A letter from Eric and Becky Hinderliter serving in Lithuania
fall 2014 - war and peace
You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end (Matthew 24:6; Mark 13:7).
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall… (Ephesians 2:13-14).
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Crosses mark the mass graves from two world wars at the German military cemetery in Klaipeda
History looms large in our mission context here in Lithuania. Much needs to be considered about war and peace. This year is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. Among other memorials in Klaipėda to this time is a German military cemetery. In World War II the city of Klaipeda (then the German city of Memel) saw heavy fighting between the advancing Soviet army and the Nazi forces. The Soviets captured the city in January 1945. Many additional graves were added to the military cemetery—and to many other gravesites, often unknown today. Yet from a Lithuanian perspective the arrival of the Soviets and the defeat of Nazi Germany was not the liberation from oppression we may imagine. May 9, 1945, the day of victory observed in the Soviet sphere, is not a day of freedom but the continuation of Lithuanians’ struggle for liberation, now against the arrest and deportations of Lithuanian patriots to Siberia. Many perished. A partisan struggle of Lithuanian fighters, the "forest brothers," continued to 1953. After 60 years we assumed that the borders of Europe were set; any conflict over territory would never lead to violence. Or so we thought. The conflict this spring and summer in eastern Ukraine seems ominous. NATO has deployed weapons here. Rumors abound about the intentions of Russia and the response of the West. The Baltic states in particular seem most vulnerable. Lithuanians wonder whether their hard-won independence will endure.
Many of you have written to us to express concerns about the fighting in eastern Ukraine. We are no experts in the geo-politics of the region; the situation is too fluid and uncertain to offer any forecast of what may happen next. There are signs and omens of a dark and evil age. Political analysts speculate about the potential for the eruption of violence: “Simmering just beneath the surface are emotions of volcanic force” (M. Ignatieff 2014*). As we write this letter a wobbly “ceasefire” in Ukraine has been in place the past 10 weeks; recently Russian leader Vladimir Putin told EU leaders at a mini summit that he wants pro-Russia rebels to make peace with Ukraine at a meeting in Milan on Friday (October 17). But there is much skepticism about these promises and past actions have undermined trust. Who knows the outcome of the present "frozen war" (stalemate and tensions) in Ukraine?
LCC International University has many students from Russia and Ukraine. In addition, many of these LCC students consider themselves to be ethnic Russians, even if they hold a different passport. LCC students are wondering how to understand the conflict in Ukraine. Students express shock and disbelief that two states with such intertwined history and contemporary connections could devolve into such violence so quickly. Students know the issues are complex, often hard to discern in the myths of nationalism and the intransigence of hardened viewpoints. They are bombarded with divergent media reports which look to them to be more like propaganda than news. The truth is hard to find. The response is to withdraw into a private sphere, speaking only with a small circle of friends where opinions can be shared in comparative safety. Better this reticence than to risk an unguarded word and prompt an awkward response.
Mission and peace go together. Peace has many dimensions. In fact, peace witness has been described as a continuum, “beginning with peace with God, moving into peace with ourselves, our families, our churches, those of other faiths, work colleagues, the national and international level, and, most challengingly, with our enemies” (Wadjaja 2007 p. 280**). Peace as an inner dimension—our ability to accept God’s forgiveness, to accept ourselves as both fallen and redeemed—is the start of peace-making. We also must demonstrate compassion and forgiveness in interpersonal relationships. Peace also has a socio-political dimension as well.
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Rev. Tomas Šernas, superintendent (moderator) of the Lithuanian Evangelical Reformed Church, seeks justice for his murdered colleagues. He is the sole surviving witness to their murders in 1991. His own wounds left him paralyzed.
The institutional culture at LCC is strongly influenced by the peace stance of the Mennonite tradition. The ethic stresses commitment to God’s reconciling mission to the world. Reconciliation and justice as integral to peace-building is a central tenet in the Reformed tradition. During Lithuania’s struggle for independence from the Soviet Union, Rev. Tomas Šernas, leader of the Lithuania Evangelical Reformed Church, is the sole survivor of a massacre at a newly established Lithuanian border post in 1991. He continues to speak out for justice for his seven murdered colleagues while at the same time seeking a means of reconciliation with those responsible being harbored now in Russia. During worship in the Klaipeda Reformed Church we pray for peace. Peace cannot endure without justice.
What is the role of peace in mission? Peace and reconciliation should be central to our mission work: “Our mission as Christians is not primarily to bring solutions to the world’s problems, but to bring hope for redemption. We believe that Jesus is Lord of all, and that his Lordship can express itself in surprising ways—and in the most unlikely of places. We believe that the Holy Spirit is at work, and that all kinds of creativity can break loose—if we pray trustingly and if we vulnerably open ourselves to the Spirit’s work” (Paulus Widjaja 2010). We seek to align our ministry with concerns about peace. Presbyterian World Mission’s focus is on “three critical global issues”: addressing the root causes of poverty, especially as they affect women and children; sharing the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ; and being agents of reconciliation among cultures of violence. Looking at the historical context of Eastern Europe—characterized recently by historian Timothy Snyder as "blood lands"—we still live in a culture of violence.
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LCC students Alena Kalodzitsa from Belarus and Galina Dubrodeeva from Russia explain their understanding of Russia, using lines from the poet Fyodor Tyutchev (1803-1873): "Russia cannot be understood with the mind alone, No ordinary yardstick can span her greatness: She stands alone, unique – In Russia, one can only believe."
Equipping students at LCC about peace and peace-building is a key task if we are to be agents of reconciliation. Students at LCC have a curriculum that includes conflict studies. One of the LCC student learning outcomes is conflict transformation. I (Eric) teach a course in the economics of conflict, looking at factors affecting the onset, duration and termination of violent conflict, including civil wars, terrorism and micro-level violence between groups and individuals.
We invite your participation in the mission of peace. The principal direct impact on LCC students is economic. In the past year the Ukrainian currency has fallen 80 percent in value against the U.S. dollar; the Russian ruble has fallen 23 percent. This plunge in value brings stress to LCC students and their parents. St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Rockville, Maryland, has made a special commitment to support students with scholarship money. This year the church has provided for two full scholarships for students from Ukraine in addition to its ongoing mission support.
Please join with us in this mission of peace—in your private devotions and in your public worship. Prayers for peace are important. Please pray to the God of peace for reconciliation, justice and peace: “persevere in prayer,” the apostle Paul urges us (Romans 12:12). Join us also, with your correspondence, financial gifts and visits if you are able. We go together in God’s name to work for God’s peace.
Advent is approaching. What better way to prepare than to reflect on peace. In the Benedictus Zechariah, an old man, prays: “By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet to the way of peace “(Luke 1:78-79). The baby Jesus is proclaimed as "the Lord of peace." So we pray, Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thess. 3:16).
Grace and Peace,
Becky & Eric Hinderliter
* Michael Ignatieff, The New World Disorder, New York Review of Books,September 25, 2014
**Dictionary of Mission Theology: Evangelical Foundations (2007), edited by John Corrie
The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 313
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 329
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