to reveal a white-haired man in his later years, who welcomed him, taking his coat. That night, a conversation between two men would change the history of their nation. The home was that of John Newton, the preacher who had been a slave trader. His visitor was William Wilberforce.

Wilberforce had already written to Prime Minister William Pitt to explain that if he was going to live for God he must withdraw from the world of politics—a view held by most Christians of his time. Pitt had been unable to change Wilberforce’s mind. It was only after his conversation with Newton that the matter was resolved—he would remain in office. Two years later, Newton wrote to Wilberforce with words which must echo what was said on that day: ‘It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of his Church and the good of the nation.’ During the next years, Wilberforce would lead the campaign that dismantled the institution of slavery in Britain.

Even today, many Christians see vocation in the ‘secular world’ as nothing more than a necessary evil. However, we as Christians are called to holistic faith—dismantling the false divide between our public and private lives. Followers of Christ within all vocations should be innovative and reflective practitioners, vibrantly living out the gospel’s encounter with their surroundings.

What does the church say to someone in the world of commerce and industry, whose Christian vocation seems challenged by service to false gods? Typically, the church’s response is a suggestion that one’s job can provide a place to practice kindness and a platform for evangelistic witness. This message implies that, while the so-called secular career may have some value as a service to others, it possesses no inherent value in and of itself.

While one’s vocation unquestionably does provide a forum for sharing faith, it is vital for Christians to move beyond this narrow view of what it means to be a faithful witness in the marketplace. A corporate executive managing her department in a way consistent with a biblical understanding of the value of people and relationships—this has spiritual value in its own right, regardless of anything else that may be accomplished from that platform. A lawyer practicing his craft in a way that respects human dignity, upholds justice, and extends compassion powerfully recognises God’s order for this world. A painter reflecting the beauty of creation through his work is engaging in an act of worship. An educator vigorously plumbing the depths of her field with an appreciation of God’s order within the universe gives praise to the Creator of all.

How are Christians being challenged today to think innovatively about the relevance of their faith to their vocation and to their broader cultural contexts? Where are the Wilberforces of today finding their Newtons? At Schloss Mittersill, we dream of being a place where conversations like theirs can happen—where people engaged in a true vocational calling can learn that they need not enter ‘full time Christian service’ for their work to have eternal significance. As people pass through our community for shorter and longer periods of time, young practitioners are being connected with vocational mentors within their fields; Christians in all vocational callings are learning they are not alone.

In order for conversations like this to happen, our community is engaging in an ongoing, broader conversation. This takes place on many levels. It happens as scholars and students pursue research projects on specific questions of faith and culture, and these projects then inform each other, making them stronger through exposure to other disciplines. It happens as people within a vocational field attend a symposium on the issues faced within their profession. It happens in our publications and on our website. It happens as we watch and discuss the films which are quickly becoming today’s literature. It happens around meal tables and fireplaces.

Truly world-altering ideas are not developed in isolation; they take shape as they are exchanged and built upon. We invite you to bring your ideas, and to join the conversation. Attend a conference, a course, or come for a short stay. Participate in the conversation on our website. Contribute to and benefit from the things we are learning together as we boldly offer the men and women of our cultures a way of engagement based unashamedly on the revelation of God made in Jesus Christ. And maybe… just maybe… we can be part of raising up the William Wilberforces of the next generation.

- Jonathan Wiles

A 'New Europe'?

2005-12-21T18:29:39Z

Schloss Mittersill is full of reminders of the circular pattern of life: the coming and going of community members; leaves falling from the trees in the castle garden, soon to be replaced by snow, and then by new buds in the spring; the sounds of our children laughing as they thump down these old corridors—children growing up before our eyes. These things remind us that the challenges we face, others before us have faced—and our children will face when we have gone. Life is full of change, and while change may bring difficulties, it also presents us with opportunities.]]> The past century has brought intense turmoil to European society and culture—two world wars and the communist era have left people searching for meaning and purpose. Today’s Europe is a ‘post’ culture. Post-Christian Europe breeds cynicism about faith, and rejects the Gospel as archaic—irrelevant to modern society and enlightened individuals.

Post-communist Europe is full of those who have rejected Marxism’s humanist dogma, but are left with a void that is rapidly being filled by materialism, corruption, and hopelessness. Post-modern Europe has rejected rationalism and Enlightenment-inspired attempts to create a better future, and is spiralling into nihilism and hedonism.

Anything defined as ‘post’ is by its very nature in transition. Since it has no clear identity of its own, it is defined by its past. What shape will Europe take when it stops defining itself by its past and looks to its future? Can the gospel of Jesus Christ once again be a transforming influence?

When the Apostle Paul set foot in Europe, he paved the way for countless others who carried the story of Jesus across the continent, establishing communities of believers and shaping culture in post-Roman Europe. In the twenty-first century, Schloss Mittersill is a place where followers of Jesus are trained and equipped to be agents of cultural change, returning to their home countries and allowing God to use them in the shaping of a new Europe—one life at a time.

- Jonathan Wiles

A Life in God's Hands

2005-06-11T18:34:48Z

It was not yet dawn. Bea Szabó and Júlia Visky shivered as they trudged up the mountain. In their backpacks: Hungarian Bibles and liturgy. On their faces: heavy eyelids and muffled yawns. It was an Easter sunrise service for two. They found a favourite bench and sleepily tried to make out the numbers on their watches. Where was the sun? Finally the golden rays spilled down the mountainside and into the valley. Hungarian worship songs, prayer and kindred friendship merged to create one of Bea’s most treasured mental snapshots of her time at Schloss Mittersill.]]> Bea is a second-year student at Schloss Mittersill Study Centre. As she concludes her classes this year, she will most likely begin writing the thesis that will complete her master’s degree in Old and New Testament Studies. What’s next? Her heart beats for some form of evangelism, teaching, or international student ministry, but the details have yet to be worked out. Bea’s future is clearly in God’s hands, just as all of the events of her past have been.

Flip back a few pages in her life’s album, and you’ll see just how clearly God has moved in her life. A snapshot from nine years ago reveals an eager high school graduate crash-landing into au pair work in London.

Since Bea hadn’t gained admittance to her preferred university, she followed her sense of adventure and her strong desire to learn English better, leaving her native Hungary to work as a nanny in London. Now she reflects that it was amazing that she persevered in England. Difficulty followed difficulty until Bea was finally seeking more than happiness or improved linguistic abilities. Although she had an atheistic family background and only minimal Christian influence from her grandmother, Bea began to thirst for God. She came to know him in London, thanks to the impact of Christian friends.

When her visa expired in 1997, Bea carried her new Christian life back with her to Veszprém, her hometown in Hungary. There she found the evangelical church to which she still belongs and was baptised in the frigid October waters of Lake Balaton.

Although her real love was English, circumstances and parental pressure finally led Bea to study economics in tourism and hospitality management. And while she was ‘not that fanatic’ about economics or tourism, she was enthusiastic about the growth of her new spiritual life.

‘I call those three years my “discipleship years”,’ Bea said. ‘I spent a lot of time at church since I basically had no knowledge of the Bible. I was soaking up knowledge like a sponge, always asking questions. I grew a lot.’

Bea completed her last eight months of university as an intern at a hotel in Budapest. As she worked and wrote her thesis, she thought about what to do next.

‘Praying about it, I realised that what I wanted to do and what would fit my interests best was to study the Bible more deeply and that way get to know God more,’ Bea said. ‘I had a very huge desire and started to look for schools.’

On Bea’s list of potential places to study was Schloss Mittersill, which she had heard about from a previous staff member who had been among the London friends who were instrumental in Bea’s conversion. Bea had actually applied and been accepted for the Life Training Course, only to decide to return to Hungary.

Dreaming up a list of schools was the easy part. Looking for scholarships, applying, and dealing with roadblocks was a process that became more discouraging with each passing day. Seven months of unemployment didn’t help either. But as the obstacles multiplied, her desire to study the Word of God remained steadfast. ‘I wanted it so deeply in my heart, but it looked impossible,’ she said.

In March 2002, Bea was finally given peace and an important encouragement through a mentor’s intercession during a prayer meeting and through meditation on a passage in Numbers. Finally Bea spontaneously applied to the Sojourners program at Schloss Mittersill, which she had not considered as seriously because it wasn’t a Bible school, per se. In two weeks, Bea was accepted.

Bea describes her first year as a Schloss Mittersill Sojourner as a fantastic time. ‘The most exciting thing was to be in an international Christian community,’ she said. ‘Although it means lots of clashes, it is exhilarating to meet so many people from different cultures, countries, groups, professions. This has been a very enriching experience.’ As for a theological education, God was going to answer Bea’s prayers in the way she least expected. During her Sojourner year, she learned that Schloss staff had been thinking of launching a new theological degree program.

‘I was really amazed, thinking, “Here I am; here is what I wanted,”’ she said. After praying for a few months, Bea decided to stay.

Bea said she’s learned much through living in community, including the importance and value of grace and forgiveness. The theology classes have also spurred her on to deeper maturity and growth: ‘I have met lots of other viewpoints or areas that I didn’t know anything about. I’ve been challenged in some areas. The classes have helped me to think through my own views, why I believe something, not just accept it. I wouldn’t say I’ve changed my core beliefs, but it has helped me to deepen that knowledge and to think more critically. I’ve learned a lot about backgrounds: church history, the background of the Bible, the background of methods, history of interpretations. This has helped me put what I think into perspective, into the big picture.’

Bea further explained that she would not have faced many of these issues at home. The differing practices of Christians also were a shock at the beginning of her time at the Schloss and later a subject of challenge, helping her to become more tolerant without letting go of basic convictions. Now, as she looks back, she can see how she’s grown and how much more she still needs to grow.

The Schloss Mittersill Study Centre is unique, Bea said, in that it not only provides academic training but also the experience of living in community to prepare men and women for the marketplace and ministry.

‘Eastern European Christians have a rare opportunity of receiving good evangelical education within travelling distance,’ she said. ‘I really like the concept, along with the programme, and hope that it will develop as it already has. I'm glad that I am among the very first students.'

Even when Bea's ‘Schloss snapshots’ haven't always been idyllic, she's found a community she can count on: 'Schloss Mittersill is a place where people can struggle. You're given the grace to change, without judgment.'

As she approaches her thesis and the end of her time at the Schloss, Bea evaluates her future and desires for ministry. With a reflective smile, she concluded, 'This is really in God's hands. I'm learning to trust Him and to give my worries and concerns to Him, as I've experienced His leading and guidance before.'

– Elizabeth Wickham