The Theological College of Elstal (Theologische Hochschule Elstal) in Berlin was the host for this year’s gathering of the Theology and Education Commission of the EBF. Seventeen people gathered to explore the subject of Political Tensions of Today and the Church: Exploring Baptist Engagement in Europe. Participants included college directors, politicians, theological educators and academics and Baptist Union presidents and came from Italy, Israel, Netherlands, UK, Romania, Germany, Ukraine, Estonia, Moldova and Poland.

The diversity of those present stimulated excellent and insightful conversation leaving the impression that this was a creative learning experience for all. We were grateful for the opportunity to take a bit of time out from discussion to visit the inner-city church at Wedding as well as visiting one of the remaining sections of the Berlin Wall – which, against the background of a cold, wet and darkness of a winter evening was very atmospheric.

Papers presented at the commission will be published in a forthcoming edition of JEBS (Journal of European Baptist Studies) and a summary of the event can be seen on the EBF website www.ebf.org