Forum

The Wednesday Forum

In the summer of 1998, the Areopagus Centre decided to initiate an experiment which eventually proved to have an unexpected success. Faithful to our vision of stimulating and easing dialogue, meditation and study among Christians, we started occasional meetings as a forum. This type of meetings enabled us to get in touch with Christians of various professions and denominations. The meetings are dedicated to all who are interested in contributing to emphasizing a Christian point of view on the most important intellectual, ethical-political, social and theological problems, which Christians have to face in contemporary society.

Even from the beginning, the forum proved to be one of the best received initiatives promoted by the Centre. Because of this success, at the end of the summer, the imposed decision was to transform the forum into a constant presence in the program of Areopagus.

The themes suggested for discussion every week referred, among other things, to the problem of personal identity in the context of contemporary culture, the problem of proclamation in Christian communication, identification and application of the central message of the New Testament, war from the Christian point of view, salvation in the church and contemporary society, etc. These meetings are opportunities for the elucidation of different problems and thinking about the options for the future.

At every meeting most of the time is devoted to the dialogue of the participants, preceded by an introduction of the subject, presented by one of the members of the Center or by a guest with experience in that area. This stimulates the participants in developing their ability of critical analysis of the subject and in enriches their knowledge in that area.

Through these meetings Areopagus is trying to initiate a new ethos within the Christian community of Romania, one of dialogue, responsibility and involvement from the position of Christian serving. Either the discussed problem is a deficiency in the work of the church, or a weakness in front of the pressures of secular society, or a need of confronting a public attitude which is against Christian principles, we have to get used to the idea that these problems concern us directly as Christians. Only such thinking will enable us to understand the importance of searching for solutions based on God's character and on His revelation to the multitude of problems contemporary Christianity has to face.

What others say about the forum

"...Areopagus, the perfect host of a perfect morning" (H-R Patapievici)

"Besides the joy of meeting spiritually mature young people, eager to learn more about what God handed us over through the writings of our forerunners, the forum offers me the chance of taking part in the debate on problems of contemporary importance from a Christian point of view. The practical value of these debates is that of encouraging our involvement as Christians in the nowadays cultural and religious context, with the aim of bringing the society closer to God's truth revealed in the Holy Scriptures." (Stelian Dîrnu)