Emmanuel's Story: A glimpse into the CCCW 2022 Summer Institute

Name: Emmanuel Fosu
Home Country: Ghana
Programme: CCCW Summer Institute 2022

July 2022, RCF partnered with the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide to bring emerging faith leaders from across the global North and South to reflect on the theme: Grief, Resilience, and Hope amid the Pandemic. Participant Emmanuel shares how interacting with RCF's work shaped him.

I am Emmanuel Fosu from Ghana. I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree at the Vienna School of International Studies. I traveled to Cambridge in July, 2022 in the hopes of expanding my intellectual knowledge and expertise by drawing on my personal experience from my prior intercultural learning. I was able to accomplish that at the gatherings held by the Rose Castle Foundation (RCF), where I got the chance to share my experiences with people from different countries. My personal experience with the Covid-19 outbreak made the workshops put on by the RCF much more relevant to me. Even though I was occasionally sad about the Covid-19 experiences, but my Christian faith played a crucial role in keeping me going. My faith was strengthened by the lessons I learned from the workshops, especially following Lakshmi's presentation of the 12 habits of a reconciler.

RCF interactive workshop.

I had the chance to converse and interact with people from various religious backgrounds during those workshops and get-togethers, which was very enlightening and eye-opening. We discussed topics like lament, forgiveness, hope, stewardship, creativity, gratitude, hospitality, curiosity, generosity, empathy, humility, and vulnerability. Additionally, Sarah provided intuitive and illuminating lessons, which greatly improved my abilities. 

For my own development and improvement as an academic, I think that knowledge should be shared and put to use, Rose Castle Foundation was really helpful in that regard. The people who attended the programs all had different experiences, and because their encounters served as models for my own experiences, I gained a lot from them. 

I recall the time we were all seated in a circle on the floor with some cards laid out in front of us in the center. Everyone was asked to choose a card and share their understanding of the information on it. Written on each card was a word, which have several meanings related to the steps toward reconciliation. Throughout the discussions, reconciliation was recognized as one of the most difficult issues and the most pressing human need. In the contentious, violent, and uncaring society we live in, the Church has a significant role to play as a community of reconcilers. Reconciliation essentially entails reviving relationships that have been destroyed or harmed. To let go of the damaging effects of the past and painful memories is a difficult effort. Therefore, reconciliation requires patience, humility, and time.

12 Habits of a Reconciler Workshop.

After giving these ideas gained from the RCF workshops on reconciliation some thought upon my return to Vienna, I came to the conclusion that since life is too short to dwell on misunderstandings, making amends is the wisest course of action. Living in the present, despite how painful the past is, is what forgiveness is all about. It is a sign of my spiritual fortitude and self-assurance that I am able to forgive people who have wronged me in the past. I was not weak in forgiving people in the past. Now, I have a strong desire to maintain my capacity for forgiving, no matter what. Also, I had the idea that while anger simply leads to spiritual sickness, forgiveness will pave the way for me to know the path ahead.

All in all, the World Christianity Summer Institute 2022 hosted by Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide in partnership with the Theological Education in the Anglican Communion and Rose Castle Foundation served as a venue for Christians to come together, support one another in their faith, and gain knowledge of and teaching about God's Word. Additionally, it gave me a chance and space to learn more intellectually about the Christian world.

CCCW Summer Institute 2022 Cohort.