Webnews 06

Fraternal Relations

”We are delighted to see that fraternal relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia are being strengthened” says Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, who has received another letter from Bartholomew the Ecumenical Patriarch. This is what the letter says:

 

“Your Eminence Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, our Modesty's beloved in the Lord: Grace and peace from God.

 

CHRIST IS RISEN!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank your Eminence for your most thoughtful wishes upon the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we continue to witness much tragedy and sorrow throughout the world, we hope that the Lord's Resurrection brought forth a particular joy and happiness in your heart this year. We also pray that the light of the New Day of the Resurrection will shine brightly within your life and in the lives of those who are dear to you.

 

Thanking you once again, we invoke upon you the heavenly peace, divine love and eternal hope of the Risen Lord.

 

            At the Patriarchate, Holy Easter 2004

 

                                       Your Eminence's beloved brother in Christ,

 

                                                                                              

+ BARTHOLOMEW

Archbishop of Constantinople,

New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch

 

Why does the President needs to find an excuse for visiting the Mosque

On April 25^th President Saakashvili visited the Tbilisi Mosque. Ali Aliev, spiritual leader of Muslims of Georgia, who is an active member of the Council of Interreligious Cooperation, welcomed the President. “We received a telephone call about the visit from the Presidential office a day earlier. Next day he came.” says Gazi Ali Aliev.” The visit was very warm and constructive. The president first visited the worship hall than we had some time in my office for conversation. I raised the question of Religious legislation and explained to him that without a legal status we can not possibly function.”

 

After his visit the President made rather cautious comments.

“Traditional religions should realize that we support them and that they are full rights members of the society”, said the President of Georgia. “David, the Builder, regularly met representatives of different religions. He visited the mosque. This is an ancient Georgian tradition.”

 

A well known columnist Mr. Nodar Ladaria (24 Hours Newspaper) criticized the President for his comments made after his visit to the Mosque. He is wondering how it happened that the president used the term “traditional religions”. This term has been used in the Russian juridical system and has proved to be discriminatory. He also criticized the president for making reference to David, the Builder, and the famous Georgian King from the Middle Ages, as justification for his visit to the mosque. “It is good to remember that David, the Builder, did pay attention to the Mosque, but if we take a closer look to the past, what shall we do with King Mirian, who supported the religion which was not “a traditional religion” in his time”, concludes Nodar Ladaria.   (Mirian was the King of East Georgia, who was responsible for the adoption of Christianity as a state religion in 4^th century.)

 

“Greater Freedom” in the Baptist School of Iconography

In the last week of April a team of artists of iconography started a school of St Luke at the Beteli Center. This is the first and perhaps only Baptist school of Iconography in the world. It was named after St Luke, the Evangelist, who in accordance with Eastern tradition was the first iconographer.

 

The first seven students, both Baptist and Orthodox, will learn how to prepare paints from different soils and minerals, how to prepare boards and how to make copies. At the school famous art experts will give lectures on Iconography.

“Today a lot of icons are being painted but the result is not encouraging.” says Zakro Shioshvili an expert Iconography.  “Today people are making copies of ancient times but they do not reflect the contemporary time. It is our goal to teach these young iconographers freedom, free thinking. We will have them learn from the ancient painter’s freedom in painting. Christianity is a greater freedom”

 

Dato Giunashvili and Zakro Shioshvili, the teachers of St Luke’s school, have been painting frescos and icons for a number of years. They have a very reach working experience at the Caves of Gareja where outstanding examples of free monastic painting have been maintained.

 

Film on Religious Discrimination with “Santa Claus’s Cousin”

From April 29^th to May 3^rd Amnesty International visited Georgia with the intention to make a movie on Religious liberty. The film is meant for the internal use of the organization. “The last movie of this character was made ten years ago. It has become outdated.” says Ayfer, the producer of the film. “We decided to select three countries as examples of religious discrimination. Georgia has been selected since in this country Christians are discriminating Christians. They are burning Bibles and churches”.

 

The Dutch film makers interviewed the defrocked Basil Mkalavishvili. They visited a Baptist Church in East Georgia, where the church was burnt by arsonists last Pentecost, they filmed the Evangelical Mass at the Cathedral Baptist Church and finally interviewed Malkhaz Songulashvili, the Presiding Bishop of The Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia.

 

“I have been brought up as a Catholic. As a child I was an altar boy. Then I spent years in Latin America attending and filming masses regularly”, says Rob Brouwr, the cameraman,”But I was very impressed by your liturgy at the Baptist Cathedral.  I liked it because of its participatory nature. A lot of people participate in the service.”

 

After their departure Bishop Malkhaz received a letter from Mrs. Ayefer Ergun, the producer, saying:

 

“Thank you very much for all the attention and the nice time with you and other people. It was good to be with you. My 6 years old son Emil was very happy to see me again. I showed him the picture that I took from you and he was wondering if you are Santa Claus because he loves Santa Claus. I told him that you are a cousin of the Santa Claus. Children are so innocent.”

 

Moral Choice of the Orthodox Synod and the Baptist Bishop teased out

On May 4^th the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church issued a statement about the situation in Ajara. That was the day when the future development of the situation in the region was not still predictable. Later on after the resolution of the conflict the Synod’s statement was criticized for the lack of clarity in its message while the Baptist Bishop’s courage was praised.

 

The most influential newspaper “The 24 Hours” writes about the Synod statement: “In this document there is nothing Christian except of a few quotations and mentioning of God’s name. First of all we can not see there the moral choice being made from the Christian perspective. Such a choice was made by an Orthodox priest, Fr Zaza Tevzadze, who signed a petition demanding Aslan Abashidze’s resignation on May 5^th. The same choice inspired Baptist Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili to cross the Ajarian border, despite the danger, the same day along with the Prime Minister and stand with him at the protesting rally. Can anybody afford to be as cynical as to say that it was “sectarian conspiracy” or “improper proselytism”? (The 24Hours, May 10^th)

 

President of Georgia thanks the Baptist Bishop

The President’s letter to the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church came to the Cathedral Baptist church with considerable delay (one month). The letter is an answer to a letter the Baptist Bishop had sent to the President.

 

“President of Georgia

 

16 April 2004

 

To Father Malkhaz,

 

I would like to thank you very much for your warmth and love that has been expressed in your letter. Such a trust and support puts a great responsibility on my shoulders.

 

The great work that we started together requires support and trust of every citizen of Georgia. Our country can only be established in the world fellowship owing to joint affords.

 

I would like you to believe that I will always be with you and will not spare my energy for the benefit of citizens of Georgia.

 

With respect,

 

Micheil Saakashvili”  

 

Caucasus the Bouquet of Diversity

Every year with the initiative of the Tbilisi based Caucasian House representatives of all the churches and religions pray for the Caucasus in their sanctuaries, churches, mosques and synagogues at 1 p.m. People observe this day in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Chechnya, Ossetia and other northern Caucasian autonomous republics. This year the 16^th of May was the Day of Prayer for Caucasus.

 

The Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia has been actively involved in this prayer movement. This year all the local congregations of the Church prayed for the Caucasus at 1 p.m.  The Cathedral Baptist Church has also prayed for the Caucasus in a very thoughtful liturgical setup. Liturgical dancers brought different flowers to the altar to make a beautiful bouquet as an affirmation of unity in diversity. The initial prayer was offered by the Presiding Bishop of the Church than it was continued by liturgical dancers. At the end of each prayer the Church sung “Lord have mercy” and little Thedo (10 years old) burnt the incense on the Altar. The liturgy of the day was composed by Mrs. Ala Kavtaradze. The text of the prayer had been pre composed by the Caucasian House.

 

After praying in their own places of worship representatives of all religions and churches came to the Caucasian House for a reception. “At the Caucasian House the real bouquet of Caucasus was visible” says Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili. And indeed there were representatives of all religions and churches, ethnic groups, tribes, languages, clergy and laity. Unfortunately the Georgian Orthodox Church does not participate in the Prayer for Caucasus. For them it is an ecumenical prayer even though everybody prays in his or her worship place. The Ecumenism is a very bad word for all fundamentalists around the globe including Georgian Orthodox fundamentalists.

 

Mrs. Naira Gelashvili, the director of the Caucasian House relates: “I went to Patriarch Ilia II to get his approval of the text of prayer. His Holiness did like the prayer. Next time when I went to the Patriarchate to secure their official participation in the prayer, the Patriarch’s secretary told me that the Church can not participate because the prayers are of different religions. Even though they are not offered together at the same place, they will be jointly in the air on the way to God and this is not acceptable for our Church.”

 

Despite the attitude of the Orthodox Patriarchate a lot of Orthodox did observe the day of prayer. Some of them pray at home, some go to Baptist or other Churches to ask the Almighty for his blessing upon the people of Caucasus.