Good Friday Conspiracy
After the Ecumenical procession on Good Friday fundamentalist forces in Georgia were upset. One of their newspapers, the Georgian Times, published a nasty letter about the procession on April 14th. The title of the article is self-explanatory: “Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Gregorian and some Orthodox plan Cleansing of the Patriarchate.”
The author of the article, Ms Tamar Aslanikashvili, writes: “The old streets of Tbilisi, that have seen a lot, now became witnesses of one strange phenomenon. The other day representatives of Catholic, Lutheran, Gregorian, Evangelical Baptist churches were marching in the streets with a huge wooden cross on their shoulders. There would be nothing sensational about it, but there was Orthodox participation in the Procession.”
At first the journalist describes the procession objectively but than makes very strange conclusions: ?Now they [participants] started to plan the revolution in the Orthodox Church directly during their procession.? she writes, ?They intend to cleanse the Orthodox Church and bring into authority such people, who are willing to sing with different sectarians and celebrate the Holy Mass with them.?
Will the Orthodox church of Georgia Change?
Since 1996, when the Georgian Orthodox Church withdrew from the World Council of Churches and from the Conference of European Churches, Ecumenism has become a very bad word. If in the Orthodox Church you want to insult somebody, you call him Ecumenist.
Much to everybody’s amazement the situation recently started to change. Two years ago the Archpriest Basil Kobakhidze started to fight openly against the religious fundamentalism and fanaticism. He has participated in Ecumenical services and meetings for some. Following his example some other progressive minded Orthodox priests raised their voices against fanaticism.
Recently two members of the hierarchy of the Georgian Orthodox Church spoke publicly in favor of the Ecumenical cooperation. These were the Metropolitan Abraham Garmelia and Bishop Zenon.
In an interview to the most popular newspaper, “the 24 Hours”, the metropolitan emphasized to maintained his attitude: “I think our Church can today firmly and clearly declare: religious fundamentalism of any kind has been and is foreign to us. We remain in our Church faithful to the tradition of tolerance. Our Church is ready for a dialogue with representatives of different confessions and religions. The church acknowledges, because of national interests of Georgia, that it is absolutely necessary to get integrated with European nations. The church is ready to make her contribution to these processes.”
The Metropolitan’s statement has caused a rage among fundamentalists. Despite of that neither Metropolitan Abraham nor Bishop Zenon are going to draw back. In a conversation with Bishop Malkhaz of the ECB the Metropolitan said: ?If they convince me that I am wrong in my understanding of being an Orthodox, I will give up. But this they have to do first. In accordance with their understanding only those 40 people will be saved, who belong to their fundamentalist group. Was the Lord really crucified only for those 40 people??
The fundamentalists really believe that most of the Orthodox churches will be doomed for hell because of their participation in the Ecumenical movement. In the post revolutionary Georgia it is getting clearer for more and more people that the Orthodox Church has to react to the challenges of our time.
Easter Message from the Archbishop of Canterbury
The friendship between the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia and the Church of England started in 1993 when the former Archbishop, George Carey, visited Tbilisi Baptist Cathedral. Since then relations between these two churches have deepened and widened. The new Archbishop of Canterbury is also supportive of these relations. This Easter Archbishop Rowan Williams has written a message to the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia. This is what the letter says:
“My dear brother,
Christ is Risen!
In 1. Corinthians 15, the Apostle, in describing his own call to be a witness of the Resurrection, insists that he deserves to be 'the least of all the apostles', since him once persecuted the Church. And this is for us a powerful reminder that the Good News of the Resurrection is, among many other things, the proclamation of the possibility of repentance and change. Christ rose from the dead, is free to come to the enemy and the sinner, wherever they are, and show him, inviting them to sorrow and faith. Saul the persecutor, as he sees the glorified Christ on the road to Damascus, comes in that same moment to see his own victims in a new way, as those in whom Christ is present and suffering. So his turn to Christ is also a turn to those he has caused to suffer, as it is also a turning to the whole world, Jews and Gentiles, in love. Blinded at first by this revelation, which tells him of his spiritual blindness, he has his sight restored in baptism.
We need so urgently this Good News that repentance and change are possible. All around we see human conflicts in which people are imprisoned by their past resentments and their fears for the future. They turn to violence in order to settle scores, or to make others afraid, or to secure themselves against future threats. Yet violent action again and again simply repeats the enslaving patterns of the past and guarantees more violence in the future. Perhaps the worst tragedy is when people on different sides of a conflict become quite unable to see the wounded Christ in those whom they have made to suffer on the other side - especially those innocent children, who are more and more often caught up in the effects of war and terror.
Christ by his cross and resurrection has set the world free; and as St Paul says elsewhere (Galatians 5.1) that we who believe in his Resurrection must beware of falling back into slavery. We show to the world the truth and the power of the resurrection when we become in His Name ministers of reconciliation (n Corinthians 5.18-20): this ministry is first the proclamation that God forgives and desires to be reconciled with us, and then the great work of reconciliation with each other. Whenever we allow ourselves to become despairing or cynical about unreconciled humanity, we need to remember that the Risen Christ has power to change us and every person, and to open our eyes to Him in one another.
May God give us the true freedom of the Risen Life, so that we may work for and believe in the new vision of our world that is uncovered in the light of Easter. 'Go and tell’ what you hear and see', says Our Lord (Matthew 11.4-5); 'the blind receive their sight.. .and the good news is preached to the poor.'
Yours in Christ,
+Rowan Cantuar”
Presentation of the Verge Magazine
On April 16th the presentation of the Verge magazine took place at the National Library. The magazine has already managed to produce 4 issues. It is the only sound religious magazine with wider understanding of religion and Christianity. In the magazine there are articles by Orthodox, Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran and other scholars and writers.
The magazine is being produced by a group of students of the Orthodox Theological Academy. Beka Mindiashvili is the editor in chief of the magazine.
At the presentation of the magazine the edition of the magazine was welcomed by representatives of the Georgian society. Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili spoke on behalf of the Ecumenical Fellowship of Churches. ?The Verge Magazine came into being as a hope and encouragement for all of us.? maintained the Bishop in his address.
Day of Unity in Apheni
On April 18th a special Service was held at the Apeni Baptist Church in East Georgia.
Every year Baptist congregations of this region come together for the Day of Unity. This is celebrated in the first week after Easter. Usually the celebration of unity takes place at the Apheni Church, which is still under construction. The sanctuary is already functioning but the bell tower still needs completion.
People came from all over the Kakheti region. The service started with a procession of the cross from the portal of the church. There were four stations on the way of the cross: Betrayal of Jesus, Crucifixion, Laying in the Grave, Resurrection. People led by the Regional Bishop Avtandil Darbaidze stopped at each station, read certain portions from the Scripture, prayed and sung. The last station took place in the sanctuary. After the sermon was preached by the Presiding Bishop, Holy Eucharist was celebrated concelebrated by the Regional Bishop and ordained female and male ministers of the region.
At the end of the service, those who had not participated in the Eucharist were invited to the altar by the Presiding Bishop for blessing and anointing. A lot of people came up children, teenagers, guests, Orthodox believers...
“The celebration went extremely well, as far as I am concerned,” said Bishop Avtandil Darbaidze after the service with tears in his eyes. „everybody was involved in the service.” A younger minister, the Revd Zura Kakazshvili, was more radical in his evaluation. “The time has come from God that changes take place in Kakheti too.” says Zura who was ordained two years ago.” The reforms must begin in Kakheti too.”
Meeting with His Beatitude Herman of Amarica, Canada and Mexico
From April 18th to 24th the head of the American Autocephalous Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman, visited Georgia upon the invitation of the Catholicos Patriarch Ilia II of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
During the visit His Beatitude made a pilgrimage to the Georgian monasteries, met with representatives of Georgian authorities and academic circles.
On April 19th the American ambassador, Mr. Richard Miles, gave a reception in honor of the Metropolitan. At the reception, which took place at the Ambassador’s residence, a limited number of people were invited. Among the invited were religious leaders, Orthodox, Catholic, Baptist, Armenian Apostolic, Muslim and Jewish.
At the reception the American Ambassador, Richard Miles, the Georgian Patriarch and the American Metropolitan made formal speeches. All three speakers highlighted the importance of the visit of the Head of the American Orthodox Church to Georgia.
The Georgian Patriarch’s speech was more political. He addressed issues of the break away region of Abkhazia and the integrity of Georgian territories. “With your great efforts and with my minor efforts we managed to avoid the bloodshed in Tbilisi during the revolution of Roses” said Catholicos Patriarch Illia II to the American Ambassador.
After the speeches were made Ambassador Miles invited guests to a very nice meal.
?It was a very good occasion,? says Bishop Malkhaz, who represented the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia at the reception, ?it gave all of us an opportunity to have informal talks with the leaders of the religious communities of Georgia. His Beatitude proved to be an extremely gentle spirit and a wise character. We had a good conversation with him. One of my good friends, Michael Roshak, is a priest under His Beatitude’s jurisdiction.?
Council for Basic Rights and Liberties
The Conflict Resolution Center in Tbilisi founded April 20th the Council for Basic Rights and Liberties. The council is formed in order to facilitate the development of democratic values of liberty in the Georgian society. Among the founding members are Mr. Petre Mamradze, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Gigi Tevzadze, UN Educational Programs for Georgia, Dr Gogi Khutsishvili, Conflict Resolution Center, Archpriest Basil Kobakhidze, Msgr. Gabrille Bragantini, Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili and some other human rights activists in the country
One of the first missions of the newly formed organization will be drafting the legislation on religion. It was decided that a drafting group, made up by experts, will be appointed in the nearest future.
Mel Gibson’s Passion of Christ discussed by the Orthodox and Baptist Churches of Georgia
On April 23rd the main cinema in the capital city of Tbilisi started showing Mel Gibson’s film ?The Passion of Christ.? A day earlier the administration of the cinema organized a press conference in order to safeguard the support of the churches.
All TV channels and representatives of the newspapers came. On behalf of the Christian churches Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze, personal assistant to Ilia II, Patriarch of Georgian Orthodox Church, Mr. Giorgi Andriadze, Parliamentary secretary of the Orthodox Church and the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, spoke.
The press conference was the prime news of the day. It was televised by all the channels. Next morning all the newspapers reported about the press conference.