Include the interreligious and citizen dimension
"A birthday is an opportunity to give gifts: what gift can Protestants give to others?” asks François Clavairoly. He immediately perceives the media and the global festivities of such an occasion: "Two billion people who are partying, will this have a consequence on the axis of rotation of the planet?” He wonders, smiling.
He also wonders what relationship to have with other religions, because when we recall the essentials of Christianity we are immediately in dialogue. So, do not forget them and think about how to invite them. "Easter is the identity marker of Christians. But with 2033 we are in a process of celebration, not of claiming.”
On the other hand, he does not see how we could celebrate the 2000 years of the resurrection without putting universities in the spotlight. What was the power of resurrection in law-making? How did it influence the social and political engagement? We must include the citizen dimension, because in Europe, everything has been constructed with reference to Christ. This is an opportunity to think about it, in a time when Christianity becomes a minority in France.
Building trust
Emmanuelle Seybold sees the decade in two stages: Firstly, seven years of preparation during which the leaders deepen their communion and then the three years of the public ministry of Christ, between 2030 and Easter 2033. "It takes time for the leaders to build the trust between them. The actions will then be the result of a real dynamic of community”.
At the Federation of Protestants , left to right : Claire Sixt-Gateuille, Olivier Fleury, Emmanuelle Seybold, François Clavairoly, Anne-Laure Danet, Martin Hoegger
For Seybold, celebrating such an event requires the ecumenical dimension. This makes her think of the 500 years of the Reformation in 2017, where the motto was to do nothing alone, because the Reformation concerns all the churches. "On this occasion, there has been a proliferation of initiatives, more than a thousand in the EPUdF. To prepare 2033, I feel something similar. I would like to say to the churches: go ahead and do not wait and think that others will do it on your behalf!”
For Claire Sixt-Gateuille, the symbolism of the three years of the ministry of Jesus is strong. She notes that there are more and more ecumenical Paschal dawns. These will be boosted by the perspective of the pilgrimage towards 2033. Besides, the notion of pilgrimage is a theme with a strong ecumenical resonance. The World Council of Churches placed it at the center of its action. She invites us to walk together before setting a common framework.
Anne-Laure Danet sees in JC2033 a dynamic similar to that of the World Christian Forum. How to know each other together be witnesses of Christ? She has just experienced this during the recent meeting of the first Francophone Christian Forum last October.
A long distance run, not a sprint!
After lunch at a restaurant in the district of Clichy, we return to the House of Protestantism to visit the Baptist Federation of France.
Thierry Auguste, its president, also shares his remarkable experience with the Francophone Christian Forum. For such a project, it is necessary that the institutions mobilize, but the leaders will succeed one another. We must therefore think about how to pass the baton and how JC2033 will becomes start of something that goes beyond people.
"Our federation is in favor of ecumenism," he says. “We work on unifying actions. Certainly, we also see limits but above all a large common area where we can testify together". In particular, he wants the project to be carried by the institutions. He therefore encourages us to meet them.
At the Baptist Federation with Thierry Auguste and Marc Derouex
Marc Derouex, general secretary of this same federation, sees in the celebration of the 2000 years of the resurrection an analogy with the biblical history, where milestones recall the action of God. "It's good to mark milestones. And the resurrection of Jesus is the divine action par excellence. Every Holy Communion, moreover, remembers it."
He invites us to draw on existing realities such as the Easter Days, the Christian Forum, the Day of Christ, the March for Jesus. Leaders must lead by example. He thinks of Francis of Assisi who has taken time with both adults and children. The big ones have influence but the little ones talk to each other.
At the end, he encourages us in a touching way: "Your project is a long distance race, not a sprint. You open small gaps, then they turn into larger openings. Work with those who understand the project and want to be part of it! Keep in touch ! Come back! You are on a pilgrimage! Keep us in suspense!”
The unity, key of this project
At the parish of Belleville, Gilles Boucomont gathered five other pastors of the EPUdF and their enthusiasm touches us.
He talks about the churches' initiative to post posters in the neighborhood, announcing the resurrection of Christ during Easter. For him, unity is the great challenge of this project: unity within each church and between the churches.
This aspect of unity is also emphasized by Esther Boulineau, whose parish is in the 20th arrondissement: "My dream is to gather around Christ with all the expressions of the Christian faith, without looking at each others differences. That's why I like this project. Every church leader must ask himself about unity. "
Julien and Isabelle Cofinet, pastors in Saint Germain en Laye ask themselves what is the main focus of the project: the testimony, the celebration or the unity? Will JC2033 be a truly unifying project or will it create a mandatory and formal unity? What makes them want in this project is its international dimension.
With pastors Gilles Boucomont, Esther Boulineau, Thomas Keller, Julien Cofinet. (Rear Right to Left) Front row : Magali Carré et Isabelle Cofinet.
Magali Carré, d’Auxerre, dit combien partager la joie de la résurrection du Christ lui plaît. D’autant plus qu’il lui est difficile de vivre cela dans son ministère pastoral actuellement.
Magali Carré d'Auxerre says how much she shares the joy of the resurrection of Christ. Especially since it is difficult for her to live this in her pastoral ministry now.
Thomas Keller, pastor of the parish of the Marais, likes this project to glorify Christ. And he likes the aspect of the testimony: "With 13 years in front of us, we can start thinking and doing things together".
Note :We planned to visit the leaders of the National Council of Evangelicals (CNEF), but a calendar error prevented it.
Martin Hoegger
