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Roots that go deeper, and wings that carry further

23 01 2025

Author: Peter Johanning

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Sunday School, Religious Instruction, youth seminars, courses for those interested in music and for ministers. All of this is part of everyday life in our congregations. But the Church has much more to offer. Here are some thoughts on the International Day of Education being observed today, 24 January.

When you ask someone in your congregation who they like to think about when they look back, they often mention their Sunday School teacher. Already Goethe knew that children need both roots and wings. And they need teachers who provide both.

‌In Ecclesiasticus 51 it says something to the effect that accepting instruction is like acquiring silver and making gold out of it. Making silver from gold is something that humans have always dreamed of. However, education is not as simple as that, and it certainly has nothing to do with magic. Wise sayings are not the way to a good education, but good teachers are. That goes for the Church as well as for the family, both in terms of schooling and the work environment. ‌Ultimately, all the knowledge and experience we gain is a piece of the educational puzzle, and along with it praise, which goes a long way.

Education equips individuals 

Education is more than gathering knowledge. It is above all the ability to practise and apply acquired knowledge. Already Hermann Hesse said with a slight hint of irony that practice should be the result of reflection, not the other way round.

‌Moreover, education is a basic human right. Education equips individuals and allows people to develop their identity. Education empowers and shapes people’s personality. And the motivation it is based on is honourable: education enables people to improve their political, social, cultural, societal, and economic situation.

International Day of Education 2025: motto

The day was first proclaimed in 2018 by a United Nations resolution, so it is still young. Its focus theme in 2025 is artificial intelligence (AI): “AI and education: preserving human agency in a world of automation”. The 2025 International Day of Education “encourages reflections on the power of education to equip individuals and communities to navigate, understand, and influence technological advancement”, the United Nations states. 

The benefits of instruction in our congregations

And what does all of this have to do with my home congregation? Churches are educational spaces of a special kind. Just like in a school, our congregation has learning plans and training units. Above all, the congregation is home to the core Christian idea of redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ.

It is God who rules His church, and He expects us to focus on that which is essential. The Christian notion of God always focuses on the loving God, never the punishing God. If good teachers convey this to us, then every day will be a day worth celebrating education. 

Our curriculum for 2025

“It’s time to do good!” Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider set out an educational task for 2025 by pointing out that it is high time to make any necessary changes and align our thoughts, words, and deeds with God’s will. From this we can derive a curriculum for our interaction in the congregation: 

  • Be good to yourself! Spiritual instruction begins with busying ourselves with important topics that concern our future. Our expectation of the return of the Lord needs space in our lives.
  • Jesus is our example! In the here and now, the will of God and the actions of Jesus are the guiding principle. Jesus wants us to look out for one another and to help one another. He wants us to utilise our differences and grow together into a strong community: a congregation in which all have one another’s salvation in mind.
  • See your neighbour! This does not stop when we step outside the church building. It is good for us if we forgive others and reconcile. Let us get rid of resentments and have the courage to get rid of the old leaven that spoils our lives (1 Corinthians 5: 7). Jesus urges us to do the good to others that we ourselves would like someone to do for us (Luke 6: 31). 
  • Think of your children! Dear parents, take time to do good things for your children (CNAC 13.3.4). Now is the time to teach them to love Christ and the Church. Sometimes you have to put your own interests aside. It is worth it!

‌These are excerpts from Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider’s New Year’s message. The curriculum has been written.


Photo: Panuwat – stock.adobe.com

23 01 2025

Author: Peter Johanning

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