In many churches, there are currently discussions about structural reforms, mission statements and new forms of church activities. But often the horizon of the discussions does not reach beyond the individual church. And a widespread charge in the discussions (e.g. in Germany) is that economic paradigms are more important than ecclesiological reflections. But what can be the criteria for the “ecclesia semper reformanda”?
The Community of Protestant Churches in Europe serves to realize the church fellowship between its member churches, especially by common realization of witness and service and further theological work. It is based on the Leuenberg Agreement (1973), which reflects an implicite ecclesiology, elaborated in further doctrinal studies of CPCE.
The conference in Berlin will be the prelude of a consultation process that is commissioned by the CPCE Council and will be conducted with young ecumenicists (up to 35 years), theologians and non-theologians from member churches, associated organizations and universities. After autumn 2009, working groups will work on their own hands. Their results will be compiled in one or two further consultations and shall be on hand at the CPCE General Assembly in 2012.
The consultation process shall analyze different projects of church renewal, look at the ecclesiological foundations and examine whether there are possibilities of cooperation in witness and service to the world. The challenges coming from the charismatic movements on the one hand and from the growing secularism on the other hand shall be given special attention.
Dr. Rüdiger Sachau
Dr. Erika Godel
Evangelische Akademie zu Berlin
Prof. Dr. Martin Friedrich
Community of Protestant Churches in Europe
Friday, October 16 th 2009
17.00 Registration
18.00 Dinner
19.30 Introduction
Dr. Erika Godel
Prof. Dr. Martin Friedrich
20.00 Church Renewal in the Protestant Churches in Northern Europe:
The Case of the Church of Norway
Turid Skorpe Lannem, cand. phil., Research Fellow at MF - Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo
21.00 Discussion
Saturday, October 17th 2009
8.00 Morning Devotion
Dr. Erika Godel
9.00 Ecclesiological reflections in regard to chosen projects of church renewal in Germany
Dr. Henning Theißen, Assistent at the Theological Faculty in Greifswald, Germany
10.30 Coffee break
11.00 Communion in witness and service
The ecclesiological model of the Leuenberg Agreement and its relevance for church renewal processes
Prof. Dr. Martin Friedrich, Study Secretary of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe, Vienna
12.30 Lunch
15.00 Coffee/ tea
15.30 The consultation process on “New Challenges in Social Justice for the Protestant Churches”
A retrospect and some ideas for structuring the new process
Rev. Kristina Herbold Ross, Edinburgh
16.15 Plenary discussion and / or working groups:
How to structure the new consultation process
18.30 Dinner
19.30 Continuation of the discussion about structuring the new consultation process
Sunday, October 18th 2009
09.00 Departure (by bus) to the Berlin Cathedral
10.00 Participation in the Service at the Cathedral
(simultaneous translation in English)
11.00 Guided tour in the Cathedral
11.45 Evaluation of the conference, summary and appointments regarding the future work
End of the conference about 13.00
