For Western Christians, the first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new church year. Looking back, it is with sadness that we must acknowledge that even in the past year, there are places in the world where the peace of Christmas neither reaches nor arrives. As long as someone in humanity suffers, others cannot be completely carefree and happy. Instead of Christmas peace, there is the absence of Christmas peace – a state of unrest during Christmas.

The people of Ukraine are facing their third consecutive wartime Christmas. The peace of Christmas has been violently stolen from them. Instead of sending messages of peace and blessings for the Christmas season to the Ukrainian branch of the Slavic linguistic tree, the Kremlin, with the blessing of priests, dispatches rockets and drones that not only destroy the peace and joy of Christmas but also take human lives every single day.

Even in the land where the Christ child Jesus was born and traveled from village to village proclaiming the message of peace, there is no peace. In Bethlehem, surrounded by a high wall, there is a profound yearning for the angelic song, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14), to become a reality in the very city where Jesus was born. Jerusalem, through whose gates Jesus rode on a donkey, still awaits the arrival of the Prince of Peace. At the Western Wall, Jews pray; in Gaza, children who have lost their parents cry. Instead of peace, there are tears and the thirst for vengeance.

Hope aimed at the future

The past church year was historic for the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK) for several reasons. After more than eight years, we were once again able to gather for the Church Days and Clerical Song Festival, singing and rejoicing in a joy that spread across the land. The celebration, held on the midsummer cultural heritage stage in Viljandi, featured a choir of thousands and an equally large audience, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. For a people burdened by war, it brought, if only briefly, peace to the heart and joy to the face.

The long-anticipated event, carefully prepared by organizers with a heartfelt and uplifting repertoire, was made accessible to all television viewers thanks to the support of the Ministry of the Interior, as well as the cooperation and professionalism of the national broadcaster's team.

This year also marked a generational shift in the leadership of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Long-serving bishops Tiit Salumäe and Joel Luhamets handed over their responsibilities to their successors: Bishop Ove Sander, Bishop Anti Toplaan and Bishop Marko Tiitus. The church's governing council welcomed its youngest-ever member. At the time of his election, 26-year-old Mattias Haamer joined the council as an assessor, tasked alongside other members with the challenge of finding ways for the church's message to resonate more effectively with the younger generation.

On the eve of May Day, the EELK synod made history by deciding to restore the pre-Reformation ecclesiastical territorial division of Estland and Livland, almost in its original form. The EELK is now territorially divided into four dioceses: the Archbishopric of Tallinn, the Diocese of Northern Estonia, the Diocese of Saare-Lääne and the Diocese of Southern Estonia. I hope that the direct connection between the bishops and clergy, congregational leaders and members will bring the increasingly fragmented church closer together.

This year, Estonia's only Christian weekly newspaper, Eesti Kirik (Estonian Church), celebrated its centenary and marked the occasion by making a digital leap. In addition to the print edition, the paper now also appears as a digital publication. Whether this step ensures the paper's sustainability and continuity for another century remains to be seen. Experience and faith affirm that whatever is blessed by God endures. I believe this will also hold true for Eesti Kirik.

Trust and the will to defend

Polarization in the world is deepening and the balance that guarantees peace is fragile. Whenever someone gains a dominant advantage over others in any confrontation, democracy becomes brittle.

No one can predict what the world will look like after the next president of the United States takes office. In the country with the world's largest economy and military power, the balance of power will shift dramatically compared to the current administration. Such a change could either create new stability or extinguish any hope of it.

History shows that when someone wins elections with a significant majority, all the promises made before and during the campaign tend to be forgotten and the ends start justifying the means. Unfortunately, this is no different here at home.

The words spoken by then-Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in the Reform Party's 2023 election platform sound exceedingly hollow now, given that the economic downturn has lasted almost the entire time Estonia has been governed by coalitions led by the same party: "We understand that in a time when one crisis follows another, people must be able to rely on their state and feel that no one is left alone in difficult times." Now, I feel that those words have come true in a somewhat paradoxical way. In difficult times, the people have held together, but the government has been left alone.

This is confirmed by the results of the Government Office's latest survey, according to which the number of people who distrust their leaders rose above 50 percent immediately after the 2023 elections and the formation of the coalition. Since then, the deepening distrust has shown a consistent upward trend. This appears to be the only long-term plan the coalition has to show, aside from its marathon of tax hikes.

People place their hopes in the state and love Estonia, but to paraphrase a popular pun, I must admit that I don't know anyone who knows anyone who trusts the decisions of the current rulers and is satisfied with them.

At the end of the third quarter, barely a third of survey participants expressed trust in the Riigikogu and the government. Only 2 percent fully trusted the Riigikogu, while 25 percent somewhat trusted it. The government received full trust from 4 percent and partial trust from 27 percent. Conversely, 68 percent expressed distrust in the Riigikogu, while 64 percent distrusted the government.

When I think about how public distrust of leaders affects people's will to defend the nation, I find reassurance only in the fact that public trust in the Defense Forces remains high at 73 percent, and trust in the police is even higher at 82 percent. President Alar Karis also enjoys the trust of 65 percent of the population.

As for the public's trust in the church, the Government Office has not conducted any surveys. However, the church's mission is not to please everyone but to fulfill the task given by Christ and, in doing so, to serve the entire population, including those who dislike or distrust the church. In this respect, we share a similar mission with the leaders of the state.

EELK as a conservative liberal church

In mainstream media, one can find opinions about the church's deepening conservatism. Niche media, on the other hand, accuses the church of liberalizing.

In Estonia, it is customary to juxtapose conservatism and liberalism, but these are not truly opposing ideological currents. Most Estonian conservatives are liberals because, while unwaveringly standing for the Estonian nation, language and culture, they also firmly support freedom of speech, voting rights, entrepreneurial freedom, freedom of thought, freedom of religion and other principles representing a liberal democratic order and an individual-centered worldview.

Conservatism, as a worldview rooted in preservation, respect for tradition and timeless values, does not clash with liberalism but rather with a progressive worldview. The latter advocates for constant innovation, endless development, growth and the social reforms necessary to achieve them – often shaking timeless values and eroding cultural roots.

Considering the role of the church in a Western society that often aggressively pursues progressive development, which includes Estonia, it is crucial for the church to embody a conservative liberal identity. This means, on the one hand, being conservatively steadfast and enduring in its teachings, values and traditions while continuously preserving and reinterpreting its confessional identity.

On the other hand, the church must see itself as part of the modern liberal society. It must remain open to dialogue, willing to question its role and mission in an increasingly secular environment and offer answers grounded in the teachings of the Bible and its interpretation – answers that are rephrased in a way that resonates with contemporary people.

If the church, in a changing world, refuses to rephrase answers to the questions posed by each successive generation and fails to translate the Scriptures into language comprehensible to people today, it abandons the conservative liberal mission Christ entrusted to it. This mission requires readiness for dialogue while steadfastly adhering to Jesus' commands (cf. Matthew 28:20).

If the church refrains from engaging in contemporary theological discourse and does not actively create theology but relies solely on previously established dogmas without rearticulating them for today, healthy conservatism regresses. Such regression leads back to a place where there is no neighbor to address or serve – only lifeless letters and rigid norms remain.

Strategy of theological discussion

As in society at large, the church has in recent years seen an increase in divisions over contentious issues. A way out of societal polarization must be found together. In this regard, the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church seeks to act decisively and has set a goal to learn to address difficult matters in a spirit of communion, pastoral care and prophetic insight.

This requires greater attention to theological discussions on issues that have added tensions to society. Believing that theological dialogue cannot threaten the religious identity or faith assurance of any church member but instead provides an opportunity to share convictions and test one's personal faith, we have developed and approved the "Theological Discussion Strategy for 2024-2029."

The strategy, which we will begin implementing in the coming years, outlines the creation of good practices for theological dialogue and specifies the topics we aim to address. We hope to begin next year by tackling the authority and interpretation of the Bible as well as questions of Lutheran identity. Following this, we plan to delve into issues such as stewardship of creation and environmental sustainability, the sanctity and beginnings of life, gender and sexuality, the meaning and sanctity of marriage and questions about the end of life, death and eternal life.

By the end of the decade, we aim to address the gospel and the church's mission in Estonia, along with questions about the Eucharist and communion. Through internal church discussions, we seek to foster an open and civilized culture of debate among different perspectives and opinions, aspiring to set an example for society as a whole.

Challenges of religious freedom

In the upcoming year of our Lord 2025, Christians worldwide will once again have the rare opportunity to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the same date, as Easter will fall at the same time in both the Eastern and Western churches. This offers a moment to emphasize the willingness to collaborate, the spirit of communion and the expression of love for one's neighbor.

This is particularly significant in Estonia, where ideological and canonical divisions are no longer confined to patriarchs far apart but are increasingly evident among Orthodox believers in the "Land of Mary," as well as between linguistic and ethnic groups. Defending and preserving freedom has brought the question of religious freedom into sharper focus in a state without an established church, where the government must respect the autonomy of churches and avoid interference in religious and church life.

Russia's war in Ukraine has highlighted the issue of religious freedom in Estonia more acutely than perhaps ever since the restoration of independence. Several pressing questions are in the air:

Is the legal and canonical affiliation of the Moscow Patriarchate's Estonian Orthodox Church with Patriarch Kirill, a church leader who supports and blesses the war, a security threat to Estonia's independence and its people? Is breaking the legal ties sufficient to mitigate security risks, or is it not enough?

Does the minister's assertive demand for the severance of canonical ties constitute interference in the church's autonomy and, therefore, an infringement on religious freedom? What would such a precedent for one church mean for other churches, for the broader religious community and for the long-term exercise of personal and collective faith?

In a country without a state church or a state-enforced belief system, there should be no situation where atheism, officially and openly favored, stealthily becomes the state's de facto ideology. In my view, signs of such tendencies are particularly noticeable in how Estonia organizes its educational system.

A petition initiated a year ago by the Lutheran Church to include non-confessional religious education as a compulsory subject at all school levels succeeded to the extent that, in October of this year, the Riigikogu's Cultural Affairs Committee held a public hearing on the matter.

During the discussion, where I participated as a representative of the Lutheran Church alongside Bishop Marko Tiitus, I posed the question: Why, in a knowledge-based, pluralistic, open and democratic country like the Republic of Estonia, is religious education not taught to all students, but only to a selected, almost privileged portion of our new generation?

Why is it that only some students have the opportunity to consciously acquire and critically assess knowledge, skills and attitudes that support their moral development, responsible ethical life skills and worldview formation – factors that underpin mutual understanding, respect, openness and readiness for dialogue and cooperation? Do the rest of the students not need this?

Could some of the issues troubling society – polarization, mental health crises, cultural and ideological conflicts – be better managed if all future generations possessed a better foundation in religious literacy?

Faith confessed

Religious freedom includes the inalienable right to live according to one's faith and to profess it openly. This makes the decision of the Estonian Council of Churches to dedicate the coming year to the theme "Confessed Faith" especially significant. The year 2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the formulation of the Nicene Creed. This creed unites the global Christian community and serves as a foundational cornerstone of Christian culture. In the face of the challenges of a secular society, the public profession of shared faith by all churches in Estonia holds profound meaning. Whether this endeavor succeeds depends on the strength of ecumenical cooperation and the willingness to work together.

The future remains unknown to us, but like the present, it rests in God's firm and blessing hands, giving us the courage to step forward in faith.

I wish everyone a peaceful and beautiful Advent season, a joyful anticipation of Christmas and a blessed new year in the Lord that is soon to arrive!

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