L y o n / B u c a r e s t (EBPS) – „Without Christ, Theology is Reduced to Ideology.” This danger was noted by Dr. Otniel Bunaciu, Dean of the Baptist faculty at the state university of Bucarest. He warned of other objectionable developments at the Council sessions of the European Baptist Federation (EBF) convening in Lyon, France from 26 to 30 September. These include the “German Christians” during the time of Hitler, South Africa’s Christian-propagated Apartheid, the modern world’s materialism, or holding on to empty traditions in some Baptist congregations today.

The Oxford-trained theologian criticised some aspects of theology in his own country. Congregations can be found which believe “that students betray the Bible when they study theology”. Yet the Bible is no science about God, it rather “describes our walk with God”. In his lecture on “Current and Future Trends in the Theological Training of Baptists”, Bunaciu confirmed that theology could help congregations “to proclaim the Good News”. Theology should be the concern not only of pastors – lay persons can also profit from it. Bunaciu criticised in this context that no lay persons belong to Romanian Baptists’ directing committee.

He also stressed the need for a „spiritual revolution“ in his home country. Life in some Baptist congregations is more like a catalogue of rules than a representation of a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Baptists need to learn to give witness of their faith rather than be indoctrinated by others. It is also necessary that theology orient itself to the various cultures. After the fall of communism, his country required only nine years to arrive in the modern world. This led in theological training to the mass acceptance of foreign concepts: “But that cannot work out.” American models in particular are not compatible with life in Romania. Eighty-five percent of Romanian theological students going to the USA to study do not return to their homeland. American missionaries in Romania hope to evangelise Romanians by asking them whether they are Christians. Yet surveys have shown repeatedly that 99% of all urban residents describe themselves as Christians. Bunaciu concludes: “Life is more complicated than that described by four spiritual laws or five steps.” Some missionaries are also not driven by the desire to truly help people – they want instead only to realise their own concepts.

He called in this setting for those in other countries to listen more closely to the experiences of Christians from the former Eastern bloc. When the communists were still in power, Romanian Baptists were readily visited by the Baptist World Alliance and others. Guests were convinced at that time, that they had been spiritually strengthened and encouraged through the encounters. But according to Bunaciu: „All that was no longer true after the downfall.” Senior, experienced Christians from throughout the world suddenly began to treat Romanians as if they were “children in a kindergarten”. The theologian appealed to the world to give Romanians microphones.

The University of Bucharest is the only university in Europe with a Baptist faculty. Romania has two Baptist unions. The Baptist Union has 1.700 congregations and roughly 100.000 members; the Union of Hungarian-speaking Baptists has 230 congregations with 9.000 members.