“Nobody Hates Slovaks!” Peacebuilding Workshops in Slovakia

Last month, the Slovakia Missions Network invited me to lead two workshops to introduce peacebuilding and how it relates to God’s mission and how Christians understand the Good News and witness:

“Conflict as Holy Ground”
“Peacebuilding and Good News?”

It was inspiring to connect with a network of Slovak Christians who are working to form the Slovak Church with a vision for what God is doing in the world and how we are called to join in. Since so much of my work with Peace Catalyst is to help Christians catch a vision for God’s shalom vision and peacebuilding mission, I was very excited to see how these ideas might connect more broadly with others in Eastern Europe.

One of the leaders I connected with shared about how, in spite of many theological and political divisions within the Slovak Church (as there are everywhere!), many Christians are questioning the escapist and belief-oriented theologies that have been inherited from the West. These workshops opened the floor for more conversation about how a healing-oriented mission and shalom vision connect much more deeply with both people’s spiritual intuitions (especially of younger generations) and a better read of what God is doing through Jesus and throughout the Bible.

One leader from a wider European network shared about how so many missionaries are locked into combative relationships and conversations with Muslims, non-religious people, and wider secular cultures. “We need this kind of workshop to help Christians find better ways to build bridges and collaborate with others.”

Another young woman spoke about the challenges of relating to colleagues from other national and ethnic backgrounds and was excited about the practical steps she was able to apply from the workshops to connect with more self-awareness, understanding, and compassion across differences.

The spirit and vision of this Slovak network very much embodied that longing for a better framework and more bridge-building practices for Christian vocation. The day after the workshops while exploring Devin Castle, I was wearing the “Nobody Hates Slovaks” shirt I had been gifted when one Slovak passerby said to me, “It should say ‘Nobody Likes Slovaks.” We had some great conversation about how nobody really knows Slovaks, so although they may not be hated, they often do not feel liked or even known. Still, a network leader insisted, “If nobody knows us, then we have the opportunity to work as bridge builders, without a lot of baggage.”

Bryan is Peace Catalyst Director of International Partnerships, based in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2016 Bryan and his wife Stephanie moved to the Balkan region, where they have been learning alongside and supporting the work of Muslim, Catholic, and Orthodox peacebuilders. Bryan hosts workshops, conducts trainings, and teaches about peace-oriented theology, peacebuilding practices, and how Christian groups can get involved in community peacebuilding. Learn more about Bryan here.