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Speech by the President, Dr Danilo Türk, at the celebration of Reformation Day

Ljubljana, 30.10.2008  |  speech


The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, attended the celebration of Reformation Day - the 500th anniversary of the birth of Primo¾ Trubar, where he gave a speech.


Speech by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, at the celebration of Reformation Day – the 500th anniversary of the birth of Primo¾ Trubar
Ljubljana, 30 October 2008


President of the Republic, Dr Danilo Türk, gave a speech at the celebration of Reformation DayLadies and Gentlemen,

Every year, Reformation Day gives us an opportunity to think about our past and present, our historic destiny and the values that we are obliged to cultivate as a nation. To do so is essential and proper in view of our desire and will – not only to survive and ''stand and withstand'', but also to secure a legitimate place for ourselves in the environment that surrounds us, that is in Europe and the world.

In this context, we see an important source of inspiration in the period of the European Reformation and the role of Slovenian Protestants in the 16th century. In that turbulent time, Europe began to emerge as a community of political nations; it was a period when, step by step, Europe freed itself from the then domination of the Catholic Church and its moral blunders. It was a time that called for revival. And revival came – along with Humanism and the Renaissance, religious reformation and the spread of the written word facilitated by the invention of print, the use of national languages and the coming into being of nation states.

The revival was all-embracing; it encompassed areas of technology, economy, aesthetics and politics. Religious reformation and the gradual making of nation states, individual's rights and the principle of territorial integrity, all these changes were happening at the same time. This revival was particularly outstanding in ethics and faith. Then, Christianity took a path of burning debates, important changes and a violent settling of scores. These changes kept developing over centuries and ended up changing Europe's image forever. Europe was transformed into a system of sovereign states, a system which gradually brought about religious tolerance and human rights, and finally – the right to stand up against tyrannical authority. These changes introduced the rule of law and the responsibility of state authorities; Europe was poised to become the centre of the world. All along, this huge transformation had religious reformation at its centre – it was the driving force for all other changes to occur.

The first decades of this process represented an historic opportunity for all European nations. Those that took advantage of it made progress. We Slovenians can be proud of our predecessors, who were able to recognise the meaning of the changes and the spirit of the era, and link them to the needs of their own nation. The publication of the first Slovenian books, translations of biblical texts and, finally, the translation of the entire Bible in 1584 irrevocably put the Slovenian nation on the map of European nations. Our nation became a nation of culture. These achievements laid the foundations for all further development, for the efforts made towards the national and individual freedom of the Slovenian people.

At the heart of these important developments was the striking personality of Primo¾ Trubar. This year, we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of this great man in our history. His work has been examined from multiple standpoints – religious, linguistic and political. Nevertheless, sometimes the question is raised of whether we can discern the crucial message of his life and work, and how to interpret it today.

The work of Primo¾ Trubar abounds in messages but the power of each message changes with time. In the present era, which for us Slovenians is strongly marked by Slovenia's integration into European development trends, Trubar's most powerful and significant message is very clear: he once and for all proved that there is no contradiction between the best achievements of the European spirit – or what we today would call a global spirit – and the most heartfelt efforts to improve the destiny of one’s own nation. The two can only develop if they complement and strengthen each other.

We must also appreciate Trubar's intellectual format. His work reflects his scope of spirit, his great education and knowledge of works written by the leading European intellectuals and reformers of his time, such as Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchton and especially Huldrich Zwingli. Trubar maintained a correspondence with some of them. His intellectual format was truly great.

Trubar's example of linking the national dimension with that of Europe is of great significance today as well. The strengthening of culture and the raising of awareness among all European nations enable Europe to grow as one. And, today, Europe is aware of this. However, Europe established this recognition only after a long and difficult history full of tragic missteps and violence, a past which witnessed such occurrences as the oppression of small nations and elevation of large ones – even to the level of racism. It is because of this difficult experience in our history that we today understand better than ever before the significance of synthesis between the struggle for a free national identity on the one hand, and a general European cultural dimension on the other. We understand it in its intellectual import as well as in its political significance.

What motivated Slovene Protestants in their work in addition to their ardent national affiliation and participation in the European transformation? For Trubar, it was his Christian ethics, his true faith, his profound and real ethical belief that lay at the heart of his work. For this very reason, Trubar took Luther's reform message seriously. It was the driving force for his creativity and won eminence for his work. Because of this consistent ethical stance, however, he encountered difficulties in his homeland.

In Slovenia, we have often had opportunities to reflect profoundly on the contradiction between a true Christian ethos and political reality in the fate of Trubar. Recently, in close connection with the celebration of Trubar’s anniversary, we had another opportunity to do so. The sole remaining copy of Cerkovna ordninga (Church Ordinance), the book expressing Trubar’s efforts to reform the Church in Slovenia and which caused Trubar to be banished from his native land, was acquired for a short time and put on view in Ljubljana.

It is a paradox, a rather kind paradox of history, that this year we obtained this book from the Vatican Library and with the personal engagement of the Pope. We are very grateful to the Holy See and the Holy Father for making it possible for us to have a close look at the original of Trubar’s Cerkovna ordninga. This experience tells us that the time in which we live now is far better than Trubar’s time was. In our time, freedom is very broadly defined, allowing us free and friendly communication. Many of the religious and ecclesiastical disputes that led to so much violence and evil in the past have now been overcome or, at least, largely brought under control. The same is true of more contemporary forms of violent ideologies restricting human freedom and communication. The level of freedom in Europe is greater than ever before in history.

And for this very reason, owing to hundreds of years of effort to attain the scope of freedom we enjoy today, we must ask ourselves: To what end do we use the freedom for which we fought so hard? And how should we understand the ethical message contained in the works of the Slovenian Reformation? Their message is the message of responsibility of each individual and every institution to our human essence, our common culture and our community. This message has not faded away.

The reason is that each individual can, at a personal level, think about this message, and the questions arising from it, and find his or her own answer. In the present-day plural and secularised society, it can be expected that the answers will vary from person to person, from one group to another. And yet some answers will be common to all. Ethics must be taken seriously. Taking ethics seriously means accepting our part of the responsibility for improvement, greater human solidarity and social justice. Taking ethics seriously means developing a responsible attitude towards the state and the rule of law. Taking ethics seriously means that we must see to it that every individual contributes to the common good of our community as a whole.

The fundamental ethical ideas of the Slovenian Reformation are topical for all of us – for believers and non-believers, for Christians and members of other religions, and for Christians of all Christian faiths. It was precisely the ethical stance and ethical efforts of Slovenian Evangelicals and the Slovenian Evangelical Church that greatly contributed to the spiritual and moral development of our nation. On today’s solemn occasion, I therefore express my recognition and gratitude to Slovenian Evangelicals and the Evangelical Church for their contributions to our cultural and political growth.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We live at a time which is ethically void in many respects. Contrary to periods in the past, our time abolished ideological exclusivism and ideological domination. This was a welcome change greeted with relief. However, this did not denote the end of history. Liberation did not occur. What prevailed was universalised consumerism, accompanied at the spiritual level by political correctness and naive expectations created by the process of globalisation. It is not the first time that illusions are gaining ground in the world.

However, it is not difficult to realise how empty the expectations of globalisation are and how insincere political correctness may be. As ever, thin layer of prevalent illusion disguises the cynicism and vulgarity of temporarily economic and political power. The present global financial crisis is but the latest and most visible symptom of our problematic present.

Our time calls for the affirmation of ethics in the economy and in politics – both at the national and the global level. Our time calls for responsible action in the economy and politics, for responsible organisation and for the respect of law. Our time calls for increased responsibility. And this responsibility must be expressed in the resolution of problems brought about by the present global financial crisis and in the implementation of long-term tasks for environmental preservation. Our time calls for a more cultured level of politics, for abandoning cynicism and petty resentments, for giving up cheap moralising, and for the implementation of competent decision-making and respect for the rule of law. All these are values to which we have been committed by Slovenian Protestants.

The spirit of the Reformation and reformers is still needed today. When Slovenia looks for role models from the past, the important figures of the Reformation are especially close. Their message remains written in our historical memory forever. Their contribution to our cultural and political growth is indelible and continuously relevant. Their ethics set an example and inspire all of us, regardless of our religious affiliation or ideological orientation. Therefore, it is right to honour their memory and to demonstrate adherence to their heritage. Therefore, it is right that Reformation Day is a day of serious thought and serious effort for the improvement of our reality.

Thank you.
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