Testament of Dom Christian De Cherge OCSO

This testament was composed by Dom Christian de Cherge in Algiers, December 1, 1993 and produced in Tibhirine, January 1, 1994. It was opened on Pentecost Sunday, 1996, shortly after Dom Christian and others of his Trappist community were murdered in Algeria.  It is one of the most moving testaments concerning faith in Christ I have ever read:

If it should happen one day—and it could be today—that I become a victim of the terrorism which now seems ready to encompass all the foreigners in Algeria, I would like my community, my Church, my family, to remember that my life was given to God and to this country. To accept that the One Master of all life was not a stranger to this brutal departure. I would like them to pray for me: how worthy would I be found of such an offering?

I would like them to be able to associate this death with so many other equally violent ones allowed to fall into the indifference of anonymity. My life has no more value than any other. Nor any less value. In any case, it has not the innocence of childhood. I have lived long enough to know that I share in the evil which seems, alas, to prevail in the world, and even in that which would strike me blindly. I should like, when the time comes, to have a space of lucidity which would enable me to beg forgiveness of God and of my fellow human beings, and at the same time to forgive with all my heart the one who would strike me down.

I could not desire such a death. It seems to me important to state this. I don’t see, in fact, how I could rejoice if the people I love were indiscriminately accused of my murder. It would be too high a price to pay for what will be called, perhaps, the “grace of martyrdom” to owe this to an Algerian, whoever he may be, especially if he says he is acting in fidelity to what he believes to be Islam.

I know the contempt in which Algerians taken as a whole can be engulfed. I know, too, the caricatures of Islam which encourage a certain idealism. It is too easy to give oneself a good conscience in identifying this religious way with the fundamentalist ideology of its extremists. For me, Algeria and Islam is something different. It is a body and a soul. I have proclaimed it often enough, I think, in view of and in the knowledge of what I have received from it, finding there so often that true strand of the Gospel learned at my mother’s knee, my very first Church, precisely in Algeria, and already respecting believing Muslims.

My death, obviously, will appear to confirm those who hastily judged me naive or idealistic: “Let him tell us now what he thinks of it!” But these must know that my insistent curiosity will then be set free. This is what I shall be able to do, if God wills: Immerse my gaze in that of the Father, to contemplate with Him His children of Islam as He sees them, all shining with the glory of Christ, fruit of His Passion, filled with the Gift of the Spirit whose secret joy will always be to establish communion and to refashion the likeness, playing with the differences.

This life lost, totally mine and totally theirs, I thank God who seems to have wished it entirely for the sake of that JOY in and in spite of everything. In this THANK YOU which is said for everything in my life, from now on, I certainly include you, friends of yesterday and today, and you, O my friends of this place, besides my mother and father, my sisters and brothers and their families, a hundredfold as was promised!

And you too, my last minute friend, who will not know what you are doing, Yes, for you too I say this THANK YOU AND THIS “A-DIEU”-—to commend you to this God in whose face I see yours. And may we find each other, happy “good thieves” in Paradise, if it please God, the Father of us both. . . AMEN!

© Monastic Inter-Religious Dialogue, from Bulletin 55, May 1996

OF GODS AND MEN

On Friday, after the frustrations and annoyances of Christmas shopping in the West End of London , I went to see the film, Of Gods and Men.  Chris had told me about it some months away - but what I wasn't prepared for was the impact of this powerful French movie which tells the (true) story of a group of seven Cistercian monks who, in 1996, were abducted from their remote monastery in Algeria.  At that time there was an outbreak of Islamic terrorism in the country and it is this growing menace which provides the background of the narrative.

The title of the film comes from Psalm 82: 'Now I say to you, "You are gods, and all of you children of the Most High" and it deals with the personal response of these monks as they face the probability of violent death.  The story revolves around the daily life of this Cistercian community as they pray, study and work.  Much of the film is in silence and the only background music is that provided by the rich, modern French chant which is so hauntingly beautiful (and stands in stark contrast to Anglican chant) and the choice of texts used helps to highlight the dilemma of these Cistercians.  This is a film which uncompromisingly deals with ethics and morals consequent upon theology and faith which is centred on the celebration of Christmas.  Therefore is asks the viewer to contemplate the choice which these religious must make as they consider that God incarnated Himself in our humanity.  And, over the years, around this community has grown a village of Muslim peasants who are unable to leave their homes as the Islamic terrorists draw closer.

The title seems to point to the fact that these Cistercians are completely human whilst called to embrace divinity.  There are moments of high human drama and the monks exhibit all the emotions one would expect in such a situation.  To leave or to stay; to save their own lives or live out their monastic calling.  This is the agonising choice they must make individually and as a community. 

The film reaches its climax after they come to the conclusion that they will stay.  Having made the decision the brothers are shown sharing in a meal: to the crescendo of  'The Dying Swan' from Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' this is, movingly, their Last Supper, with its overtones of Passion of Christ. 

One is not shown the circumstances of their death and the final moments are taken up with them being marched into the forests one snowy day.  No doubt Xavier Beauvois, the Director of the film, was aware of the full text of Psalm 82 from which these two verses provide the title:

'Now I say to you, "You are gods,
and all of you children of the Most High.

'"Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,
and fall like any prince."'

Arise, O God, and rule the earth,
for you shall take all nations as your own.

Of Gods and Men

THE CHURCH AND EQUALITY

Once again religious groups are being allowed to act in a discrimiatory manner.  As a parish priest and Governor of our Diocesan Comprehensive, I view with alarm the proposal to allow Faith Schools to opt out of teaching certain aspects of Sex Education. In particular, I am concerned that this will allow such schools not to promote equality for gay and lesbian people. It is clear that many gay and lesbian children already suffer abuse within their schools: any opt-out will only underline their vulnerability and help create a divided society. 

I deeply regret that, once again, the Church of England is supporting discrimination: whilst it may excercise a more liberal approach in these matters, I fear that other relgious groups - fundamentalist Christian and Muslim, for example - would emphasise that gay and lesbian people are rejected by God, thus lending support to those who would bully and persecute them.

I think this poem, by Maya Angelou, should be sent to all our relgious leaders.  I know it's written about black women, but it seems like a cry for all whose identities are suppressed, who suffer abuse and who would be silenced by these religious leaders.  It might make them pause and consider...

STILL I RISE
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.