Luther Academy

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Luther Academy Sondershausen-Ratzeburg
(LASR)
legal form Registered association
founding August 7, 1932 in Sondershausen
Seat Ratzeburg
main emphasis Lutheran theology
Chair Hans Christian Knuth
Members over 200
Website www.luther-akademie.de

The Luther Academy (since 2003 Luther Academy Sondershausen-Ratzeburg eV, LASR for short ) is an association of the Protestant Church with the task of scientifically presenting Luther's theology in various ways under the current conditions in theology, church and society. The association was founded on August 7, 1932 in Sondershausen . The academy has been based in Ratzeburg since 2003 .

founding

Due to the political conditions and new ideologies at the beginning of the 20th century, the Lutheran Church in Germany saw itself called upon to strengthen Christianity , especially Lutheranism . With this in mind, the " Apologetic Seminar" was founded in Wernigerode in 1909 . Participants from the Nordic countries showed increasing interest in these annual university days on scientific topics of Lutheranism. This development led to the search for a permanent place to stay under the name "Luther Academy" as an institution that would do justice to the growing tasks. The Thuringian state government agreed to rent part of the Sondershäuser Castle .

The decision in favor of Sondershausen was justified in the commemorative publication for the opening of the academy on August 7, 1932 as follows: “The city of Sondershausen is in the center of Germany ... on the other hand, the city is located in an extremely scenic area between Harz , Kyffhäuser and Thuringian Forest . As the former residence of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and as the seat of four higher schools, the city ​​itself offers all the advantages of an intellectually stimulating German small town. The castle itself is located near large, beautiful forests on a hill above the city, surrounded by a 100 acre park ... "

Leading representatives of global Lutheranism took part in the opening ceremony to the sound of the Loh orchestra . Swedish and Danish flags and the German church flag waved over the castle. Four German professors and seven foreign lecturers spoke to the guests in a fully occupied hall. The Swedish Archbishop Erling Eidem from Uppsala was elected as the first chairman of the Luther Academy .

30 rooms were made available to the academy in the west wing of the palace, plus a large lecture hall, library, reading room and workrooms. The manager's apartment and the rooms for the lecturing professors were on the second floor of the palace.
The previously envisaged establishment of an international theological faculty was discarded, as it would have a difficult position compared to other faculties and one could thus dispense with the permanent appointment of professors.

tasks

The area of ​​activity included:
- annual multi-week courses for Lutheran theologians from different countries (in July or August),
- the organization of a Christian university conference (each in the October holidays),
- leisure time for internal mission , diasporal care and religious education.

From 1932 to 1943 the set tasks could be fulfilled annually.

During this time, there were special postmarks for the university days , showing Sondershausen Castle and the note "University conference of the Luther Academy" (in 1943, instead, "Course of the Luther Academy").

National Socialism and the German Democratic Republic

Both regimes tried to use the academy for their own purposes. It was particularly difficult in the period from 1933 to 1945 not to be pushed into unchristian positions on the race question . Another difficulty arose from the division of the church into German Christians and the Confessing Church . Formative theologians for the academy were Carl Stange (1870–1959) and Rudolf Hermann (1887–1962).

After 1945 the academy resumed its work. She was barely noticed in public. The 60th anniversary of the Academy in 1992 has now been recognized again in the press and from the official side.

Ratzeburg

In the Federal Republic of Germany and the continued good contacts with the Scandinavian theologians in 1975 was due to the division in Ratzeburg the "Luther Academy e. V. Ratzeburg ”based in the cathedral courtyard . The first president was Joachim Heubach ; Friedrich-Otto Scharbau was President from 2000 to 2003 .

Union

During an international conference of the special houses and the Ratzeburg Academy in Neuendettelsau from April 9th ​​to April 11th, 2000, the decision to unite was passed. Both associations were ecclesiastically and theologically committed to the Lutheran Reformation and saw their cooperation with the Nordic churches as an ecumenical responsibility. After the merger agreement was concluded on June 25, 2003 and the approval of both general assemblies was obtained, the academy has been called Luther-Akademie Sondershausen-Ratzeburg e. V. based in Ratzeburg .

The current (2014) President is Hans-Christian Knuth .

Common tasks

The academy's tasks are
- to scientifically cultivate the Lutheran understanding of the faith and the world,
- to deal with the intellectual currents of the present,
- to conduct a dialogue on social, humane and religious values,
- to cooperate around the world, especially with the Nordic Churches to promote.
These goals are served by
- annual working
conferences , - specialist conferences with related fields of knowledge,
- seminars for theology students and for vicars and pastors in the first years of office,
- publications of papers and conference results on the history and theology of Lutheranism.

The association has over 200 members and is divided into the general assembly, the board and the board of trustees . The chairman of the association is the president of the Luther Academy. The chairman of the board of trustees acts as scientific director of the academy. The association is financed through membership fees, donations and other allowances.

literature

  • Dorothea Ott, Martin Seils: The Luther Academy Sondershausen. A documentation (= Rostock Theological Studies, Volume 9). LIT VERLAG, Münster-Hamburg-London 2003, ISBN 3-8258-6772-2 .
  • Wilhelm May: The Luther Academy. In: Sondershäuser Heimatecho, No. 12, 2007, p. 12.
  • Hans Mikosch: Despite the swastika and wreath of ears of corn: the path of the Luther Academy Sondershausen in the years 1932–1962. Freimund-Verlag, Neuendettelsau 2005, ISBN 3-86540-009-4 .
  • Michael Schatte: Meeting place: The Luther Academy! In: Deutsche Briefmarken Revue No. 9 + 10, 65th year 2014.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Topic: Special stamp Luther Academy Sondershausen , accessed on April 4, 2015