Mission respect

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MissionRespekt (ChZ) - Christian witness in a multi-religious world. Recommendations for a code of conduct / recommendations were published jointly in 2011 by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID), the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Representatives of the Christian churches around the world helped to create it. The document was drawn up in the period from 2006 to 2011; it is primarily due to the ecumenical participation as a contribution to mission theology and as a step towards cooperation in mission . The World Council of Churches (WCC), the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue were involved. As a result, many Christian communities are involved in the process, because various Christian communities are represented in the umbrella organizations mentioned, e.g. B. Mennonites, Methodists, Orthodox, Catholics, Evangelical Lutheran and Evangelical Reformed. After completion, the reception will follow in the various countries. ChZ also specifically calls for this, already in the introduction to the recommendation and in the first of the six recommendations: “We recommend our churches, national and regional confessional associations and mission organizations, especially those who work in an interreligious context, that they : 1. Study the topics set out in this document and, if necessary, formulate guidelines for Christian witnessing that are appropriate to your specific context. [...] ".

Summary

The document Christian Witness in a Multireligious World is structured according to four aspects. The document is kept general, it does not contain any fixed regulations, but is designed to give suggestions which can be adapted to the respective situation on site. The ChZ document is intended to provide orientation for this learning process.

preamble

Initially, the development process from 2006 to 2011 is described and the organizations and umbrella organizations involved are named. Furthermore, the basic intention is explained and the goal of ChZ formulated, namely that “this document [...] is not intended to constitute a theological explanation of the mission, but [...] the intention [pursues] to deal with practical questions that arise for the Christian witness in a multireligious world. ”The main aim is to ensure that the topic of mission is controversial.

Basics

In the second section of the document, basic Christian understanding is explained in seven steps. All giving testimony is based on the Bible : This gives rise to the task of mission (cf. Mt 28:19, 20  EU ), but also clues for the way of proceeding (cf. Lk 10: 5-7  EU ). In this part of the document, the biblical models and narratives are transferred to our current situation, although no concrete instructions for action are given.

The seventh point emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit . Thus it becomes clear “that although it is their [the Christians] responsibility to bear witness of Christ , conversion is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 16: 7-9  EU ; Acts 10:44 -47  EU ). "

Principles

In the twelve principles, love and Jesus as a model in his conduct as a guide in Christianity are emphasized. The various aspects of Christian action in love are explained in the individual principles. For example, that this means treating all people with respect and that the use of violence is not an option: "Christians are called upon to reject all forms of violence and abuse of power in their witness, including their psychological and social forms."

recommendations

The six recommendations give practical suggestions on how the aforementioned Christian values ​​and demands can be implemented and how each individual or the communities can contribute to them together. “They are not a formal theological declaration, even if they are theological through and through . Above all, they are a tool to stimulate and enable reflection on various conversion-related topics. "

It is emphasized that dialogue and contact with believers of other religions are important. There should be no proselytic attempts at conversion. However, that does not mean that one should withhold one's own Christian identity. On the contrary, Christian believers should be encouraged to "strengthen their faith and at the same time deepen their knowledge and understanding of other religions, from the point of view of those belonging to these religions."

The fifth recommendation draws attention to politics, because it is not only in the interreligious area that there are harassments due to religious beliefs. Accordingly, the document calls on Christians "to call on their governments to ensure that religious freedom is adequately and fully respected, aware that in many countries religious institutions and individuals are prevented from carrying out their missions."

History of origin

Reasons - problem statement

Again and again people are discriminated against , disadvantaged or persecuted because of their religious affiliation . The document is intended to be a clear sign of religious freedom, but it is not a catalog of demands on how others have to treat Christians with respect, but rather a respectful Christian understanding of mission. Not only in the distant past, but to this day, too, there is too committed missionary activity within Christian communities . Therefore, the document formulates principles for a respectful inner-Christian coexistence without proselytism - interdenominational as well as interreligious.

The issue of proselytizing has long been a concern of religious people. Therefore, it was important to discuss standards in the Christian community and hopefully to be a role model for members of the religion who try with all means to win new members of the faith for themselves.

The genesis

The World Council of Churches (WCC), the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) and the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) played a key role . Through their participation, “about 98 percent of world Christianity” is behind the document. It should be noted that the WEA entered the consultation process from the second meeting.

Representatives of other religions were also involved in the first consultation. During this meeting the realization matured that the Christian churches first need a guideline among themselves before they can enter into the religious dialogue about mission. It was therefore decided to continue the process on an intra-Christian level for the time being. However, this is by no means to be seen as a failure, because it was important for the further process that representatives of other religions were represented at the first meeting in Lariano , because this way Christian representatives could authentically get to know the perspective of other religions.

After the first meeting, representatives of the organizations and umbrella organizations involved met for two further consultations, so that there were a total of three meetings between 2006 and 2011. These took place in Lariano (Italy, 2006), Toulouse (France, 2007) and Bangkok (Thailand, 2011). The document was also presented in Geneva in 2011 .

Official assumptions

Through the cooperation and involvement of the WEA, the WCC and the PCID, there is a “range of Protestant and Orthodox churches, for churches and mission organizations, including those with an evangelical background, and for the Roman Catholic Church”, so it is the global ecumenical movement involved in the acceptance of the document. The WCC also presented and approved the document at its 2013 Busan assembly . ChZ is also an official document for the Vatican.

reception

An essential phase of the document only began after its public presentation in Geneva in 2011. The reception is important, on the one hand at the international level in the various countries, on the other hand at the church level in the numerous Christian churches and associations. Interestingly enough, a perception and use of the document in the academic field has been emerging so far.

In Germany

reception

In Germany , too , the mission document is perceived, positively appreciated by the churches and carried forward. In order to strengthen the reception process, the Working Group of Christian Churches (ACK) and the Evangelical Alliance in Germany (EAD) had for the 27./28. August 2014 invited to the MissionRespekt congress in Berlin .

Congress MissionRespect

In keeping with the spirit of the mission document, the name of the congress is "MissionRespekt". Numerous speakers and representatives from various Christian churches and from different countries came to Berlin to engage in a lively exchange of experiences from working with the international, ecumenical missionary document. So ChZ works on the one hand at the international level in the countries, but from there also back on the international level.

The congress started with case studies from Brazil , India and the Netherlands : Romi Bencke (Brazil), Archbishop Felix Machado (India), as well as Martijn van Laar and Wilbert van Saane (Netherlands) reported exemplary on the ecumenical situation in their countries and went there also on where and how the ChZ document is already being received and implemented. Romi Bencke, for her part, had just come from a congress in Brazil, which also had ChZ on the subject.

In the evening, an ecumenical prayer was celebrated together, followed by an opportunity for church and politics to meet . The President of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert was present as a representative of politics . Nikolaus Schneider (Chairman of the Council of the EKD) and Karl Jüsten (Head of the Commissariat of the German Bishops, Berlin) represented the Protestant and Catholic Churches in Germany. Richard Howell (General Secretary of the Asian Evangelical Alliance) brought in an international perspective to report on the situation of Christians in India.

On the second day, the participants had the opportunity to choose their preferred concretization on the topic of mission from 14 different workshops. Workshops on the topics of mission in Germany, the connection between mission and development aid, being a Christian in the context of religious education and the university and much more could be attended. So that the participants could also find out what was discussed in the other workshops, so-called listeners then presented the most important aspects in the plenum. Finally, missio- President Prelate Krämer and Pastor Christoph Anders, who had already opened the congress, gave an outlook and also presented a statement by the sponsoring group, which bundles the results of the congress on the one hand, and demands and tasks for the others on the other Work with the document ChZ.

International

reception

At the international level, the document Christian Witness is already being received in a multi-religious world and is already being used in pastoral work. Some examples are:

  • India : India can be cited as an example for the Asian region. At the MissionRespekt congress , Archbishop Felix Anthony Machado reported that every Catholic bishop in India had received the document. Some bishops made a lot of it, ChZ was published in many places, seminars and other events were organized on the subject of mission and ChZ. As an effect of ChZ, Archbishop Machado observes that the document was received positively and that the Christian communities in India get to know each other better, and that new ecumenical initiatives emerge.
  • Malaysia : The document is also received in Malaysia and has also received critical appraisal on the websites of the Christian churches and organizations there.
  • Netherlands: A few years ago there were heated discussions in the Netherlands, including clashes with Muslim residents. The trigger was caricatures of the prophet Mohammed . The Muslim groups came under pressure and the Christian churches decided at that time to take their side, because the good of religious freedom had to be defended (together). So groups and initiatives have already formed in the Netherlands, so that it can be said that the principles of ChZ are already practically lived in the Netherlands.
  • Great Britain : In the European context, the document is used, for example, in the Netherlands and Germany. B. also received in Great Britain and viewed positively.
  • Brazil : ChZ came to Brazil in a situation of uncertainty in dealing with the proselytism of other Christian groups. So it was actively used and looked at how it can be used to orientate one's own practice. There was a danger for other Christian groups to resort to such methods of proselytizing themselves. They feel marginalized by the aggressive demeanor of some neo-Pentecostal and charismatic groups. Therefore, they ask themselves very strongly what a good way to deal with this phenomenon, if on the one hand you do not want to get involved in these methods, but on the other hand you do not want to watch in silence as religious freedom is attacked there. The ChZ document offered guidance in this context and strengthened these Christian groups in their position that respect for the worldview of my counterpart and freedom of religion must be respected in any case. But this does not mean that one cannot give a Christian testimony - only the HOW is decisive. In order to be able to better answer and tackle these questions and tasks, ecumenical cooperation is a crucial element.
  • Canada : In addition to the Latin American example from Brazil, there is also an example from North America. Several conferences on the topic of mission have already taken place there, which are linked to the document ChZ. There were also meetings there between representatives of the various Christian denominations and books on the ChZ document have already been published.

In addition, the document is used by different Christian churches as well as in different orders, e.g. B. received the Salesians and Franciscans , used them for critical self-reflection and implemented the insights gained in this way in pastoral care.

Translations

The document has already been published in Arabic, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish and Swahili. in front. According to Archbishop Machado, the document is also available in various Indian languages. Translations into various local Asian languages ​​are also planned.

Critical appraisal

At the MissionRespekt congress , the positive and critical aspects of the ChZ document were bundled in the statements of the participants. Overall, the document is viewed positively. Above all, the general character of the ecumenical document is honored, which thereby does justice to the intention of being a guide and not a concrete guide.

The language style of the document and its "rejection of triumphalistic understanding of missions" are also positively emphasized. The document leaves out a discussion of theological questions . It is clear, however, that these still need to be discussed. One question would be, for example, what “dialogue at eye level” means for one's own religious identity.

The ecumenical cooperation behind the document is emphasized. In the spirit of the Pentecostal spirit , it was not in spite of, but rather with, the different languages ​​that they communicated and showed that no single language is necessary to understand each other. In this sense, the task is to continue the interdenominational dialogue on an interreligious level. In the exchange with representatives from other countries and situations, it became clear that it is not enough to think about mission in an interreligious way - conversations with the secular world are also important. The principles set out in the document for the responsible handling of one's own testimony of faith apply accordingly in dialogue with other denominations, other religions and non-religious people alike.

Mission in the sense of giving witness is therefore also a basic concept of the document. Everyone is allowed to give their testimony, but should take care to consider and respect the worldview of the other person. This can be followed by another aspect of naming the congress “MissionRespekt”. This can be understood in a twofold sense.

  1. Mission understood as a religious testimony, so it is the "mission in respect".
  2. Mission in the sense of a task, so it is the "mission to respect".

The document Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World urges that these two aspects be observed.

Text output

  • Study edition on the ecumenical document: “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World”. Ed. Evangelisches Missionswerk in Deutschland eV; International Catholic Missionary Organization missio. Hamburg / Aachen 2014.

literature

  • Christoph Anders: In a worldwide horizon: Thinking the mission ahead! Lecture at the “Fachtag Mission”, 2013 ( PDF file ).
  • John Baxter-Brown: A Code of Conduct for Conversion: Method Must Reflect the Message. In: Life stories - faith paths: A reading and workbook for churches. Material booklet 7, Hamburg 2011.
  • Veronika Buter: Missioning ethically clean. In: Continents (2010) 1, 30–31.
  • André Gerth: Conflict Area Conversion. In: Missio Korrespondenz (2011) 3, 9-10.
  • Thomas Schirrmacher : Christian witness in a multi-religious world - two and a half years later. 2014.
  • Klaus Vellguth: Mission respect. Ecumenical Congress on Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World. In: Pastoralblatt 66 (2014) 12, 367–371.
  • Klaus Vellguth: Mission respect. The ecumenical code of conduct for Christian witness in a multi-religious world and its reception in Germany. In: Verbum SVD 55 (2015) 1–2, 160–179.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "The English title 'Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World. Recommendations for Conduct 'was reproduced in the official translation as' Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World. Recommendations for a code of conduct. ' We [the editors of the MissionRespekt Congress Study] believe that 'Christian witness in a multi-faith world. Recommended behavior 'without a specific article corresponds better to the English original. "( Study edition of the ecumenical document:" Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World "(ChZ), 5. )
  2. ↑ Study edition ChZ, 1st recommendation, 17.
  3. ↑ Invitation flyer for the MissionRespekt congress , accessed on September 17, 2014
  4. ↑ Study edition ChZ, preamble, 5.
  5. ↑ Study edition ChZ, 7th basis, 10.
  6. ^ Study edition ChZ, 6th principle, 13th
  7. ↑ John Baxter-Brown: A Code of Conversion: Method Must Reflect the Message . In: Life stories - faith paths: A reading and workbook for churches . Materialheft 7, Hamburg 2011, accessed on August 2, 2014, 40–42, 42.
  8. ↑ Study edition ChZ, 3rd recommendation, 18.
  9. ↑ Study edition ChZ, 5th recommendation, 19.
  10. ↑ See André Gerth: Conflict field conversion . In: Missio Correspondence . 2011. 3, 9-10, 9.
  11. ↑ Veronika Buter: Missioning ethically clean . In: continents . 2010. 1, 30-31, 30.
  12. ↑ Cf. Christoph Anders: In a global horizon: Mission further thinking! , Lecture at the "Mission Symposium", 2013, 11.
  13. ↑ See study edition ChZ, Prehistory of the document, 30.
  14. ↑ See John Baxter-Brown: A Code of Conduct for Conversion. The method has to reflect the message . In: Life stories - ways of faith , 40–42, 40.
  15. ↑ See Bonner Querschnitte, Today we write history, in: BQ 172 (2011) 18 , accessed on September 17, 2014, 1.
  16. ↑ Study edition ChZ, On dealing with the ecumenical document, 24.
  17. ↑ However, it should be noted that it is not a code in the sense of Roman Catholic canon law. This could imply the often used designation of the document as a “code of conduct”. See also footnote 1.
  18. ↑ See website of the congress “MissionRespekt” , accessed on September 17, 2014.
  19. ↑ cf. Program flyer for the MissionRespekt congress , accessed on September 17, 2014.
  20. ↑ cf. Final statement of the MissionRespekt congress , PDF file, p. 115, accessed on January 28, 2019
  21. ↑ See Schirrmacher, 9.
  22. ↑ See Schirrmacher, 9.
  23. ↑ cf. Schirrmacher, 9f.
  24. ↑ cf. Schirrmacher, 8f.
  25. ↑ See Schirrmacher, 3.
  26. ↑ Archbishop Machado, Congress “MissionRespekt” on August 27, 2014 at the presentation of the case study from India.
  27. ↑ See Schirrmacher, 8.
  28. ↑ Christoph Anders: In a worldwide horizon: Thinking mission ahead! , Lecture at the “Mission Symposium”, 2013, 13.
  29. ↑ See study edition ChZ, On dealing with the ecumenical document, 26.

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