Unlearning the Past: Shaping the Future Replacing Past Ideologies in Post-Communist Latvia with Biblical Truth

The purpose of this dissertation is to show how and why a Center for Biblical Studies was established at the Latvian Christian College in Eastern Europe. Its premise is that although the demise of communism brought political, economic, and religious freedom, it did not bring inner freedom. Inner freedom is freedom from the ideologies of the past and all their destructive dehumanization; it is spiritual freedom that changes who people are, what they believe, and the way they live. Jesus spoke of this freedom when he said, 'You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free'

The ideologies of the past must be replaced with biblical truth in order to bring transformation to Latvian society and culture. This process is not an intellectual process but an encounter with Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Truth, as He is revealed in Scripture. The fifty-year legacy of communistic ideology in Latvia has left a deep void in biblical and theological thought. At the same time, there is a deep longing for meaning and purpose as Latvians try to cope with the emptiness and futility in their daily experience. The need for spiritual truth is visible, but the solution is difficult due to the lack of biblical scholarship in Latvia.

It is apparent that scholars from Western Europe, the United States, and Canada are needed to bring biblical truth to Latvian students as part of their regular academic studies. As these students graduate, they will be able to reflect the Incarnate Christ as they take their place in the marketplace of Latvian society.