Kassel declaration

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The Kassel Declaration was adopted on July 1, 1996 by the main board of the German Evangelical Alliance and the Presidium of the Bund Freikirchlicher Pfingstgemeinden . On the one hand it is a kind of declaration of accession by the BFP to the DEA and on the other hand it defines the theological framework under which the DEA is ready to work with Pentecostal and charismatic congregations.

meaning

This declaration is of fundamental importance for the evangelical movement in Germany, which has been divided into two camps since the Berlin Declaration (BE) of 1909. Pentecostal charismatic evangelicals on the one hand and alliance evangelicals on the other. This strong separation of the DEA from the Pentecostal charismatic movement was a special German situation within the globally organized Evangelical Alliance. Since the Pentecostal-charismatic theology and piety within the German branch of the Evangelical Alliance was strongly rejected and mostly demonized, the Kassel Declaration triggered correspondingly strong reactions within the Alliance.

Content of the Kassel Declaration

The declaration begins under 1. with the recognition of the faith bases of the DEA by the BFP and a declaration to adapt to the piety forms and teachings of the DEA in the alliance work.

Under 2. a short joint pneumatology (teaching of the Holy Spirit) is developed by DEA and BFP, in which the signatories profess to the manifold work of the Holy Spirit, describe the responsible handling of the gifts and distinguish themselves from a “doctrine of levels” of salvation . Under 3, DEA and BFP agree that "spectacular phenomena" that have contributed to uncertainty, confusion and division - B. the "resting in the spirit", "laughing in the spirit", the expulsion of so-called "territorial spirits" etc. - especially in connection with events, projects, etc. that are carried out within the framework of and under the responsibility of the Evangelical Alliance to common mandate in the Evangelical Alliance will not find a place.

Contributors

From the German Evangelical Alliance eV; Stuttgart on July 1, 1996: Rolf Hille (1st chairman), Peter Strauch (2nd chairman), Hartmut Steeb (general secretary), Christoph Morgner (president of the Evangelical Gnadauer Community Association)

From the BFP; Erzhausen on July 1, 1996: Ingolf Ellßel (President), Gottlob Ling (Deputy President a. A.), Gerhard Oertel (Federal Secretary), Richard Krüger (Director of the Theological Seminar Beröa)

background

The historical background of this declaration is the Berlin Declaration of 1909. In it, Pentecostal excesses were described with the words “from below”. These words expressed that they could not be seen as an effect of the Holy Spirit.

This Berlin declaration resulted in a decade-long distance between evangelical and Pentecostal Christians in Germany. The declaration of the Evangelical Alliance of Germany and that of the Bund Freikirchlicher Pfingstgemeinden from 1996 brought a turning point . With these statements, the Berlin declaration was not expressly revoked, but de facto.

The fact that there was an actual rapprochement in 1996 is due to the fact that the influence of the Pentecostal charismatic movement in Germany continued to grow despite its exclusion from the Alliance and that it has become an important part of the evangelical community landscape in Germany. In view of the increasing secularization of Germany, it is an important ally in their common concern to evangelize Germany. In addition there is the increasing growth and increasing influence of the worldwide Pentecostal-Charismatic evangelical movement, which is also noticeable within the worldwide Evangelical Alliance.

Point 3 was particularly controversial: “We regret that spectacular phenomena such as B. 'resting in the spirit', 'laughing in the spirit', the expulsion of so-called 'territorial spirits' etc. have led to uncertainty, confusion and divisions in the community of Jesus. Regardless of the different evaluations in detail, we agree that, for the sake of the common task in the Evangelical Alliance, in particular in connection with events, projects, etc. that are carried out within the framework of and under the responsibility of the Evangelical Alliance, such controversial content does not Find space. "

The current background for the discussion about the “spectacular apparitions” must be seen both in the criticism already formulated in the Berlin Declaration and as a reaction to the Toronto blessing that has been spreading in Pentecostal-charismatic circles since 1994 , the “Pensacola awakening” Teachings of Peter C. Wagner, the ministry of Rodney Howard Browne, etc. There were lengthy lists of teachings and practices of the newer charismatic movement that were the subject of preliminary talks for the BFP.

The “spectacular apparitions” were ultimately not rejected. Instead, an agreement was only reached for the sake of the unity of the body of Christ not to exercise this controversial subject in joint projects.

Relationship to the Berlin Declaration

The statements of the Berlin Declaration , with which leading Evangelicals in 1909 condemned the Pentecostal movement, which was still quite young at the time, as “from below”, should not be called into question by the Kassel Declaration, according to the statements of those responsible for the Alliance. Despite some publications by the BFP that suggest that the Berlin Declaration has been revised, it not only remains formally in force, but according to the statements of the responsible leaders of the Alliance it represents a binding vote of the fathers on the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement, which is not is withdrawn. However, from their point of view, this vote had to be updated for our time, as many Pentecostal churches are no longer affected so across the board by the demonization of that time. The Kassel Declaration is therefore intended to pave the way for those Pentecostal and charismatic congregations in the alliance work that differ significantly in their theology and practice from the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement criticized in the Berlin Declaration.

Reactions to the Kassel Declaration

On the alliance side, there was cautious approval, but also angry protests, because an important part of the DEA's identity was the separation from Pentecostals and Charismatics. The inclusion of the BFP and other charismatic congregations was therefore seen by many as a breach of content. Many opponents of the Pentecostal movement have therefore left the DEA after this declaration and are trying to reorganize. On the other hand, the Kassel Declaration was criticized within the BFP and in many charismatic congregations as a loss of identity and a fall from the Pentecostal beginnings. Nevertheless, the declaration was celebrated by the BFP as a dam break and an event of the century, since after almost a century of criticism and demonization, joint work is now possible.

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