Reconciliation Initiative
Welcome and presentation of the vision and the program of the meeting
Song
Confession:
Our Father in Heaven, we come to you on the eve of the anniversary of the memorable Battle of White Mountain. This is where the battle, which has affected our nation for four centuries, took place. Troops who professed to be of the Catholic and Protestant faith fought here. We admit our sin that, as Your children, we have been pulled into violence that is contrary to the gospel of peace. We confess that as well as our ancestors, so have we sinned against each other with grievous sins: pride, superiority, judgment, and violence. We killed each other and did not look to You, who created us for your glory. We ask for your forgiveness now. We confess to you our sin of superiority when we have viewed others as less valuable people who are not worthy of your favor. Forgive us for judging each other as heretics and apostates of the Christian faith. Please forgive us for the hardness of our hearts. Forgive us that with this harsh attitude we did not show the true image of God as a loving Father. Forgive us for giving a false image of God to unbelievers and leading them astray in doubt and confusion.
Renunciation of the Heritage of Violence in Our Relationships
At this important moment, we renounce all the violence that persists in our attitudes. We renounce the hardness of our hearts. We renounce pride and attitudes of superiority. We renounce judgment and slander. We renounce all the evil heritage of our ancestors, who carried these attitudes in their hearts. We renounce efforts to manipulate others in the name of God, and political or social forced events. We will no longer look at others as enemies or rivals but as children of the same Father in heaven, who are loved by God as we are. We renounce violent efforts to persuade brothers and sisters of other Christian confessions to bring them into our church. We renounce any future abuse of power in families, politics, education, science, culture, or the media against our brothers and sisters.
Confession of Forgiveness:
Together: We now forgive each other for all past and present transgressions.
Protestants: Just as God in Christ has forgiven us, so we forgive you, the Catholics, the abuse of power of the victorious position of the Catholic church after the battle at the White Mountain. We forgive you for the violence, humiliation, imprisonment, and expulsion of our ancestors because of the evangelical faith. We forgive you for the violent enforcement to accept the Catholic faith and traditions. We also forgive you for the judgment and burning of Master Jan Hus and Jeroným Pražský in Constance, Germany. We forgive you for declaring the Czech lands heretical nests. We forgive you for the crusades against the Hussites. We forgive you for the attitude of hardness and superiority over Protestants in the Czech lands.
Catholics: Just as God in Christ forgave us, so we forgive you, the Protestants, the invocation of the Bohemian revolt (estate uprising) in 1618, and the outbreak of the Thirty Years‘ War. We forgive you for the violence during the Hussite revolution, which also brought the desecration and destruction of many churches and sacramental monuments. We forgive you for the oppression and killing in a cruel way of Catholics, and especially of those consecrated to God. We forgive you for leaving the Catholic Church and founding many Protestant churches. We forgive you for the attitude of hardness and superiority over Catholics in the Czech lands.
Together: Lord Jesus Christ, You have shown us how to love even our enemies as you prayed on the cross that God would forgive Your tormentors. Your heart is full of love and forgiveness even for your enemies. In prayer, you have taught us that just as we expect and ask for forgiveness from You, we should forgive those who have sinned against us. Thank you that Your sacrifice is perfect and Your blood is now cleansing our sins. We receive Your forgiveness and bless our brothers and sisters in Your holy name.
Joint Declaration of Reconciliation:
We now confess that we have forgiven each other. We want to continue to receive one another as children of the same Father in heaven and to recognize ourselves as members of one body of Jesus Christ. From now on, we will not recall old wrongs and will not blame each other for past transgressions. We will work together to spread the kingdom of God under the rule of the one King Jesus Christ. We now submit to Him as our head. We declare that the old things have passed away, and, behold, there is a new thing. From now on, our mutual relations are also renewed through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We want to accept each other despite the differences in opinion, theology, and practice that remain. We strive to make mutual enmity dead thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The dividing wall was torn down in Christ. From now on, we want to love, honor, and work together for the salvation of our neighbors in this country.
In Christ Jesus, we, once distant, have now become close by the blood of Christ. In him is our peace. He united the two into one when he tore down the wall that divides and causes strife. He removed obstacles with his sacrifice to create one new man out of the two – the Catholic and the Protestant and thus made peace. He reconciled the two in one body, killing their enmity on the cross. He came and preached peace, peace to us all. And so in him, we can both – Catholics and Protestants – stand before the Father in the unity of the Spirit.
Song
A Common Final Blessing to Our Nation:
Czech Republic, it’s a new day! Old things are gone, a new time is coming for you, a new era. We want to constantly strive to ensure that the White Mountain is no longer mentioned as a source of contention. So that the White Mountain curse can be taken away from you forever, to end mutual humiliation. Accept the status of the sons and daughters of God. Czech nation, receive the grace of Jesus Christ and enter the Promised Land. The way is clear, the gate to the kingdom of God is open. Live, nation consecrated to God, do not die!
National anthem
Invitation to a personal blessing