Suchergebnisse

von Anke Silomon ; Book review (H-Net) ; Inhaltsverzeichnis ; Volltext // Exemplar mit der Signatur: München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek -- 97.24847

Die Synoden des Bundes der evangelischen Kirchen in der DDR hatten eine herausragende öffentliche Bedeutung, weil auf ihnen neben kirchlich-theologischen Problemen immer auch brennende gesellschaftspolitische Fragen behandelt wurden. Im Jahr 1987 tagte die Bundessynode in Görlitz unter besonderen Bedingungen: Die innenpolitische Situation in der UdSSR - aber auch in der DDR - gab Anlaß, auf eine Liberalisierung der Politik im gesamten Ostblock zu hoffen. In diesem Buch wird beispielhaft nachgezeichnet, wie intensiv die Staats- und Parteiorgane diese Synodaltagung beobachteten und ihre Teilnehmer und Teilnehmerinnen zu beeinflussen versuchten, um die Verabschiedung von Beschlüssen im Sinne des SED-Staates zu gewährleisten. Weil dieses Ziel von der SED nicht erreicht werden konnte, leitete die Bundessynode eine Zäsur im Verhältnis von Staat und Kirche in der DDR ein. Diese Forschungsarbeit, die einen besonderen Ausschnitt der DDR-Geschichte aufarbeitet und wichtige, bislang unveröffentlichte Dokumente und Ergebnisse von Befragungen beteiligter Kirchen- und Staatsvertreter enthält, ermöglicht weitergehende Einblicke in das Verhältnis zwischen Kirche und Staat in der DDR.

From April 10 to May 8, 1994, the special assembly of the bishops' synod for Africa was held in Rome. Five years in preparation (it had been called by Pope John Paul II in January 1989), this assembly was dedicated to the discussion of the "evangelising mission" of the Church in Africa on the eve of the third millenium and it was the occasion for the bishops of that continent to speak freely. No issues had been prohibited, which does not mean that all were discussed. The apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Africa delivered by the Pope during his september 1995 visit to Africa confirms the importance of the work accomplished and sets the goals and the major orientations of ecclesiastic life in Africa for the coming decades. Nevertheless, the volontary omissions or excessive caution of the document highlight the difficult situation of the Church when confronted with certain issues (demography, health...) which determine the future of the African continent.

In the Latin Church, synods were places to seek religious truth but also political events with their own rules for conflict resolution. This volume discusses the dynamics of religion and politics in synods from late antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the early modern era, combining research on the history of ecclesiastical councils, conflict management and legal and political decision-making in the premodern era.

As I reflect upon the synod of 1969 from the perspective of the present time, it seems to me that the issues confronting the synod were simply very intense expressions of a perennial basic issue that confronts every denomination to varying degrees. That is the issue of inclusion vs. exclusion. While all traditions have to deal with this issue, this issue is exacerbated in the Reformed Church by the theology and size of our denomination. Thirty-five years ago we were still dealing with the race issue, which afflicted our nation from its very beginning. We were and to some degree still are dealing with to what extent women will be included in the ministries of the church. We were dealing with the challenge of offering support, affirmation, and comfort to those who for reasons of conscience or out of profound sense of injustice dissented from national political policy. The inclusion/exclusion issue is particularly alive today in our denomination and others in the area of sexual identity. Then, as now, the reactions and relationships of contemporary church and society at times seemed to be driven more by fear than by faith.