Berliner Missionwerk

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Berliner Missionwerk
(BMW)
legal form Church work
founding February 29, 1824 in Berlin
Seat Berlin
Office Berlin
precursor Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Missions among the Gentiles
motto connected in worldwide partnership
purpose We help to ensure that more and more people can live in peace , freedom and dignity today and in the future
method We meet everyone with understanding , sensitivity and openness . We maintain a respectful and at the same time critical dialogue , also in ecumenical and interreligious contexts. The close connections to our worldwide partner churches broaden our view and sharpen our responsibility for the development of worldwide Christianity.
Action space worldwide
Chair Christof Theilemann (Director)
owner EKBO , Evangelical Church of Anhalt , Jerusalem Association, German East Asia Mission
Website berliner-missionswerk.de

The Berlin Mission was in 1824 as a society for the promotion of the Evangelical Missions among the nations established to missionary activity to support. In 1908 the name was changed to Berliner Missionsgesellschaft (BMG) , and in 1992 to Berliner Missionswerk (BMW) . Today it sees itself as a supporter of partner churches on several continents.

The mission work is supported by the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia and the Evangelical Church of Anhalt and belongs to the Evangelical Mission in Germany (EMW) . It maintains links with partner churches in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia and Cuba.

The Berliner Missionswerk pursues four focal points with its work: fellowship between the churches, commitment to human rights and development, church partnerships between congregations worldwide and ecumenical learning , which takes place, for example, in the volunteer program.

history

19th century

founding

As a society for the promotion of the evangelical missions among the pagans , today's Berliner Missionswerk was founded in 1824 and approved by the king. His goal was initially to support existing mission institutes. For this reason, networking with the existing Basel Mission , Barmer Mission , London Mission and Paris Mission Society was one of the first activities of the Society's committee. In 1829 the work of the own mission seminar began in Berlin.

South Africa

The first missionaries to be sent out arrived in Cape Town (in present-day South Africa) in 1834 and founded the Bethanien mission station in the interior southwest of Bloemfontein , in the Koranna area . From there, the Berlin Mission spread further into the Xhosa area and the Natal colony (today's province of KwaZulu-Natal ). The missionary work in South Africa continued into new areas in the 1860s, in the Transvaal the missionaries had to prevail against the Boers , who were strictly against the proselytizing of the Africans, in Swaziland they drew the wrath of the local king because they had him did not want to deliver guns and powder. With the beginning of the industrialization of South Africa, which began so early in only a few places, and the increasing importance of the cities, the missionaries also had to adapt their work; among other things, they established several mission stations in the Johannesburg region .

Spin-off from Gossner

As a result of disputes, Johannes Goßner withdrew from the committee of the Berlin Mission in 1836 and shortly afterwards began sending missionaries himself. The Gossner Mission that emerged from it still exists today .

The mission house

The mission house (in lighter brick; 1873) with its extension (in deep red brick; end of the 19th century) and the new extension (clinker brick; 1996) is now part of the Evangelical Center of the EKBO.

The first own mission house in Berlin was inaugurated in 1838. Despite an extension, it became too small for the growing number of employees and seminarians. The mission house on the corner of Friedenstrasse and Georgenkirchstrasse on Friedrichshain was built as a new building in 1873 , at that time far out on the outskirts of the city.

Mission Director Wangemann

An important mission director for the Berliner Missionsgesellschaft was Hermann Wangemann , who was in office as successor to Johann Christian Wallmann from 1865 until his death in 1894. Immediately after taking office, he went on a well-documented visitation tour through South Africa and made another trip to South Africa in 1884. On the fundamental questions of missionary work, he wrote a mission order for the Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Missions among the Gentiles in Berlin until 1881 .

China

In the 19th century there were three mission associations for China in Berlin and Stettin. Upon repeated request, the Berlin Mission took over the work in China in 1882 and soon dispatched the first missionaries. Difficulties in China have been the exposure to climate and tropical diseases, and an aversion to foreigners, which has been strengthened by the government. Missionary work in China focused on supporting schools, combining teaching with evangelism, medical care for poor people and an orphanage called "Bethesda" in Hong Kong, where abandoned girls were raised.

East Africa

The beginning of the missionary work in what was then German East Africa is related to the beginning of colonial enthusiasm in Germany . First of all, the "German-East African Mission Society" was founded in Berlin in 1886 to consolidate colonial aspirations. In order to differentiate itself from the colony, it was renamed the Evangelical Mission Society for German East Africa (EMDOA) and reorganized just one year later , but due to the lack of its own skilled workers, it first asked the Berlin Mission for help. A takeover did not take place because of the different ideas, instead it was taken over by Friedrich von Bodelschwingh , who then moved the headquarters to Bethel in 1906 (→ Bethel Mission ). The Berlin Mission began its own work in the German colonies of East Africa in 1891. The first mission stations in Tanzania were soon established around Lake Nyassa , where church hospitals are still located in Itete and Matema. The work in East Africa was expanded with the takeover of Bethel mission stations on the coast near Dar-es-Salaam .

Self-reliance

The independence of Christians in the mission countries was promoted early on. Since Karl Gützlaff , the pioneer of the German mission to China, the principle that China should be proselytized by the Chinese has applied to China. The Berlin Main Association for China began in the 1860s to send young Chinese Christians to Germany to train them as missionaries. Young Christians from Africa were also trained in Berlin. Even so, it was a long time before large numbers of African Christians were ordained as pastors.

20th century

The First World War

The First World War marked the end of the developments that had taken place after the turbulent times at the turn of the century with the Second Boer War in South Africa, the Boxer Rebellion in China and rebellions among the people of East Africa.

With the beginning of the First World War in 1914, the work of the mission seminary ended for the time being, the mission house became a refugee accommodation and connections to the mission areas and the sending of missionaries were interrupted. Mission members in the colonies were treated as enemies by the opposing colonial powers; in South Africa some of them were interned. In East Africa, mission workers were called in for military service. Only because of the protest of Chinese Christians was it prevented that all employees of the China mission were expelled from the country after the end of the war.

Between 1918 and 1933

The years after the First World War were marked by construction work. In 1921 Siegfried Knak , who was influenced by the theologians Kähler and Warneck , became mission director . He accompanied the negotiations on site for a greater independence of the Berlin mission area in southern China , which was attached to the Lutheran Church of China in 1928. Synodal churches had been founded in South Africa even before the First World War. Thus, at least in the Lutheran congregations, Africans had a say, which was made difficult or denied to them in some public affairs. The mission was resumed in Swaziland in 1930. This was made possible by Johannes Mdiniso, a Swasi who was baptized by a Berlin missionary. In East Africa, which was no longer a German colony, the missionary work of the Germans was gradually allowed again with reservations. During this time, financial difficulties were a serious problem for missionary work.

During the Nazi regime

Even before 1933 there was hostility from circles who adhered to the racial theory and described a mission to other peoples as a "crime against one's own people". After the National Socialists came to power, Mission Director Knak joined the Evangelium und Kirche group, which stood in opposition to the National Socialist German Christians . With the majority of the inspectors of the mission house, he became a member of the Pastors' Emergency League under Martin Niemöller and worked hard for the Confessing Church . During the Nazi regime, the possibilities of the mission house were severely restricted, the collections for the mission and the publication of the mission papers became more difficult. For this purpose, closer ties arose with other mission societies - in 1933 they came together in the German Evangelical Mission Day, whose executive body was the German Evangelical Mission Council . In South Africa, however, the churches there had become more independent. In China the war began as early as 1937; a difficult situation for the German missionaries too, since Germany was allied with the attacking Japan.

The second World War

After the outbreak of war, it was impossible to travel to the mission areas, missionaries on home leave had to stay in Germany. In South Africa some of the missionaries were interned, but the development of the congregations continued. In East Africa, at the request of the Berlin Mission, some of the mission congregations were looked after by the Swedish missionaries. Only in China were the missionaries not interned and able to continue working under the restrictions of the war.

The time after 1945 - East and West

After 1945 the missionary work was resumed with renewed energy and with increased cooperation between the works. The Berlin mission, about half of whose supporters came from an area that no longer belonged to Germany before the war, was supported by other mission societies. Missionary work in China had become impossible because the missionaries were no longer allowed to have contact with the Chinese people.

Work in the eastern part of Germany was still subject to restrictions. The mission sheet could not be published, mission donations could not be requested and events could only take place in closed church rooms. Only the mission director received permission to travel abroad to attend the ecumenical conferences. Money could only be transferred overseas from the west. Moving all the work to the west would have cost the connection with the missionary friends in the east. Instead, the Berliner Missionshilfe e. V. founded, from which the Missionsgesellschaft Berlin (West) e. V. was. The staff responsible for the mission countries remained in the east. They were not allowed to travel overseas, and after the construction of the Berlin Wall they could not even visit West Berlin. The mission found no understanding from the government, but enjoyed a certain tolerance because it belonged to the Church. A closer union between church and missionary societies took place in 1960 with the establishment of the Ecumenical Missionary Council and the Ecumenical Missionary Office .

Establishing churches in Africa

In 1959, missionary work in East Africa resulted in a Lutheran Church, today's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania . In 1960 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa / Southeast Region was established in South Africa in the area of ​​the Berlin Mission and other mission organizations , and from 1971 onwards it was under the direction of an African bishop for the first time. The Transvaal Regional Church and the Cape Orange Regional Church followed in 1962/63. In 1964, the regional churches founded the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Southern Africa , which represented around 880,000 Lutheran Christians. The role of the mission now changed in the direction of helping the newly founded churches and working together as partners. The various mission societies active in Africa worked more closely together.

In South Africa, the apartheid system had presented missionaries with new challenges since 1948. If the relationship of the missionaries to apartheid was initially ambivalent, they joined a condemnation of this system in 1967. A few years later, individual missionaries were expelled from the country and the work of the churches was closely monitored.

Further development of the Berlin Mission

Berlin Missionshaus Friedrichshain with mission bookshop

Due to the political situation in the GDR, it became essential in 1969 to relocate a larger part of the work - especially the overseas contact - to the West. As a result, the Berliner Missionswerk was founded in West Berlin in 1974/75 , whose founding members included the Berliner Missionsgesellschaft, the Jerusalem Association , the German East Asia Mission and the Union of Evangelical Churches. The Middle East was added to the former mission areas of the Berliner Missionsgesellschaft. The Ecumenical Missionary Center was located in East Berlin.

In the wake of state repression against congregations of partner churches, such as in Ethiopia, the protection of human rights , the provision of humanitarian aid and the defense of freedom of belief in missionary work increased in importance. There was an exchange with the Ecumenical Missionary Center and other institutions of the Evangelical Church in the GDR in order to influence diplomatic relations between the GDR and the socialist government of Ethiopia. In the FRG there were contacts with human rights organizations such as the International Society for Human Rights and the Society for Threatened Peoples . The Berliner Missionswerk was involved in the Lutheran World Federation and in the World Council of Churches for the international protection of human rights.

After German reunification, the areas from West and East were combined under the name Berliner Missionswerk in 1991 and the administration moved back into the Missionshaus am Friedrichshain in 1999.

Worldwide partners

middle East

The partner church in Israel / Palestine is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). This church works for reconciliation in the Middle East and for education. The Berliner Missionswerk is responsible for the Talitha Kumi school center in Palestine.

The partner church in Egypt is the Presbyterian-Coptic Church in Egypt . The Berliner Missionswerk works with her in various educational institutions.

Africa

The partner church in Ethiopia is the Mekane Yesus Church (EECMY). The church's educational work is supported, including against HIV / AIDS and against female genital mutilation, as well as the theological training and human rights work of the EECMY.

The partner church in Tanzania is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). The focus of the partnership work is the support of the health system through the church hospitals and the work among street children.

The partner church in South Africa and Swaziland , the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA), emerged from the early missionary work of the Berlin Mission. One of the focal points of the cooperation is the fight against HIV / AIDS and educational work.

East asia

The partner church in Korea is the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK). The Berliner Missionswerk supports, among other things, the theological institute of the partner church.

The partner church in Taiwan is the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. Joint work with the partner church takes place primarily on political issues such as democracy and human rights.

Without an official partnership agreement, the Berliner Missionswerk is connected to the United Church of Christ in Japan and the United Church in the People's Republic of China .

Cuba

The partner church is the Presbyterian Reformed Church of Cuba (IPRC). The connections were established at the time of the GDR. The Berliner Missionswerk supports diaconal projects and the training of community workers.

Russia

The partner church is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Central Asia (ELKRAS). The small Volga communities are strengthened through the further training of church employees and the support of child and youth work.

Work of the Berliner Missionswerk

Work abroad

Divided into various foreign departments, the Berliner Missionswerk takes care of the connection with its partner churches. The cooperation takes place in a variety of projects, all of which serve the goal of helping people to help themselves.

Domestic work

In Germany, the Berliner Missionswerk supports the partnership of church districts, congregations and groups with partner congregations abroad, organizes project days for ecumenical learning for children and young people, arranges speakers and distributes media on their country areas in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Volunteer program

For young adults between the ages of 18 and 28, the Berliner Missionswerk offers to do a voluntary service within the framework of weltwärts , another service abroad or a voluntary social year in institutions and communities of the partner churches . At the moment (as of 2016) deployment positions in Great Britain , Italy , Cuba , Palestine , Sweden , South Africa , Taiwan and Tanzania can be filled.

Web links

literature

  • Johannes Althausen, Gerdi Vorteilel, Andreas Feldtkeller (eds.): Berlin mission in divided Germany. Conversations with contemporary witnesses. Berlin, 2004.
  • Ulrich van der Heyden : The scientific use of the archive and library of the Berlin Mission Society. A bibliography. Wichern, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-88981-315-2 . ( Berlin contributions to mission history. 14).
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: Unknown historical sources in Berlin. The archive and library of the Berlin Mission Society. Das Arabische Buch, Berlin 1991. ( Social anthropological working papers. 45).
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: The literature of the German mission societies as a source for the history of South Africa. Shown primarily on the basis of the Berlin Mission Society. In: Ulrich van der Heyden, Heike Liebau (ed.): Mission history, church history, world history. Christian missions in the context of national developments in Africa, Asia and Oceania. Steiner, Stuttgart 1996, 3-515-06732-9, pp. 123-138. ( Mission history archive. 1).
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: The Berlin Mission Society. In: Ulrich van der Heyden, Joachim Zeller (Hrsg.): Colonial metropolis Berlin. A search for clues. Berlin-Edition, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-8148-0092-3 , pp. 63-66.
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: The Boer War from 1899 to 1902 and the German Mission Societies. In: Ulrich van der Heyden, Jürgen Becherv (Hrsg.): Mission and violence. The handling of Christian missions with violence during the spread of Christianity in Africa and Asia in the period from 1792 to 1918/19. Steiner, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-515-07624-7 , pp. 207-223. ( Mission history archive. 6).
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: Racist motivations of the missionaries of the Berlin Mission Society in the second half of the 19th century and their political consequences. In: Wilfried Wagner (Ed.): Racial Discrimination, Colonial Policy and Ethnic-National Identity. Lectures at the 2nd International Colonial History Symposium in 1991 in Berlin. Münster / Hamburg 1992, ISBN 3-89473-117-6 , pp. 533-542. ( Bremen Asia-Pacific Studies. 2).
  • Winfried Brose, Ulrich van der Heyden (ed.): With a cross and a German flag. 100 years of the Gospel in southern Tanzania. On the work of the Berlin Mission in East Africa. Contributions to the historical consultation on May 31 and June 1, 1991 in Berlin. Lit, Hamburg / Münster 1993, ISBN 3-89473-520-1 . ( Contributions to missiology and the history of religion. 3).
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: Alexander Merensky's contribution to ethnographic and historical research on the peoples of South Africa. In: Ethnographic-Archaeological Journal. Berlin 32.1991, No. 2, pp. 263-268. ISSN  0012-7477
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: Martinus Sewushan - national helper, missionary and adversary of the Berlin Mission Society in southern Africa. Erlanger Verlag for Mission and Ecumenism, Neuendettelsau 2004, ISBN 3-87214-349-2 . ( Research in missiology. New series, Vol. 19).
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: The Berlin missionary Klaas Koen between the power of promise and resignation to reality. In: Ulrich van der Heyden, Holger Stoecker (Ed.): Mission and power in the change of political orientations. European mission societies and their activities in Africa and Asia between 1800 and 1945 in areas of political tension. Steiner, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-515-08423-1 , pp. 87-100. [= Mission History Archive, 10].
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: The scientific use of the archive and library of the Berlin Mission Society. A bibliography. Wichern Verlag, Berlin 2010.
  • Hellmuth Lehmann: 150 years of the Berlin Mission . Verlag der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Mission, Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 .
  • Alexander Merensky : Memories from missionary life in the Transvaal (South Africa) 1859 to 1882. Edition Ost, Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-929161-03-6 . ( Cognoscere. 5).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry in ELAB
  2. ↑ Official homepage
  3. ↑ Ecumenical Volunteer Program , accessed March 11, 2019.
  4. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 15-19.
  5. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 24-84.
  6. ^ History of the Gossner Mission
  7. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 39-67.
  8. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 62-87.
  9. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 74-81.
  10. ↑ Partner Church Tanzania
  11. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission. Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 90-101.
  12. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission. Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 81-110.
  13. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 114-119.
  14. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 120-144.
  15. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 144-156.
  16. ↑ Reader for the EKD Synod 2000 ( Memento from July 30, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
  17. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 156-159.
  18. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 173-177.
  19. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 177-186.
  20. ^ H. Lehmann: 150 Years of the Berlin Mission . Erlangen 1974, ISBN 3-87214-057-4 , pp. 186-190.
  21. ↑ Berliner Missionswerk: Ethiopia. Revolution and Nation. HUman RIghts and Refugee Relief. In: Horn of Africa . tape 5 , no. 2 , 1982, p. 41-47 .
  22. ↑ Berliner Missionswerk: Mission and Human Rights. A word from the Berliner Missionswerk on current problems in its work. Berlin 1984.
  23. ^ History of the Berliner Missionswerk
  24. ↑ (PCT)
  25. ↑ Domestic work
  26. ↑ Volunteer Program , accessed July 7, 2016