PRAYER AND POLITICS

From Noah to Robert Schuman

 

I’m currently working on the translation of Jeff Fountain’s book “Deeply Rooted” relating Robert Schuman’s life and especially all the process that brought him to be one of the architects of what is known today as the European Union.

 

Also, a few days ago, as I was drinking my usual coffee after lunch, I was watching a cartoon with my daughter telling the story of Noah’s ark. The similarities between both stories came quite clearly into my mind.

 

First through months of imprisonment in Germany, and then through months of seclusion in an orphanage in France, all during the World War II, Robert Schuman had plenty of time to think about the future of Europe once the war would be over. Indeed, his time in prison in Germany gave him the strong conviction that Germany would lose the war. And his time in an orphanage in France gave him the opportunity to imagine how we could bring God’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves into action once the war would be over.

 

Back to Biblical times, just before the flood, man’s wickedness on earth was great and evil was part of everyday life (Genesis 6). Therefore, God decided to send the flood over the earth so to wipe off every human life. However, he chose Noah and his family to start again and told him to build an ark where he could live while God’s judgment would happen.

 

Both Noah’s “cruise” in the ark and Schuman’s seclusion were times of preparation for a new era about to come. Noah received the command to be fruitful, increase in number and fill the earth. Schuman had the time to be filled with the vision of a new Europe as a “community of people”, set on God’s command to “love our neighbors as ourselves”. Both lives have had a far-reaching influence in History.

 

And today? In a society led by secularism, free-market and overcome by capitalism, there are also strong evidences that we are reaching the end of an era. The bank crisis of 2008 and its following recession, the Russian attack in Crimea bringing back unrest in Europe for the first time since the Cold War or the rise of populism in various countries in Europe show that we are coming to a turning point of History once again. Like Noah, like Robert Schuman, God is now preparing a new generation of people to become the leading generation of the coming era, which will bring the Shalom of God in this world.

 

Sacrifices made today, according God’s will in our lives, will bring a far-reaching change in society tomorrow. Are we ready to take on the challenge?

 

Cédric Placentino

April 1, 2014

 

If any of you is interested to serve God in politics or any kind of public square, you're very welcome to the State of Europe Forum the 8th and 9th of May, or if you are under 30 years old, to the equivalent Youth Forum from the 7th to the 11th of May in Athens. For more information, please check the following link:

 

www.stateofeuropeforum.eu