Hometown Skyline

The skyline of my hometown – like that of many other European cities – is dominated by historic church towers. But societies nowadays are far away from the beliefs of their forefathers that caused them to build these churches. These churches are still appreciated and visited by a great number of people but more for the architectural beauty and cultural richness they represent than for the beliefs and values they stand for.

Don’t people realize that these beliefs are part of the worldview, of the identity of their ancestors, that not only enabled them to build such magnificent buildings but also that sparked developments in many other areas of life – like the so-called industrial revolution? This attitude that neglects the source of one’s own accomplishments and blessings is well described by the prophet Isaiah: “The ox knows its master and the donkey its owner’s crib, but my people do not understand.”