Perspektiven für die Zukunft aus der Glaubenstradition der Brüdergemeine

Abstract

The annual conference of the Conciliar Process for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation met in Bonn from 29 to 31 October 2021, with the theme ‘Moravian Church for Future’. This title alludes to the fact that the Moravian Church has become a member of the ecumenical forum ‘Churches for Future’ and supports the aims of the ‘Fridays for Future’ Movement. This conference was to identify what this means for the Moravian Church in concrete terms. The author structures his discussion in three parts.

1. Challenges of our time, with a brief description of the current social, digital and climate-related tensions.

2. With which traditions of belief do I make connections? Here he names five traditions derived from the Moravian Church, which he briefly outlines:

a) Personal faith (‘connexion with the Saviour’). Reichel asks: ‘How can he help us to resist ideologies that hold people in contempt?’

b) Concentration on Jesus, or (as it is expressed in the new book Moravian Treasures, edited by Peter Vogt) ‘Knowing Christ as Savior’, as the central point of faith (p. 63). Here Reichel advocates discovering afresh the liberating messianic power of Jesus on the side of the oppressed and marginalized against the status quo (after Rieger).

c) Community. On this the author asks, ‘Do you share the impression that the desire for community is growing? Which forms of community (e. g. as digital network?) could you imagine in the Moravian Church, that deliberately face up to the global challenges?’

d) Diversity and solidarity. Here Reichel hopes that the worldwide Unity will become ‘a learning arena for “deep solidarity”’(Rieger): a solidarity that does not end with support for projects and aid programmes but leads to joint action.

e) Mission and dialogue. Here Reichel understands Mission as ‘participation in God’s mission, which manifests itself in Jesus’ life for justice, peace and a life in dignity for all’, as confrontation within our own church between the God of the powerless and the power structures of this world (see Joerg Rieger, Jesus versus Caesar, 2018).

In conclusion, Reichel mentions three demands that cannot be derived from the Moravian Church’s own tradition:

a) care and respect for all life, against the destruction of the habitats of people, animals and plants;

b) a new economy of sufficiency, which opposes growth mania and spending mania;

c) the Moravian Church as a true church of peace