Tag: Yugoslavia

Applied Theology: Ministering to Victims of Human Trafficking – the Theological Foundations of “Mercy Ministry”

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Earlier this month, I travelled to Hungary and Ukraine with a small team of pastors and leaders to put on a retreat for Ukrainian leaders who have been involved in providing aid over the past year since the full-scale invasion of their country.

On the way, I had the opportunity to visit some friends in Hungary, including my friend László (Laci), who pastors in Budapest.

In addition to pastoring a local church, he leads a ministry which helps those caught in human trafficking to escape prostitution and experience lasting freedom. 

The south side of Budapest, where Laci ministers, is a working class area, known for high levels of crime and prostitution.

While I was in town, I had the opportunity to sit down with Laci to discuss we discuss the theological foundations for “mercy ministries” and how Laci got involved in practical ministry to the poor and oppressed. 

For more information, visit: Servants Anonymous Foundation

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Applied Theology: Ministering to Victims of Human Trafficking in Budapest, Hungary – The Theological Foundations of "Mercy Ministry" – Theology for the People

László (Laci) is a pastor in Budapest, Hungary. In addition to pastoring a local church, he leads a ministry which helps those caught in human trafficking to escape prostitution and experience lasting freedom.  The south side of Budapest, where Laci ministers, is a working class area, known for high levels of crime and prostitution. In this episode, we discuss the theological foundations for "mercy ministries" and how Laci got involved in practical ministry to the poor and oppressed.  For more information, visit: Servants Anonymous Foundation

Ferguson and the Need for Healing of Corporate Memory

Published on by nickcadyLeave a comment

Many people have been asking what the role of the church is in what is going on in Ferguson, MO. Clearly this is a very broken community which has been divided along racial lines and two divergent stories of what went on and why it happened.

One of the most important roles the church has to play in this situation is what is called “Healing the Corporate Memory”.

Social memory is that which attaches to membership of certain groups, and manifests itself as collectively held ideas and experiences.
Most churches and local communities face needs for the healing of corporate memory and for increased awareness of corporate responsibility.
The intention is not to recollect the past for the sake of preservation, but to awaken a sense of responsibility for being the body of Christ in that place.
– Esther Reed: The Genesis of Ethics

Examples of what this looks like can be found in the mid-1990’s in South Africa and in the war crimes tribunals for the Balkan Wars. It consists of telling and hearing both sides’ stories and understanding (but not necessarily affirming) both sides’ narratives – and then condemning ALL of the wrong actions that took place and all of the SYSTEMIC wrong that contributed to the situation in the first place.

However, restitution is also a key issue when it comes to healing. If the white community can make efforts towards restitution for prejudice, disdain and lost lives – whether they feel it necessary or not – and if the black community can make efforts towards restitution for the destruction caused by the rioting – it will make major headway towards forgiveness, healing the corporate memory and creating a new narrative for the whole community – both black and white – to share.

I believe it is the place of the church to step across racial lines, link arms and lead the way in this.