ISKCON Communications Europe Leadership Team
BY: SUN STAFF
Apr 10, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (SUN) We are pleased to invite you all to this years ICELT (ISKCON Communications Europe Leadership Team) meetings. They are at Radhadesh from 18-22 April.
This year we give special focus on our relationship with Europe and European culture. For most of us this is our prabhu-datta-desa - most of us come from this culture. Do we understand it as well as we think we do? How much of it do we carry with us? How does it affect our understanding of Vaisnava philosophy? What are its guiding principles and what is our attitude towards these? How well do we need to understand these issues if we are to preach successfully here?
These questions and more are being asked with special reference to the events and history of ISKCON in France and Germany, but have implications for all of us.
We will also be examining one of our most important preaching tools - consideration of time place and circumstance. We’ll also take a day out to visit the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) and the American Seminary in Louvain to hear Catholic perspectives on the issues at hand.
ISKCON Communication Europe Leadership Team (ICELT) meetings are an annual sanga and think-tank that provide thoughtful analysis in a devotional atmosphere. These meetings are for anyone involved in preaching and who would like to share their thoughts and experiences. It is an opportunity to step back from the hurly-burly and consider the implications and direction of our preaching.
For registrations or any other queries contact me.
The programme, in brief, is as follows.
DAY ONE: ISKCON in Europe: Where am I and what am I doing here?
Morning
(1) Introductions and orientation (60 mins)
(2) Session: Europe, ISKCON and the Future (90 mins plus break) Saunaka Rsi Dasa
What expectations does Europe have of its citizens, including ISKCON and its members? We will deal with issues of modernity, including freedom, fundamentalism, democracy, individualism, science, and secularism. How can ISKCON respond to Europe’s expectations? Is there a definite strategy? What has our response been to date? Do we integrate, assimilate or maybe isolate? How European are we or how European do we want to be?
Afternoon
(3) Session: Bhrgupada Dasa (90 mins) With special reference to his studies of the Gaudiya Matha in Europe in the 1930s, Bhrgupada asks: What is our relationship with European society? What are our values? To what extent are they the same or different? Why? Do we understand Europe? Or do we just think we do?
(4) Plenary (75 Mins)
DAY TWO
Morning
Retreat: Trnad api sunicena How do we apply respect, humility and tolerance as the basis for our preaching.
Afternoon: Time, Place, Cynicism What is our understanding of time, place, and circumstance?
Session: Am I a Hindu? Yes, no, when it suits me. (60 mins) Rembert Lutjeharms
Session: Opportunity or opportunism?(60 mins) Akhandadhi Dasa Our campaigns sometimes lean on values such as democracy and equal rights or our role as representatives of Hinduism. After the campaign, what is our approach to these values? Do our former allies view us as opportunists?
Session: Overview and discussion (60 mins) Anuttama Dasa Where is the balance between “time, place, and circumstance” and integrity? Is there a conflict? Should there be a conflict?
(External audience) Do we use time, place, and circumstance as an excuse to avoid our duty? (Internal audience) Discussion
DAY THREE: Big Day Out!
Aprox 22 Euros extra inc. prasadam
9.45am depart Radhadesh
11.30am Meet with Rector Kevin Codd of American College at Louvain. The American College is a seminary founded in the 19th century by the American Bishops Conference to train US priests. The Rector will speak with us on their approach to issues such as secularism and how they deal with changing society.
1pm Picnic lunch and Tour Louvain
4pm Prof. Rick Torfs at Catholic University of Louvain. Catholic church’s historical response to the concerns we are dealing with now.
5.30 pm Depart Louvain
7pm Arrive Radhadesh for Pizza! (included in cost, alternatives available)
DAY FOUR: The Clash of the Cultures!!!
Morning
Session: Clash (90 mins) Virabhadra Dasa To what extent is the difficult history due to cultural clash? Which cultures? Is it as simple as Vedic vs. Western? How Vedic is the West and how Western are we? How Vedic are we and how much of what is proposed as Western culture is actually accepted?
Session: Preaching (90 mins) Saunaka Rsi Dasa Do we serve Europe or wait for Europe to serve us? We all agree it is the essence, but what does it mean? Are we preaching effectively to our audiences? Are we even preaching to the choir?
Afternoon
Focus on France
DAY FIVE
Morning Reports, trends, and direction
Afternoon Wrapping it all up Open session
LOGISTICS
Radhadesh. Tues 18 till Sat 22 April 2006.
Cost 100 Euros including all accomodation (shared guesthouse room), prasadam, and meetings.
22 Euros extra for outing on day three.
Transport. Very easy. Trains to Marloie, flights to Brussels National (Virgin Express do cheap flights to here) or Charleroi
(Brussels South) with Ryanair.
Car from airports/train station to Radhadesh. From Brussels National 60 euros per car From Charleroi 50 euros per car From Marloie 10 euros per car These costs are shared between however many passengers there are. Contact us to see if others are travelling at the same time to share costs.
To register or for any other enquiries contact me, Lal Krishna Dasa.
Your servant,
Lal Krishna Dasa
Bhaktivedanta College
