Economy and Christian responsibility
The planned theme for this conference “If poverty undermines human dignity” was changed after the agreement with the Holland partners, and it was combined with the actual debated subject - stated by president of the foundation László Kállay in his introduction words.
The social and economical differentiation that is present almost everywhere and the verity of the increased poverty has compelled our Foundation to debate within a conference the Christian responsibility regarding to the current subject.
It is a honour for the SGP’s delegates that together with the Foundation Studium Academicum they can reflect as Christians what are the action possibilities of the Christians - transmitted the salutation of SGP the leader of the Dutch delegation Jan. A Schippers.
Due to the last week’s positive appreciation of the cooperation with Foundation Studium Academicum the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured SGP that in the future they will support the organisation of similar conferences.
Szatmári Elemér - the foundation’s vice president - has made us to remember in his devotion through the verses of John 12,4-8: every epoch is producing its indigence and its poor people. The question is how to maintain our relation with our needy people? Maybe as Judas? (“Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” John 12,5-6)
In his ending phrases he concluded: from the point of view of the eternity exist one point where we can be unmindful, prodigal. This is grounded in case of our respect expression towards God, independent from our social position, or our social act.
Dr. Kozma Zsolt - retired professor of theology - on our request in his lecture “The poverty under the provident domination of God” has provided a biblical-theological introduction.
In his lecture he highlighted three biblical sustained points, in which is expressed God’s providence towards the poor people:
1. God gives soft-pedal commands in favour of the poor people
2. God delivers judgement against the abuse against of the poor people
3. God gives commands to help the needy, with a theological expression for the deaconical work.
His conclusion sounded as an admonition: “I would characterise the actual situation with the expression trudged morality. The big political, economical or general structural changes are not followed from a moral point of view. This is to see after the transformation in ’89 in our countries but also in our church. But now I’m thinking on global dimensions. If for example after the ending of the big military armaments were exempting moneys this could be turned over into the helping the poor, really poor countries. I know, that it is a simplification of the matter, but the rich countries should think somehow on something similar.”
Mózes Áron - manager adviser - has stimulated in his lecture “The management modes of the changes in the church, in its institutes and in the congregations” the attendance for a professional mode of thinking.
If the church would seriously like to intervene against of the poverty with all its structure then it is unavoidable the preparation of a serious, strategically methods, their continuous examination, and the perception of the social condition. It has to be analysed everything what influences the poverty in a positive or negative, and this has to be prepared and fulfilled through an operation plan.
I find it accented and very important - said a participant - what we have heard in the lecture from professor Kozma, that some things in the “right-wing attitude” or “leftism” society, independent from the political “denunciation”, to be declared and represented with consistence.
It is the right time for the church to return to its original destiny, and to put aside the political and other activities out of its mandate, and to take the right way to fulfil its primary mission. Here belonging to the care for the poor people of the folk, of the church. - said with the pleading coherence the pensioned pastor.
It is not always easy to decide who are poor, because many times the needy people are supporting with humbly their fate, against of some of the rich people, who are going round complaining with full mouth having regrets itself. - sound another remark.
After a short break were succeeded the lectures of the SGP delegates.
Jan A. Schippers - SGP delegate - hold his lecture with the title “The value of money? Liberal economy and Christian values.”
According to his opinion, the representatives of the liberal economy are considering that from the economy’s point of view it’s the same if somebody is Christian or not. But this is not so, why the ethics and the Christian point of view has to have also its place in the economy. He made the attendance attentive upon the Christian responsibility related to four economical expressions: production, exchange, distribution, consumption.
He has concluded with full political and Christian consciousness: the economy should not become an autonomic power, and should not develop its own rules. The economy is a proficiency given by God, in so far for the Christians should not be indifferent to welfare of the neighbour.
Rijk van Walsem - SGP delegate - have spoken in his lecture “Who cares? Poverty in the modern society.” about the fluctuation in the Dutch poverty care and social system. After the Second World War the Bible based Deaconical work was overtaken by the state. Today it looks that the state wants to give it back to the church.
Nowadays this work is fulfilled in the good organised church institutes with the financial support of the state. That means that the state is giving financial support in many cases for the Deaconical work, and the church is providing the assistance and the practical part of comforting.
The two Dutch lectures were followed by debate and questions - the translation was assured by Dr. Kállay Dezső professor of theology - where at first the participants have filled up and analyzed the questionnaire distributed by Jan. A Scheppers.
“To live saint” or “to live good” - was heard in one lecture - is it contradictory? The two thinks can not be related harmonically? - asked one participant.
Can it be imagined that the church retrieved in the EU its original role and power, when the Christian character is almost excluded from the definition of the European consciousness? - was another question.
“To live saint” is indicating a further perspective while “to live good” described an earthy stage, therefore we have to consider more important the first lifestyle. - answered Jan. A Scheppers.
The church don’t have to exercise a might, but it has to perform a higher “service”. - closed the discussion Rijk. Van Walsem.
Kállay László has thanked all guests speakers for their effort in holding their lectures, and he expressed his hope - that confirmed in the introduction - that with the support of the SGP the Foundation Studium Academicum will be able to organise many similar conferences in the future.
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