Kyodan & Tohoku: Dezember 2011

Quelle:  Kyodan Newsletter 365, December 01, 2011

Relief Work

1. Relief Work after the Great East Japan Earthquake
2. Post-earthquake Situation at 2 Churches near Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant:
    Odaka Church  &  Iwaki-Church
3. Symposium Held by the Kyodan's Disaster relief Planning Headquaters

 

Relief Work after the Great East Japan Earthquake

It has been eight months since the great earthquake and tsunami that occurred along the length of eastern Japan on March 11. Restoration following the unprecedented destruction in the various areas, and especially with the additional accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, has been extremely difficult. People are in pain and despair and are struggling to see the light of future prospects ahead in the midst of their grief.

God has sent his Son Jesus Christ as the Savior to be the light of true hope shining in the darkness, precisely in the places where we are suffering in sadness in that world of darkness. He has shown us the way to live together and share love. At this time, in response to this Christmas message, let us see how we as Christians will ask again what we can do and how we can relate to the people who are now in the midst of this troubled situation. Many persons, in various ways, have done what they could. From their reports, I want to share the following two specific ones. (Tr. RT)

Nishio Misao, member
Suginami Church, Nishi Tokyo District

 

I Was a Volunteer

by Miyahara Yu, teacher of Musashino Soai Kindergarten, Nishi Tokyo District

I experienced the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake [1995] when I was a third-year elementary school pupil, and that became the impetus for me to be a volunteer.

Since the day of the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, even if no earthquake was happening, I always carried that fear in my heart: "An earthquake may occur." However, I remember that due to the occurrence of that earthquake, relief came from not only inside the country but also from overseas. Many temporary housing units were provided in the parks, and emergency food services were provided at such places as schools and other institutions. As much as an elementary school pupil could, I felt that both my mind and body were being saved.

Febraury 2011. At a worship service at the kindergarten where I now work, I spoke to the children about this actual experience and about the many things God gives us that are not just a matter of course but are things we should be grateful for and take care of. Exactly one month after the day I gave that talk, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. "I want to help in some way." With only that thought, I decided to take part in the volunteer effort.

The House where I was in Charge. The entire inside of that house was filled with mud, and none of the furniture could be used. Dishes, writing materials, pictures, clothing, hangers, books, pieces of wood—various things were drawn out of the mud. The fact that the house itself survived was a miracle. Throughout the area are the remains of houses that were destroyed, and through the work of the Self-Defense Forces, at last a road appeared. I worked to separate the unusable broken furniture that had been removed from the mud and put them in the designated disposal areas.

An Elderly Man's Words. This Arahama is the place where it was first reported that 300 bodies had been washed up ashore. A husband here tells about being so caught up in saving his own life that his wife and child were swallowed by the tsunami right before his own eyes, and he was unable to save them. Even if survivors went to the place where the bodies were being cremated, it was impossible to distinguish one from another. No one could tell who had died. Even tears would not come. "If I were to try to clean up this house by myself, I think it would have taken me half a year. You have saved the day. Thank you."

His said that after the earthquake, an elderly woman would not even go outside and made no effort to get into the ofuro (Japanese bath). One day, as a result of a volunteer calling to her, she began to go outside a little and got even to the point where she said to him, with a smiling face, "Maybe we could try to plant some tomato seedlings."

Throughout the town there was mud, sand, and rubble. But in an area where no grass was growing, dandelions silently bloomed. I noticed as I looked around that they were blooming here and there. From a town where people and vegetation had given up hope, they were looking forward and were trying to move ahead. A person cannot move ahead very easily alone, but people relating to one another, with support, can look ahead and go on living.

It was a five-day period of being touched by the warmth of the volunteers all over Japan as well as by the warmth of the people in the area. I am praying that as soon as possible the hearts of the victims may be healed and that they may be able to live a peaceful life. (Tr. RT)

From Nishi Tokyo Kyoku Dayori, (Nishi Tokyo District News)
Urayasu Church School Children Find Ways to Help

 

A desire to help someone leads to action

by Ohno Toshiko, church school teacher, Urayasu Church, Chiba Subdistrict, Tokyo

I believe that the desire to be helpful is an important gift that God has given to each of us to equip us for living together. The disasters of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the tsunami and the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant have caused even children to consider what they can do to help. For the Church School children of Urayasu Church, the answer was for them to pray for those affected, to continue remembering them, and to give of their time and efforts to help. After further consideration, they came up with the idea of making bookmarks and picture post cards. They would then sell them and send the profit as aid to the disaster areas.

By cutting paper, using tweezers to set and glue the paper, opening a hole and putting the ribbon through, and then putting it in an envelope, the children were able to make bookmarks. To make the picture post cards, the children made a design for the pictures they had drawn. They then made prints and put them in envelopes as sets. Every child in the Church School was involved in the project, and they are now hoping that many people will purchase these items so they can send the proceeds as aid to the disaster areas. (Tr. JS)

From Shinto no Tomo (Believers' Friend)

 

東日本大震災救援の働き

今年の3月11日 に東日本一帯をおそった大地震と大津波は、各地に未曾有の被害をもたらし、さらに福島第一原子力発電所の事故も加わって、8ヶ月経った今も復興は困難をきわめている。人びとは絶望と苦悩、悲 嘆の闇の中で、前途に光を見つけようと苦闘している。

神は、まさにこの暗黒の世に、悲しみ苦しんでいる人びとのもとに、御子イエス・キリストを、闇を照らす真の希望の 光、救い主として送ってくださった。そして私たちが互いに愛し合って、共に生きていく道を示してくださったのである。このクリスマス のメッセージに応えて、私たちはキリスト者として、今も困難な状況の中にいる人びとにどうかかわって生きたらよいか、私たちができる ことは何かを改めて問うてみたい。大震災直後から、悲しみ苦しんでいる人びとと共に歩みたいと願って、自分たちに出来ることをいろい ろな形で行ってきた多くの人たちがいる。その中から、次の二つの実践報告を分かち合いたいと思う。西尾操(杉並教会員・KNL編集委 員)

ボランティアに参加して

 宮原 由有(みやはらゆう)

ボランティアに参加しようとしたきっかけ:

私は、小学三年生の時に、阪神淡路大震災を経験しました。本当に、恐かったです。

あの日以来、地震が起きていなくても「地震が起きるかもしれない」 という恐怖は常に心の中にありました。しかし、その地震発生により、国内だけでなく海外からもたくさんの人たちが救援にきてくれたこ とを覚えています。公園にはいくつもの仮設住宅が備えられ、学校や施設という場では炊き出しがなされ、心身共に助けられたことを小学 生ながらに感じていました。

2011年2月。今勤めている幼稚園の礼拝で、この実体験を子どもたちに話し、 神様が下さっているたくさんの物は当たり前ではなく、感謝して大切にしなければならないということを伝えました。

そして、ちょうどその話をした日から一ヶ月後に、東日本大震災が起 きたのです。「何か力になりたい!」その想いだけで、ボランティアに参加することを決めました。

私が担当したお宅:

家の中が泥だらけで全ての家具が使用できない状態でした。泥の中 からは、食器、文具、写真、洋服、ハンガー、本、木材・・・さまざまな物が混ざって出てきました。家が残っているだけでも奇跡的であ り、辺り一面になぎ倒された家屋の残骸がいっぱいで、自衛隊などの働きにより、やっと道路が見えてきたという状況でした。家の中から 出した泥と、倒れて使用できなくなっている家具を、分別して決められた場所に置く作業をしました。

おじいさんの言葉:

ここ荒浜は一番初めにニュースで三〇〇人の遺体が打ち上げられた と報道されたところですよ。近所では、自分の命を守ることに精一杯で目の前で津波にのまれていった妻子を助けられなかったと話す夫も います。火葬場に行っても誰か見分けがつかない。誰が死んだかもわからない。もう涙も出ません。この家を一人で片付けたら半年以上か かると思っていたけれど、助かりましたよ。ありがとう・・・。

地震が起きてから、外にも出ず、お風呂にも入ろうとしないおばあ さんがいたそうです。ある日、ボランティアの人から声を掛けられたことがきっかけで、少しずつ外に出るようになり、おじいさんに「ト マトの苗でも植えてみようかしら」と笑顔で言えるまでになったそうです。また、町は辺り一面泥と砂とがれきで、草も生えていない状態 となってしまいましたが、その中からひっそりとたんぽぽが咲いていました。見渡すとあちらこちらに咲いていることに気づきました。人 も植物も絶望的になった町から、前を向いて進もうとしていました。人はひとりではなかなか前に進めませんが、こうして人と人が関わ り、支え合うことで前を向いて生きていけるのです。北は北海道、南は沖縄からやってきたボランティアの人たちの温かさに触れ、また、 現地の人たちの温かさに触れた五日間でした。一日も早く、被災された方々の心が癒され、安心した暮らしができますようお祈りしていま す。(相愛教会)(西東京教区だより)

「誰かの役に立ちたい」との思いが行動 に

子どもたちが支援のために絵葉書としお り作り

千葉・浦安教会の教会学校

 「誰かの役に立ちたい」という思い は、人と人が共に生きるために大事なこととして、神さまが私たち一人ひとりにくださった大切な宝物だと思います。

東日本大震災・津波・原発事故と続く つらい出来事は、子どもたちにも「私たちも何かをしよう」という気持ちを引き起こしました。そこで浦安教会の教会学校でできることは 何かな、 と考えました。出てきた答えは、祈ること・覚えていること・自分たちの時間や労力を提供すること......。そしてその中から、しおりと絵葉書を作 り、販売をして、その収益を寄付しようというアイディアが生まれました。

紙をカットし、ピンセットで切り抜き を貼りつけ、パウチして穴をあけ、リボンを通し、袋に入れるとしおりの完成です。絵葉書のほうは、子どもたちが描いた絵をデザイン し、印刷を し、袋に入れてセットにしました。教会学校総出で作りました。多くの方々に購入していただきたいと思います。(信徒の友)

(大野寿子 おおの としこ/浦安教会 教会学校スタッフ)


 

Post-earthquake Situation at 2 Churches near Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant: Odaka Church & Iwaki-Church

The coastal area of Fukushima along the Pacific Ocean, called hamadori, is reeling from the triple disasters of the Great East Japan Earthquake, a tsunami, and nuclear radiation from the damaged nuclear power plant. Staff of the Kyodan's monthly magazine Shinto no Tomo (Believers' Friend) visited the eight churches located near the power plant and shared with their readers the following testimonies of two of those churches.

Odaka Church and Kindergarten, located within the 20-kilometer radius of the Fukushima nuclear power plant

When the earthquake struck on March 11, five kindergarten children working on their yearbook album and their parents and ten other children were in the church and kindergarten buildings. As soon as the shaking stopped and all were confirmed safe, everyone evacuated the area. Seeing that conditions were beginning to stabilize, all agreed to return again the following Monday. However, the next day a hydrogen explosion occurred at the nuclear power plant, and an evacuation recommendation was issued.

"Almost everyone expected to return home quickly. People had gone to a variety of places of refuge, and many had not taken their cell phones. At first, there was no way to contact church members or related people. While I was out in a car, searching for people, one member spotted my car by chance in Iwaki City. We were then able to connect with others, one by one. Now I have a list of where our members are located," reports Oshimo Masato, pastor of Odaka Church.

Because, like the kindergarten staff, the kindergarten children and their families were all widely scattered and it was no longer possible to continue administration of the kindergarten, Oshimo himself also returned to his parents' home in Chiba until he received communication from Seifu Kindergarten in Iwaki City, a sister kindergarten under the same license, which is part of the same Christian kindergarten association. Regretfully, from May 1 the staff had to be dismissed. However, one of the teachers was employed by Seifu Kindergarten in Iwaki City.

Regarding the church, requests for transfer of membership have come from some of the members. "We really need to call a congregational meeting, but that is now impossible with our members so widely scattered. Our thought is to convene an emergency meeting with our subdistrict and district moderators and as many members of the church board who can attend. The real desire of our members and myself is to return to Odaka and reopen the church and kindergarten, but we are stuck in a position of uncertainty, not being able to foresee our future. For Odaka, time has stopped since the earthquake. We are unable to do anything. To be honest, when people say, 'Just keep trying,' I think, 'What can I do to keep going?' Still, when I am stuck in this mood I am thankful for prayer. Somehow, keep praying with us. In this situation of not knowing what to do or how to do it, I can only try to see God's purpose in all of this," says Oshimo.

Iwaki Church, damaged by the tsunami

According to a later report, things have quieted down, but people are still not able to look ahead. In the disaster, Iwaki City sustained damage from the tsunami that left sunken fishing vessels in the harbor and homes washed away. Also, the ground under the city has liquefied, or changed in other ways. The ground under the parsonage of Iwaki Church is tilting. The new pastor, Uetake Yuko, was called to the church from Kanagawa Prefecture in April. Despite changes in the level of the ground in Iwaki City, the restoration of electric and water supply was relatively fast. However, here too, the radiation from the damaged nuclear power plants has caused widespread anxiety among citizens, especially those raising small children, and many families have evacuated. It is the same with church members. Fortunately, the city, being south of the power plants, has experienced relatively low levels of radiation, so people are becoming calmer, and from April some began to return. In a later report at the beginning of June, most of the church members had returned. Still, their feelings about the radiation issue are varied, especially for families with small children, and the decision to stay or evacuate is complicated. Some are staying and others are leaving. A few children are attending church school, but the church kindergarten teachers are in a state of anxiety about reopening, reports Uetake.

Later, Seifu Kindergarten, adjoining Iwaki Church, was able to accept children and on May 9 began its new school year. The building was damaged by the earthquake, but repairs are being made. Also, to ease the concerns of the staff about radiation, all the top soil of the kindergarten playground was removed, and now the whole kindergarten grounds are lower.

Because Seifu Kindergarten and Odaka Church Kindergarten share the same license and are part of the same Soso (soh-soh) Christian Kindergarten Association, Seifu Kindergarten is supporting Odaka Kindergarten and is offering free admission to children younger than kindergarten age whose families had evacuated from Odaka to Iwaki and remained close enough for them to attend. There were some cancellations of enrollment for the new school year, but not as many as was feared.

So Uetake is gratefully welcomed for accepting a call to the disaster area. "My own regret is that I was not present during the crisis immediately after the disaster. Among those members who have evacuated and those who have remained, I sense an ambivalent feeling," she mentioned. "Now, members of Odaka Church and Pastor Oshimo are worshipping together with Iwaki Church. The spirits of all are reviving, with some now able to look ahead while others still see no way forward. The heavy responsibility of bringing God's word to these people in this difficult situation continues." (Tr. GM)

From Shinto no Tomo (Believers' Friend)

東日本大震災 被災教会の今

福島・原発周辺で生きる教会(現地取材)

福島県の太平洋岸(浜通り)は地震・津波に加えて、原子力発電所の 事故によって放射能の不安に揺れています。そんな原発周辺の教会を訪ねました。8つの教会のうち、二つの教会の声を届けます。

原発二十キロ圏内で避難した小高伝道所と幼稚園の今

三月十一日の地震の時、伝道所・幼稚園には、卒園アルバムを作る ために園児五名とその保護者、ほかに預かり保育の子どもたち十名がいた。揺れが収まった直後に全員の無事を確認してただちに避難。状 況が落ち着いたのを見て、「また月曜日に会いましょう」と言ってその日は別れたという。しかし翌日、原発が水素爆発を起こし、避難勧 告が出た。

「ほとんどの人はすぐに帰るつもりで避難しました。施設に入所し ていた人は施設ごと避難しましたし、携帯を持たずに出た人もいて、当初は会員・関係者との連絡がとれませんでした。ある会員とは、私 が車であちこち探していた時にいわき市で偶然車を見つけて再会できました。あとは人づてに連絡をとり、今は全員どこにいるかを把握し ています」と大下正人(おおしもまさと)牧師。

牧師自身も一時は千葉の実家に帰ったが、いわき市の清風(せいふ う)幼稚園(小高教会幼稚園と同じ学校法人である相双(そうそう)キリスト教学園に属する)から声がかかり、今はいわき市で小高教会 幼稚園の園長として事務をしている。とはいえ、会員同様、幼稚園児の家族も散り散りになったために幼稚園の事業継続は不可能となり、 やむをえず五月一日付で職員を解雇した。ただ、今春採用予定だった保育士一名を清風幼稚園が採用してくれた。

伝道所のほうはすでに何人かの会員からは転会願いが出ていて、今 後のことを考えるために総会を開かなければならないが、会員が各地に散っていてそれもままならない。近々、教区議長、区長、大下牧師 に加えて役員の何名かに出席してもらい、臨時役員会を開きたいと思っている。

「会員も私も、本音を言うと小高に戻りたい、幼稚園を再開したい のです。でもその未来が見えない不安の中にずっと置かれています。小高は地震から時間が止まってしまいました。何も手つかずです。正 直、『がんばってください』と言われるたびに、『どうがんばったらいいんだろう』と思うのです。でも、そんな中でやはり思いを寄せ続 け、祈ってくださるのがありがたい。どうか今後も祈ってください。何をどうしたらいいかわからない今の状況の中で、神さまのなさる業 を感じ取っていくしかないと思っています」と大下牧師。

――――――――――――――――――

落ち着きを取り戻したが、まだ前向きになれない人も

震災によりいわき市も津波の被害を受けており、取材時、沿岸の漁 港内にはまだ船が沈み、家が流されたままだった。また市域全体に液状化を伴う地盤の変動があり、磐城(いわき)教会の牧師館の地盤も 傾いている。その教会に、四月に上竹裕子(うえたけゆうこ)牧師が神奈川県から赴任した。

いわき市は地域差はあるが、電気・水道の復旧は比較的早かった。 しかしここでも原発事故による不安が市民に広がり、特に子どもを抱える家族を中心に多くの人が一時避難した。教会員も同様だった。

幸い、原発の南に位置する同市は放射線量が比較的低レベルにとど まったことから人々も次第に落ち着きを取り戻し、四月に入ると徐々に戻り始めた。取材した六月上旬の段階では、ほとんどの会員が戻っ て来ているとのことだった。

ただ、放射能に対する対応は人によってまちまちだという。「特に 子どもを持っている家族の思いは複雑で、ここにとどまる方もいれば避難される方もいます。教会学校には数名の子どもがいましたが、保 護者の方が心配して今は開催が不安定な状況です」と上竹牧師は語る。

会堂に隣接する清風(せいふう)幼稚園では五月九日から子どもを 受け入れて新年度を始めた。地震による建て物の被害があったが補修をすませている。また、保護者の不安を取り除くために園庭の土を 削っており、庭全体が一段低くなっていた。

清風幼稚園は小高教会幼稚園と同じ学校法人の相双キリスト教学園 に属しているため、小高教会幼稚園を支援している。また被災地より避難してきた家族の幼児を無料で受け入れている。新年度、入園キャ ンセルもあったが、心配していたほどの数ではなかったそうだ。

こうした被災地の教会に赴任した上竹牧師は、「よく赴任してくだ さったと歓迎されました。でも、私は震災直後の一番大変なときにはここにおらず、教会員の中でも避難せずにとどまった方や避難された 方、それぞれに複雑な思いを持っていると感じます。今は小高伝道所の教会員や大下先生と共に礼拝を捧げています。元気を取り戻してい く人がいる一方、まだ前向きになれない人もおり、こうした方々にみ言葉を語る重責があります」とその難しさを語る。

(信徒の友より)


 

Symposium Held by the Kyodan's Disaster relief Planning Headquaters 

The Kyodan's Disaster Relief Planning Headquarters hosted a symposium at Ginza Church, Aug.29-30, on the theme "Christianity and the Crisis in Present-day Japan–Issues Raised by the Great East Japan Earthquake," which was attended by 440 participants. Four speakers–a pastor, a theologian, a Christian educator, and a Christian social worker–made presentations from their individual perspectives, and Oki Hideo, president of the postgraduate school of Seigakuin University, gave a special lecture.

The substance of this symposium was extremely valuable, so a report will be published in the future. I will introduce here only the main points of Oki Hideo's lecture, as space is limited. The theme, "Christ's Saturday," is filled with deep and penetrating insights.

The Great East Japan Earthquake caused a massive tsunami, and with "a shaking movement of the earth's foundation" attacked human society with enormous strength, plundering many lives, destroying many towns, and giving birth to a piteous situation that we can hardly bear to see. Moreover, this earthquake caused a nuclear accident, which led to radioactive contamination, and revealed various contradictions in modern society. The superficiality of politics and its deceitful nature made clear the shallow base of education. And not only that, has it not exposed the weakness of faith within the Protestant Christian church in present-day Japan? Neglecting the proclamation of the gospel of the cross and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, regarding as sufficient mere statements like "Follow Our Lord Jesus who was kind to people," such as humanists would say—these weaknesses of the church has been shattered by this great earthquake.

About the desolate scene of mountains of thoroughly devastated debris spreading out before him, one Buddhist scholar reportedly said, "sai no kawara" [referring to the hopeless state of a child]. Truly only darkness, uncertainty, and a Hades that must be resigned to are there.

However, in that Hades, Christ is reclining. As clearly confessed in the Apostle's Creed, "[Jesus Christ]... was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell...." That is to say, Christ who died on the cross on Friday descended into Hades and lay Himself down there on Saturday, the day before the Sunday when he was resurrected. Why? It was in order that he might fulfill the role of a bridge crossing over from Hades to the eternal Kingdom, not remaining in Hades, which the Buddhist scholar called sai no kawara.

Ezekiel, the prophet during a period of destruction who saw a similar scene of sai no kawara in a vision (Ezekiel 37:1-14), spoke of how "dry bones in the valley" were raised from the death. The true God puts new breath in the dry bones, resurrects them, and gives them new life. Japan is now in "the valley of dry bones." That is, we are in the dark Hades of Saturday. It appears as if there is hopelessness, darkness, and only sadness, pain, and tears. But Christ lies down in the Hades of Saturday, and furthermore, He speaks powerfully to those who are in utter despair. "Cross over me, as you would go across a bridge, and receive a new spirit!'

Christ in the Hades of Saturday is the Christ of the resurrection of Sunday. Speaking strongly about this is the mission of the present-day Protestant church. (Tr. SM)

Naito Tomeyuki, general secretary

今回は教団の『東日本大震災救援対策本部』が主催したシンポジウム について記します。

8月29日 (月)~30(火)銀座教会を会場にして開催されました。テー マ:『現代日本の危機とキリスト教―東日本大震災によって問われたことー』。発題者は4名。教会牧師の立場から、神学者の立場から、キリスト教学校教育者の立場から、キリスト教社会福祉者の立場からそ れぞれ発題されました。そして最後に大木英夫氏(聖学院大学大学院長)による特別講演がなされました。このシンポジウムは内容の濃い 会でした。後日報告書として出版される予定。出席者は440名ほどでした。

このたびは、紙面に限りがありますので、大木英夫氏の講演の要点 のみを紹介します。題は『土曜日のキリスト』。深く鋭い洞察に満ちた内容でした。

このたびの東日本大震災は大津波を引き起こし、「地の基ふるい動 く」凄まじい力で人間社会を襲い、多くの生命を奪い、多くの町並みを破壊し、目を覆いたくなるような綱領惨憺たる状況を生み出した。 また、この大地震は原発事故を誘発し、放射能汚染を生み出して現代社会のさまざまな矛盾を暴き出した。政治の軽さや欺瞞性を審き、教 育の底の浅さを明らかにした。それだけではなく、現在の日本のプロテスタントキリスト教会の信仰の虚弱さをあばいたのではないか。十 字架と復活の主キリストの福音を語ることを疎かにし、単に「人に優しくされた主イエスに倣おう」などとヒューマニストと余りかわらな いことを語ってよしとしている教会のひ弱さをこの大地震は打ち壊したのである。

ある仏教学者が、徹底的に崩壊した瓦礫の山の拡がる荒涼たる光景 を前にして「賽の河原だ」と言ったという。そこはまさに暗闇であり、無常であり、諦めしかない陰府だというわけである。

しかしながら、その陰府にキリストが横たわっている。「十字架に かかり、死にて葬られ、陰府に下り」and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, 「was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; 」the third dayと使徒信条に、はっきり告白されているとおりである。即ち、金曜日 に十字架に死なれたキリストは、日曜日に復活される前日の土曜日に位陰府に下り、そこに横たわられた。何のために?それは仏教学者が 「賽の河原だ」といわれた陰府に止まらずに、陰府を越えて永遠のみ国へと渡っていく橋の役割を果たされるためだったのである。

「賽の河原」と同じような光景を幻としてみた崩壊期の預言者エゼ キエルは「枯れた骨の谷」の復活する様を語っている(37章1~14)。 真の神は新しい霊を吹き込み、枯れた骨を復活させ、新しい生命を与えられる。今日本は「枯れた骨の谷」にいる。即ち、土曜日の暗い陰 府にいる。そこには希望が無く闇があり、悲しみと痛みと涙のみがあるように見える。しかし、土曜日の陰府にはキリストが横たわってお られ、しかも絶望の渕にある者に力強く語られる。「わたしの上を、橋を渡るように渡って行け、そして新しい霊を受けよ!!」とー。

この土曜日の陰府のキリストこそ、日曜日の復活のキリストであ る。このことを力強く語ることこそ、現代のプロテスタント教会の使命なのである。

内藤留幸 総幹事