Europe has a unique Christian tradition. When emperor Theodosius made orthodox Christianity to be the exclusive public religion in the Roman Empire in 380 AD, nobody could know that Christianity would remain to be an integral part of many states in Europe until 1918. Traditional ties were removed then, but more than 50 % of the inhabitants of Lower-Saxony in Germany f. ex. are still members of the Lutheran “Landeskirche”. Christianity seems or seemed to be an integral part of national identity, forming a “Volkskirche”. State authorities collect taxes for the Mainline-Churches in Germany, which do not live on donations to that extent as many Churches do in the rest of the world.

Most churches outside Europe are organized in different ways ("free church system") and do not enjoy the same priviliges. Visitors coming to Germany, joining congregations are astonished when they hear that 4000 people are members but not more than 80 show up in worship on Sundays. Aren’t all these Churches and many of their Christian members “dead”? What is behind the German system of organizing Christianity? But why is it the case that European Churches still finance major parts of the budgets in ecumenical organisations on the Protestant or the Vatican on the Catholic side? Does Christian Europe in some regards benefit Christians all over the world still today? Is German Church Law a model for organzing religious bodies serving the society? The German government offers Muslim groups public organisation as council on the same line with that what the Jewish population already established long time ago. But the model for this type of organisation is taken from the status of the Christian mainline churches in Germany.

The International Summer School in the Missionseminary Hermannsburg wants to deal with these questions in order to inform about and create understanding for the German and European situation, to promote Churches engagement in Democracy, to challenge discussion. Lecturers from the Missionseminary, the mission and Churches will expose biblical and historical concepts of Church/ Mission – State Relations. The subject of Church, Mission and state is not only exposed theoretically, but illustrated by excursions to sights in Northern Germany. A mission agency celebrating its annual festival is the host confronting with mission work of today. And surely trips will give the chance to see the places where Martin Luther lived and taught, but also the capital of Germany, the fascinating city of Berlin.

Costs:

1500,- € (including accommodation, meals, teaching, trips, guided tours according to the programme)

Time:

13th of June – 4th of July 2010

Place:

Missionseminary,
Missionsstr. 3-5

29320 Hermannsburg

Coordinator:

Dr. Jobst Reller
Lect. Church History/ Practical Theology
Rec. Lect. Univ. of Birmingham/ UK; School of Mission and Theology,
Stavanger/ N
                      
All details about program, application a. s. o. may be downloaded (before 15th of  May): www.missionsseminar.de Summer School

Welcome to join us and our Summer School!