Again today was spent mostly at the Gossner Mission looking through fifty nine years of "Die Kinder Biene Aug del Missionsfelde fur Jung and Alt". This was the mission journal for the German audience describing the life of missionaries and the people they worked for. Many of the articles were written by missionary women. It was a good find but I know I only touched the surface. I would have to study them for many months to get a deeper understanding. Still, with the help of Klaus Roeber I was able to find many good things. I also had good discussions of which I have added my thoughts at the end, for those interested in something a little more intellectual Meanwhile I'd like to comment on the wonderful union between the old and the new in Berlin. Cobbled streets upon which a modern efficient transit system runs. The buildings where I have spent most of my time these past two days are also an example. Retaining the old exterior, the interior are modern offices. I still could imagine something of the years when my great great grandfather studied in these halls (1865-68). As the complex expanded, I was glad to see that a large old tree was preserved by constructing a curved building around it. And a lovely statue of the Psalmist David sits full of praises to God in its midst. Unfortunately the camera didn't pick up the spider web that weaved threads from David's lip, eye and ear to the harp. As if God added an aproving touch to a well stewarded creation. The discussion earlier circled around a constant tension between the German missionaries of old; between Reformed thinkers (F. Hahn's orientation) who believed in the community life of believers based on the Bible and the guidance of the "Spirit" and the more orthodox Lutheran thinkers (such as Alfred Nottrott) who believed that the role of church centered around Sacred Sacraments (baptism, confirmation, Communion, etc) and Sermons (correct teaching of the Bible). This continues to be a debate in Protestantism throughout the ages. But rarely does a new Christian community have the advantage of having two strong leaders expose them to such complexities of Christianity from the start. In the end the church that grew up in this part of India has the privileged vantage point of having both traditions to rely on as they make their way in their Indian Adivasi context. To try to bring this down to a level that most people can understand, the question at stake is: is church to be run and led by Spirit-led people or do people require leadership vetted by some kind of orthodoxy? The pendulum swings. Without a measured debate, the church can assume too much and become narrowly focused (group think) or relinquish too much power onto leaders, either way the "flock is led astray". This is pretty much the constant flow of Christianity throughout history. Over emphasis on one or the other eventually causes Christianity in any given time and place to implode upon itself. If you don't see it happening, wait a generation. I personally think this is by higher design, because then a regeneration or revival can happen -- after all Chistianity is all about Resurrection. Staunch traditions somehow linger on, and over 2000+ years there are multiple traditions in play. But all of these traditions originally emerged as reformations, revivals, refreshing, some kind of reframing of what was before. And even some of the staunch old traditions, like the old buildings or the old tree, have been remodeled and made new again.
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I don't know how, but after a day that began at 2:30 this morning, I am still going after 16 hours. After I give a brief post about the day and finish my dinner, I'm going to crash for 12 hours!
I was sorry to leave London. I should have spent more time there. But I do not like their airports! A lot of hearding people like cattle. People take it in stride. I haven't yet seen, what I call, "ugly American"-like behavior, demanding rights. I did see an African just now accusing the hotel clerk about something. I have no idea if it was justified, mostly because I couldn't understand the German word's being exchanged. But otherwise European residents are pretty laid back. Once in Berlin, after finally getting on the right train in the right direction, I found Alexanderplatz, and figured out what and where the Reisenzeitum was. There I met Klaus Rodger and Helga Ottow, who took me on a tram to the Gossner Mission that still is in the red building that use to be the Gossner Mission school. We were also joined by Yeah Chandra from Georgetown University, a scholar studying the impact of Christianity on the Adivasi. India's inigenous people). The rest of the day we talked over lunch and coffee about the topic, and specifically about those early Gossner Missionaries Ferdinand Hahn, Alfred Nottrot, and others. Periodically we were joined by others of the Gossner Mission. Mostly we spoke in German, but I was surprised how much I understood when they spoke in German. I realised with all the talking -- which is so much fun when you find people exited about a common interest few others known of -- I had not taken any pictures.. This old bench has an interesting story. no, it is not a park bench. it is a thrown. The story is told that it was Birsa Oraon's thrown that he made. when he set himself up as the King, Messiah, of the Oraon people in 1877 in Lohardaga. He heard of Jesus' heavenly thrown, so he built this bench to set himself above others that they should give him homage. After all, the unseen Jesus with his unseen thrown had emphasised the failed to organise the people Feel like singing: Who will buy this wonderful morning? From the musical Oliver! I saw a street that looked just like the one from the movie. But much of Kensington looks like this. I love London and so sorry I didn't try to stay longer.
I am not really seeing it this time. I spent most of it in the archives of the Leprosy Mission that had supported both the work of our ancestors in Lohardaga and Purulia but also in Chandkuri. What a gold mind. if I get a chance later I will add more pictures and text My great-niece, Rae, asked if I was going to post my travels on my blog. So I will try.
This journey to Germany (and London) is a continuation of my heritage travels. Now I travel to the land of our family's origin. For two weeks I will see the birthplace, homes, and schools of the previous generations who had been in Germany prior to World War I. I will also meet some distant cousins. It would be impossible to see every place that our family has some connection with. Just focusing on Doris and Ferdinand Hahn's family is a lot. As cousin Wolfram said, they really traveled around a lot; and as cousin Sharon has documented, this particular family was scattered around the world. I begin in Chicago Ohare. You already feel like you've arrived in another country. Airport service workers represent every American immigrant group. Various languages are heard spoken. I missed taking a great picture: two Franciscan monks in brown robes and sandals following behind a gaggle of stewardesses in hot red miniskirts. |