Swiss Protestant People's Federation

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The Swiss Protestant People's Federation (SPV) is an independent Protestant association with the aim of strengthening the Christian faith, introducing Protestant concerns into society, culture and politics and promoting and supporting the service of the Reformed churches and their members in German-speaking Switzerland .

history

The SPV was founded on March 9, 1925 in the Lavaterhaus in Zurich . The first president was Professor Reinhold Hess, the first secretary Pastor Friiz Lichtenhahn. The association succeeded in bringing together the different theological currents in the Reformed churches for common service and witness. This was followed by the establishment of cantonal and local sections. In 1929, 198 collective and 1180 individual members were registered. The SPV developed into an important Protestant collective and grassroots movement in German-speaking Switzerland. His independence from the constituted churches gives his actions a creative spontaneity. A secretariat was set up in Zurich, which developed into a real hub for Swiss Protestantism. The SPV provided pioneering services in the field of adult education and media work.

Swiss Evangelical Press Service (EPD)

In 1928 the SPV founded the Swiss Evangelical Press Service (EPD) in conjunction with the Federation of Swiss Evangelical Churches (SEK). The SPV took over the sponsorship and thus guaranteed the independence of the company. Arthur Frey headed the EPD from 1933 to 1955 . In 1938/39 he was President of the Zurich Press Association. Frey made a name for himself as the fearless defender of freedom of the press, especially during the war years. He sharply criticized National Socialism , especially the conformist orientation of the “German Christians ??”. His work «The Right State» was banned by the censors in 1941 because it rejected the unjust state of the Nazi regime. Such a lack of compromise was not without controversy in the Swiss churches. As Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Evangelischer Verlags Zollikon (EVZ), he promoted the publication of the works of Karl Barth , with whom he had a close friendship. Laure Wyss was co-editor from 1944 to 1948. Arthur Frey's successor was Pastor Paul Wieser. In 1964, the Evangelical Theological Faculty of the University of Bern awarded Paul Wieser an honorary doctorate, who “... as head of the EPD endeavors to provide clear, reliable and comprehensive ecclesiastical and religious information; as a theologian creates international contacts between the European churches grouped together in the World Council; (and) did a great job as an editor for the Handbook of Reformed Switzerland published in 1962 »(from the laudatory speech).

The press service became an indispensable instrument for conveying church news and opinions. The EPD edited two printed bulletins a week, an A edition for the political press and a B edition for the churches. In 1986 the EPD, "the Protestant" and "Kirchenblatt" merged to form the "Reformed Forum", which was supported by the "Reformed Media". From 1996 the weekly newspaper was called “Reformierte Presse”, which was replaced by the successor “bref” with a fortnightly publication.

Radio and television

The SPV founded a film community in Zurich, but then shifted its focus to radio and television. He achieved that Reformed and Catholic radio sermons were broadcast every Sunday. In 1952 the church television commission was set up with representatives from the SEK and the SPV. Pastor Paul Wieser, secretary of the SPV, presided over the commission. The first Evangelical television commissioner was Pastor Rudolf Stickelberger. Thanks to his initiative, the program “Word for Sunday” was launched. The first service was broadcast on August 1, 1954.

Education, popular days and first church convention

One focus was the training of farmers. Members of the peasant class were supported in intensive training courses at the Boldern Academy. In addition to this, farmer pastoral courses were held. Pastoral care courses for laypeople were added later. Adult education was promoted through the publication of the "Directory of speakers" and the "Evangelical course and event calendar". The workbooks on current issues, which were published periodically, were a helpful medium. The SPV campaigned for the dissemination of educational literature and, on the other hand, fought against junk literature for reasons of youth protection.

One of the most sought-after services was the marriage initiation offices “On the way to you”. In connection with this, marriage preparation seminars were offered.

The Protestant people's meetings of the SPV achieved great importance:

  • The conference in Zurich in October 1937 entitled "Zwinglivolk, what is your faith?" gathered 10,000 participants.
  • The conference “The Protestant Embassy in Our Time” from 1941 in Altstätten with Federal Councilor Karl Kobelt and Pastor Samuel Dieterle, Basel, reached 15,000 participants.
  • The conference on the social message of the Church, 1947 in Wattwil, with Federal Councilor Ernst Nobs and Pastor Christian Lendi, St. Gallen, brought together 10,000 participants.

At the suggestion of the SPV, the first and so far only German-speaking Protestant Church Congress was held in Basel in 1963. Hardly any other evangelical event in Switzerland has been reported as extensively in the press, on the radio and on television as this church convention. At the suggestion of the SPV, the “Working Group for the Collection of Protestant Forces” was formed with the aim of holding further church days.

Leaders

Presidents of the Volksbund were:

  • Prof. Dr. Reinhold Hess, Zurich (1925–1931)
  • Dr. Max Wolf, Chief Justice, Zurich (1932–1947)
  • Rev. Dr. Arnold Zimmermann, Zurich (1947–1951)
  • Rev. Paul Wieser, Zofingen (1952–1956)
  • Prof. Dr. Hans Wildberger, Zurich (1958–1960)
  • Prof. Dr. Kurt Guggisberg, Bern (1960–1966)
  • Prof. Dr. Rudolf Pfister , Zurich (1966–…)

The only full-time secretary so far was Rev. Dr. Hans Gattiker (1947–1950).

Crisis and a new beginning

After a structural and financial crisis at the beginning of the 1990s with the abandonment of the office, branches of work and the resignation of the leading personalities, the organization was restructured. A phase of religious narrowing followed. Recently, the board of directors is again following the original evangelical open orientation of the association. The SPV has been sponsoring the "Zwingli Prize for Church Innovation" since 2015. The magazine for Christian reflection and orientation «Kirche + Volk» has been published since 1958. In line with the goals of the association, further contemporary initiatives and projects are sought, whereby cooperation with other groups is sought. Rev. Richard Kölliker, Schaffhausen, has headed the board since 2013.

literature

  • SPV (Ed.): Handbook of Reformed Switzerland. Zurich 1962 (pages 373-380), out of print
  • Paul Wieser, Beat Raaflaub, Walter Wolf: 50 Years of Service to Church and People (The Swiss Protestant People's Association 1925–1976. The Swiss Evangelical Press Service 1928–1976), Zurich 1976, out of print
  • Richard Kölliker: Being Reformed !, 50 Years of the SPV, Dübendorf Local Association, 1958–2008, Dübendorf 2008
  • Richard Kölliker (Ed.): Starting with the beginning, 500 years of the Reformation. 90 years of the SPV, Swiss Protestant People's Federation 1925–2015, Schaffhausen 2015, ISBN 978-3-033-05223-9

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