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‘A bold experiment in contextual mission’
Revd Tony Peck , EBF General Secretary, offers reflections on current European Baptist life in an article with the title “Belonging in Europe”. While talking about identity issues he makes reference to the Georgian Baptists. (The Baptist Minister’s Journal, vol. 291, July 2005)
“Where Baptist Unions in some of the newly independent states of the Soviet Union have sought to ‘contextualize’ Baptist life this too has brought questions about whether they still ‘belong’.” writes the Revd Peck, “An example of this would be the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia which, under the leadership of Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, is engaged in a bold experiment in contextual mission to build what they see as an authentic ‘Georgian’ way of being Baptists. The Worship services in the Baptist Cathedral in Tbilisi at first sight seem to have more in common with the High Anglican and Orthodox traditions, but it is all underpinned by a clear Baptist ecclesiology and is attracting many young people by the freshness and vitality of its life. Many Georgian Baptists want to play a full part in the opening development of their nation, and were actively involved in the Roses Revolution of 2003. It is not surprising, however, that those in Georgia and beyond schooled in the Russian Baptist tradition find it very difficult to understand and accept this as being within the acceptable bounds of the Baptist diversity.”
Wounded Muslim at the Home of Good Samaritan
A wounded Muslim young man was taken care of by the Good Samaritan’s home, an institution run by the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia. 18 years old Muhammad B. from Liberia left his home country of Liberia with a Norwegian “friend”, who promised to take him to Norway.
For his mission the “friend” took a most unusual way. They first went to Turkey. From Turkey they came to Georgia and here the “friend’ dropped Muhammad in the town of Akhaltsikhe and disappeared. Muhammad is a very good looking young African. This generated a speculation that the “friend” wanted to take him to the West for human trafficking and dropped him in Georgia, when he realized that he could not take him to Norway. Muhammad was jailed for 7 months in Georgia for crossing the Georgian border illegally. In prison he learned good Georgian and could communicate with Georgians very well.
After he was released he was robbed and wounded by some gangsters in central Georgia. The International Council for Refugees has approached the Bishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, asking to do something for the Muslim refugee.
This was how he ended up at the Home for Good Samaritan.
A Lady who Never Wanted to be Seen
Mrs. Eter Jimsheleishvili, the conductor of the first choir at the Cathedral Baptist Church was awarded the Order of Merit by the President of Georgia Michael Saakashvili.
Mrs. Jimsheleishvili, 82, has been a Member of the Baptist church in Tbilisi for 58 years. She came to the church after World War II when it was very dangerous to profess to be a Christian. Both she and her husband were continuously persecuted by the KGB. There were times when they were taken to the KGB offices every night at 2 a.m. and released 4 a.m. There was a fear that on one of those nights they would not come back again. Due to the terror her husband was broken for a while. But she continued to attend the church. Even though she has always been very shy by nature, she was very active in the Church life. She has directed the first choir of the Cathedral Baptist church for 30 years. She was also very supportive of the pastor of the church, the Revd. Giorgi Bolgashvili, who took bold steps to build bridges to the Orthodox Church. In the late 70-ies the Revd Bolgashvili regularly preached in the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral in Tbilisi and the Baptist Cathedral choir, under the leadership of Mrs. Jimsheleishvili regularly sang Baptist songs during the Orthodox liturgy.
She has been an incredible Baptist female leader not only for Georgia but for entire Caucasian region. But it was not because her church activities that she received the Order of Merit. She is a genius accountant and financial thinker. She has served the Ministry of Culture as the chief accountant for a number of decades. Even at this age she remains the chief consultant for the Ministry.
The Order of Merit is being given to representatives of the Georgian society for their long and special contribution to the national life. “Please do not speak about it in the Cathedral,” Mrs. Jimsheleishvili told the Baptist Bishop after he learned about the Order, “I never wanted to be seen publicly. But let me use this opportunity how much I support the reforms carried by our church.”
The Order is not only an acknowledgement of her merit in the public service. It will have positive financial consequences for her poor family as well.
Believer’s Baptism in the High Altitude
From August 16 to 22 the Bishop of the EBC went on pilgrimage with 10 people to the Eastern Georgian Mountains of Tushetia. This is one of the most picturesque regions of Georgia on the border line with Chechnia and Dagestan, settled by the nomadic tribes of Tush-Chagma and Tush-Tsova. The Tush-Chagmas are ethnic Georgians but Tush-Tsovas are Chechen Christians, who consider themselves Georgians because of their affiliation with Christianity. They still speak a dialect of the Chechen language. It is widely known that Christianity for both tribes is not a Church Christianity but rather a Folk Christianity heavily mixed with pagan traditions and practices. They never had Christian Churches or clergy till the Russian occupation of Georgia. It was Russians who built Christian Churches there in Tushetia in the 20th century. Yet for the Tushs they do not represent the centers for their religiosity. Thy still have semi-pagan worship places, where women are not allowed to approach. Children under 10 and women over 70 may get closer to those places.
In the pilgrimage group there were one ordained woman, three female ordinates, two university students, a driver, a guide.
The group did hiking every day in the beautiful mountains in the altitude of 2500 meters above sea level. The Bishop taught liturgics to the ordained woman and female ordinates as they hiked. They learned how to do baptisms, Eucharist, funerals, weddings...They also learnt the theological significance of each ritual. For one week they lived in a rather wild environment. They stayed at an abandoned nomadic house, with no electricity, no shower. They drank water from a mountain river, cooked on the wood...Yet they think it was a marvelous experience.
It was also very moving for the pilgrims that two students, who were a part of the pilgrimage, decided to be baptized. The Bishop and the female minister Miss Dariko Ebelashvili baptized two girls in a mountain lake located in the altitude of 2800 meters. Obviously that was first believer’s baptism in Tushetia.
After the last hike to the Dagestanian border the pilgrims stopped on the top of a forested mountain and under the beams of the setting sun held an evening prayer. The Bishop had the female Pastor celebrate the Eucharist after the manner they had learned during the pilgrimage.
Brother Roger’s Life and Ministry Celebrated
On September 4 the Cathedral Baptist Church in Tbilisi celebrated service in memory of Brother Roger, the founder of the Taize Ecumenical Community in France. 90 years old Brother Roger was brutally killed in August during the worship service in the community he had founded.
“I anticipated that Brother Roger would die in old age like Biblical patriarchs. Alas, his life was taken by a murderer who was influenced by anti-Ecumenical propaganda.” said the Baptist Bishop in his sermon, “ I am afraid there are thousands of people like the murderer in our society, who have been poisoned by the religious leaders, who have been called to promote the Lord’s will for the unity of His followers. I am sorry to admit that the Ecumenical commitment can still be very costly both in our country and elsewhere.”
The service at the Cathedral was attended by Ecumenical and international guests. A solemn Eucharist was celebrated by the Bishop and the assisting ministers. At the end of the Eucharistic prayer along with other Christian heroes Brother Roger was mentioned as “a martyr for Ecumenism.”
Old and New Cathedrals meet in Solidarity with the American People
On September 11 the Cathedral Baptist Church in Tbilisi held an Ecumenical service in solidarity with the American people. The devastating events of September 11 and the Hurricane Katrina were the focus of the service.
Requiem prayers were offered by Baptist Bishop Songulashvili, Orthodox Archpriest Basil Kobakhidze and Roman Catholic professor Nugzar Bardavelidze.
“Solidarity is basically a Christian concept.” maintained the Orthodox Archpriest in his sermon, “It belongs to the core of the Gospel. Therefore it is natural to have solidarity with the American People in these days of grief and mourning. We are sorry to hear that some religious leaders suggest that God is punishing Americans for their sins by terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Such an understanding has nothing to do with Christian faith. If we ask the question where was Christ when the people were dying? The answer should be: Christ was with them, Christ suffered and died with them...”
The political officer of the American Embassy in Tbilisi, Mrs. Deborah Miller, thanked everybody present for their support to the American People. “This service of prayer means a lot for us” concluded Mrs. Miller. The service was also attended by the head of the Prime Minister’s chancellery, Mr. Petre Mamradze, Deputy Public Defender of Georgia, Mr. Beqa Mindiashvili, representatives of the Georgian society and international guests from Germany, Switzerland, Norway.
The same day, in solidarity with the American People, a group of Orthodox and Baptist handicap walked from the Svetitkhovely Cathedral in the ancient Georgian city of Mtskheta to the Baptist Cathedral Church in Tbilisi. They started at 7 am and got to the Baptist Cathedral at 12. Svetitskoveli Cathedral was built in the 4th century and represents the main Christian sanctity for Georgia’s Christianity.
“It was not easy to walk on your artificial limbs,” says the Revd. Murman Kalandia, Deputy Minister from the Navtlugi Baptist Church and the leader of the group, “but this was the way we could possibly express our solidarity with the suffering in America. All of us handicap and others should share joy and sorrows of life together.” The Revd. Kalandia lost one kidney after an accident during the civil war in Tbilisi. He was wounded in the spine and it is sheer miracle that he can still walk. Being a painter by profession he was ordained a few months ago in the Navtlugi Baptist Church.
Murman Kalandia,2.from right at ordination service
At the end of the service an offering was taken for suffering Americans and sent to BWAid.
Unforgettable Six Days - the first European Conference at the Betheli Center
The International Conference of the European Free Church Diaconical Organizations (Europaeischer Verband Freikirchlicher Diakoniewerke) was held from 15 to 20 September at the Betheli Center. The invitation to chose Betheli Center for their biannual venue was accepted by the organization two years ago in Schwarzwald, Germany. The Revd. Harold Eisenblätter, President of the organization, visited Georgia twice in preparation for the conference.
57 delegates came to participate in the conference, which was held at the newly opened Betheli Center. In the course of the conference two key speakers were given the floor, One was the local Baptist Bishop and a retired Methodist Bishop from Germany. Several issues of diaconical ministries were discussed. The conference thanked outgoing President Eisenblätter for his ministry and installed the new President, a Swiss Methodist Minister, Fredy Jons. The participants of the conference had an opportunity to take a closer look at the diaconical work of Georgian Baptists and learned from their experience. They also visited different historical sites in the country. In the city of Gory they were welcomed by the local congregation.
On Sunday all the participants worshiped together at the Cathedral Baptist Church in Tbilisi. The Eucharist was celebrated by the Baptist and the Methodist Bishop with assistance of Baptist and Methodist deaconesses.
The sermon was delivered by the Methodist Bishop. “At the conference we learned from your Bishop about the decision of your Church to be the Baptist Church for Georgia and not the Baptist Church for Baptists” maintained Bishop Minor in his sermon. “I thank God for your decision to be the Church for your people.”
All the participants of the conference found the time they spent in Georgia most meaningful. Sister Ursula Pagel, a deaconess from Hamburg, wrote a letter to Georgia: “I came back to Hamburg a few hours ago. My heart is full of all those deep impressions from the European conference; we have just had in Tbilisi, with invitation of the International Charity Association Beteli. I think of all sisters and brothers we met there. How much kindness and love, what hospitality in the name of our Lord Jesus! I cannot find words to express what I do feel in my heart....I’ll never forget what I learned the last six days. It is my prayer that I am able to put in practice what I learned in Georgia.”
“It was best conference we have ever had”, says a Methodist Sister Superior from Wuppertal.“ This time we had a practical encounter with the people in need and support.”
Lambeth Cross after the Lambeth Lecture
On Wednesday September 28, the British Georgian Society in London hosted a talk by Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, head of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, entitled "Religion and Politics in Georgia". The talk was illustrated, and the Bishop shared with his audience some of the problems faced by non-Orthodox churches in Georgia in recent years. Bishop Malkhaz was accompanied by Archpriest Basil Kobakhidze, who spoke from an Orthodox perspective. By kind permission of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs. Williams, this event was held at Lambeth Palace, which is a residence of the Primate of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The conference was attended by British scholars, clergy, journalists, representatives of the Georgian emigrants and students living in the United Kingdom. The Georgian Embassy in Great Britain was represented by the Ambassador of Georgia Mr. Kavadze and another Georgian Diplomat. The conference was opened by the chairman of the Georgian - British Society, Mr. Stephen Nash, who used to be the first British Ambassador to Georgia after Georgia became independent after the break up of the Soviet Union. After the lecture at Lambeth Palace Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili and Archpriest Kobakhidze were invited for the Nikaean Club Dinner by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams and Mrs. Jane Williams. The Nikean Club owes its origin to the celebration in London in 1925 to mark the sixteenth centenary of the First Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea in 325. The Club was founded by the Archbishop of Canterbury to commemorate that centenary. The Club has been entertaining guests from Britain and overseas. The dinner was attended by eighty distinguished guests bishops, priests, scholars, noblemen. At the end of the dinner the Archbishop awarded the Baptist Bishop the “Lambeth Cross” which is usually given to foreign Ecclesiastics, who have played a prominent part in the work of promoting fellowship and unity among churches. “We seldom have guests like Bishop Songulashvili”, maintained the Archbishop before awarding the cross, “His involvement in the newly emerged independent society has been exemplary. The Bishop and I have got things in common. Both of us were attending the daily Eucharist in the same church while in Oxford.” The last recipient of the Lambeth Cross before Bishop Malkhaz was Brother Roger of Taize, who was murdered in summer 2005. “I am humbled by the honor I experienced at the Lambeth Palace. I accepted the Lambeth Cross and the recognition on behalf of all my friends and spiritual fathers, who have been supporting my ministry for a number of years.” says Bishop Malkhaz after having come back to Georgia. “At the dinner the Archbishop and I got really friends. We do have a lot of things in common. I am very grateful to my Brother Bishop Stephen Platten, who arranged the encounter at the Lambeth Palace. Owing to Bishop Platter the relations between the British and Georgian Christians have been well established.” “Bloody Pakis” and “Black” Georgians in England From September 26th to October 7th a Baptist Orthodox Group visited Norwich in East Anglia. Norwich Cathedral and Cathedral Baptist Church in Tbilisi have been twinned for a number of years. Bilateral relations have been strengthened by regular visits to England and Georgia. This time the Georgian delegation was made up by Mrs. Marina Maisashvili, the Head Deaconess of the Order of St. Nino, Mrs. Rusudan Gotziridze, Head of the Women’s Department of the Baptist Church, the Very Revd Basil Kobakhidze, Archpriest of the Georgian Orthodox Church and Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili. The delegation was most kindly hosted by the Members of the Norwich Cathedral International Links Group and the Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Graham Smith. In the course of the visit the delegation visited a number of social projects, participated in Anglican and Baptist services. On October 2nd Bishop Malkhaz preached at the Norwich Cathedral. On 29th September Bishop Malkhaz participated in a poetry evening organized by the Cathedral International Links Group in aid of the Betheli Center, Tbilisi, Georgia. At the evening the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt. Revd. Graham James, was a master of ceremonies. Other participants were Dr. Ian Gibson MP, a Member of All Party Parliamentary Committee on Refugees, Mr. George Szirtes, a 2005 T.S. Elliot Prize Winner and Norwich school students. There were some amusing experiences during the Georgian visit to England. At a visit of the Georgian ladies to a social institution people were confused since they had somehow thought that the Georgians are black, and in order to show their solidarity to the black people they had put up a lot of pictures of African people on the walls of their office. At another occasion a drunkard man, who had seen Bishop Malkhaz and Archpriest Basil staying at the Deanery, complained to a parish priest that the Dean was harboring “the bloody Pakies”. On October 3rd one of the “Pakies”, Bishop Malkhaz was installed as an Ecumenical Canon. The installation took place at the Cathedral Church during the Evensong. Ecumenical Canons of the Cathedral Church are appointed to honor the contribution made by particular individuals to the furthering of Christian Unity. Such a canonry recognizes not only outstanding work in revealing the unity which is Christ’s prayer for and gift to the Universal Church, but also a particular contribution made to the ecumenical life and witness of the diocese of Norwich and its cathedral. The Bishop of Norwich spoke about the work and ministry of Bishop Malkhaz. He mentioned the Bishop’s work for reconciliation between the Baptist and the Orthodox, Christians and Muslims. The Bishop’s participation in Chechen refugee work was particularly recognized. “English Baptists are somewhat suspicious of Bishops. Perhaps after this installation they will start consecrating bishops immediately” maintained the Bishop of Norwich looking with a big smile in the direction of the Revd David Milner, another Baptist, who is the first Baptist Ecumenical canon, of the Cathedral who was sitting in his stall under the wooden pulpit. Than the Chapter Clerk read Bishop’s mandate to the Dean: “Graham, by divine permission Bishop of Norwich to Our well beloved in Christ Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, Greeting: In recognition of your work in promoting Christian Unity and in recognition of yours association with this Cathedral we do hereby appoint you as an Ecumenical Canon within this Our Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Norwich and we assign to you the stall set aside in Our said Cathedral Church as befitting your appointment.” After the mandate was read the Dean took the new Canon by hand and led him to his stall to be seated there. The installation was followed by reception at the Prior’s Hall and than dinner at the Cathedral Refectory. At the end of the Dinner a video footage on religious violence in Georgia was shown. Bishop Malkhaz and Archpriest Basil gave talks which were followed by questions and answers. Precious Pint of Beer Upon the invitation of the Oslo Coalition a visit of Georgian religious leaders took place in the capital city of Norway. The delegation was made up by three Orthodox hierarchs, Metropolitan of Abkhazia Daniel Datuashvili, Metropolitan of West Europe Abraham Garmelia, Archbishop of Zugdidi and Tsaishi Archbishop Gerasime Sharashenidze. Other churches and religions were represented by Bishop Andreas Stoekle (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgia), Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili (Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia), Archimandrite Babken (Armenian Apostolic Church), Rabbi Abraham Mikhelashvili (Jewish Community), Episcopal Vicar Gebrielle Bragantini ( Roman Catholic Church), Bishop Oleg Khubashvili (Pentecostal Union). In the course of the visit the delegation was given an opportunity to take a look at the religious life in Norway. They paid visits to a Synagogue, a Mosque and to Baptist, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches. They met with the Minister of Religion and Culture. At the end of the visit the delegation was warmly received by the Bishop of Oslo the Rt. Revd Ole Christian Cvarme. “I can very vividly remember my visit to Tbilisi 18 years ago, when my Brother Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili was much younger, as a part of a cooperation for the cause of the Bible. When I preached at the Baptist Church there I was translated into three languages... I will be delighted to come back to Tbilisi.” “We have learned a lot”, said Metropolitan Daniel at the end of the visit to Norway. “We are very grateful to our hosts.” “I could not help encountering an ugly faith of Georgian religious ignorance even in Norway.” says Bishop Malkhaz. “After the Orthodox service at the Church of St. Nicolas of the Constantinople Patriarchate jurisdiction on the steps of the church I met a Georgian man in his late fifties. We had a brief chat. When he learned that I was a Baptist he first looked at my cross with a surprised face, than to me and said: “Are you a Christian than?” “No, I am just pretending to be” I told him sarcastically. The chap got the message and apologized for ignorance. Despite this and other experiences the Baptist Bishop is still optimistic about the future. “It was first time all of us were together. There were tension and suspicion. But ultimately the ice started to melt. I felt it in the Oslo airport where after I helped to do shopping Metropolitan Daniel offered me a pint of beer. On the way to Tbilisi we had another positive experience. The Georgians on the plane were delighted to see all these religious people in different clerical vestments. They could not believe their eyes. They had not seen Orthodox, Catholic, Baptist, Armenian, Lutheran and Jewish clergymen being together. One lady, who was being deported from Amsterdam, told me: “I pray your unity brings prosperity to Georgia”. I hope our Norwegian experience becomes the foundation for future cooperation“, says Bishop Malkhaz.
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