Freude!

Allow me to recommend Serbian Bishop Teodosije’s statement yesterday at the Interfaith Conference in Pec.  Here are a few excerpts:

…after the difficult challenges of the armed conflict in 1999 we have managed together with the leaders of other religions in Kosovo to establish a true bond of mutual respect and dialog which we are fostering in our frequent meetings and discussions.  True, our religions and traditions have differences but at the same time we share a lot from our common Abrahamic tradition.

…For years together with other people of good will in Kosovo we have managed to develop a concept of inclusive identity which preserves the original identity of religious and cultural sites and at the same time makes them open for members of other communities with which we share this beautiful land. One of our main intentions is to make these sites bridges of reconcilliation and understanding because they are above all the houses of God which are meant to be the home and refuge for all who wish to become closer to God and experience spiritual enrichment. I would take this opportunity to commend the efforts of the international and local representatives who share with us this vision and call upon those who still don’t that the gates of our holy sites will remain open for all who genuinely seek spiritual peace and retreat. The value of one society, culture and tradition has never been in its rigid uniformity but in variety and freedom of expression.  Religion is meant to make us more humane and kind rather than champions of aggressive ideologies. Therefore the religious sites must be perceived as patches of heavenly beauty and a blessing to all of us and not the citadels of ideologies and symbols of discord.

…Living and carrying our religious duties in the post-conflict period as well as in a multi-religious surrounding requests from us even more sensitivity towards the others than in other circumstances.  If we want others to understand and respect our pain, we must first be ready to recognize and embrace the painful heart of our neighbor, to ask forgiveness and forgive.  Seeing other as our true brothers and sisters who are called to enter into the fulness of the God’s grace and love is a sacred obligation and key to our relationship towards members of other traditions and religions.  “The Other” is therefore not an enemy as some ideologies teach us but another manifestation of our common human nature and above all the bearer of the image of God. He/she may be different from us in ethnic origin and language but even the science proved the truth of God that we are all more similar to each other than we would admit and that most of our differences stem from different socio-religious context in which we grew and received our education. Therefore, it is us the who call ourselves believers that must play the leading role in healing the wounds which have accumulated in the years of bitter conflict and suffering.  For us this is not an ideology of peacemaking but a holy religious duty and a unique opportunity to witness our faith in God by our actions.

Let me point out, the conflict in Kosovo is not a conflict of religions. It is essentially an interethnic conflict which in this form originates primarily from the 19th century when modern Serbian and Albanian national ideologies, emerging from the Ottoman Empire clashed over the ownership of this region. Although not religious, the conflict has nevertheless reflected on religion. Religion played a role in ethnogenesis and the culture or our peoples and our religious sites are still misleadingly seen by many as symbols of national ideologies rather than the houses of God. We must change this perception and this is our primary task now. In modern Europe ethnic conflicts like this, particularly after the World War 2 have been resolved through the dialog and in the perspective of the integration into the wider European family. On the other hand, religions in modern world must distance themselves from aggressive ideologies and every act of violence, focusing on their original spiritual mission of building fellowship among the peoples, spiritual and modern upbringing. In order to achieve this goal we need courage and determination which stems from the power of our faith in God who sees the heart of every human being.

The Bishop did not hesitate to complain about the condition of his Serbian Orthodox flock, reduced in population by two-thirds, many of its monuments damaged and its cemeteries desecrated.  He is far from content.  But there is no question where he is looking for solutions:  in improved relations with Albanians, who at least nominally are mostly Muslim, with support from the international community.

I can’t help but be reminded of Beethoven’s Ninth,which just happens to be the European anthem:

O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen, und freudenvollere. Freude! (men’s chorus: Freude! ) Freude! (chorus again: Freude! )	Oh friends, not these tones! Rather, let us raise our voices in more pleasing And more joyful sounds! Joy! (Joy!) Joy! (Joy!)
Freude, schöner Götterfunken Tochter aus Elysium, Wir betreten feuertrunken, Himmlische, dein Heiligtum! Deine Zauber binden wieder Was die Mode streng geteilt; Alle Menschen werden Brüder, Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.	Joy, beautiful spark of the gods Daughter of Elysium, We enter, drunk with fire, Heavenly one, your sanctuary! Your magic reunites What custom strictly divided. All men become brothers, Where your gentle wing rests.

For those of us who have worried about the Balkans these past twenty years, this is a moment to savor. Not because the problems are solved–they aren’t.  Until all those who want to return to their homes throughout Kosovo can do so peacefully and without fear, the work is not done.  But returns on a grander scale can only happen within a framework of mutual understanding and appreciation that makes the people who return safe and secure.

My peacefare hat is off to those Kosovans (that’s the accepted name I believe of the common identity the Bishop mentions) who are making this possible.  I have no doubt there will be some difficult days, as there are people in Kosovo and Serbia (and yes the United States) who don’t share the Bishop’s vision or methods.   They will do terrible things to try to discredit him and the Albanians with whom he cooperates.  But his, and their, cause is just and even saintly.  It will prevail in time.