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"Church for others": Commemorative event with Heino Falcke

50 years after Heino Falcke's keynote address "Christ frees - therefore church for others" to the Federal Synod in Dresden, which became an important theological point of orientation for the path of the Protestant Churches in the GDR and in ecumenism, the Protestant City Academy and the Martin Luther Institute of the University of Erfurt invite you to a commemorative event. It will take place on Thursday, 30 June, at 5 pm in the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt. Falcke, who is now 93 years old, is expected to attend the event in person.

In the course of the policy of détente and the change of power from Ulbricht to Honecker, the political framework conditions in the GDR changed. A new GDR constitution forced the Protestant churches to break away from the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD) and redefine their relationship to the SED state. Concepts such as "church for others" and "church in socialism" were discussed. The 1972 synod was particularly important. In his speech, Heino Falcke spoke of "improved socialism" and attested to the church's responsibility to help shape society. The speech had a considerable impact that extended beyond the 1980s into the Ecumenical Assemblies and the Peaceful Revolution of 1989.

The commemorative event in Erfurt is intended to remember this significant event and to ask what of it is important for the churches in view of today's challenges.

programme

17:00 h
Prelude (Dirk Marschall)
Welcome and introduction (Professor Michael Haspel)
Memories of the situation (retired Provost Dr. Dr. h.c. Heino Falcke)

17.30 hrs
Christ frees - therefore church for others! (speech as audio document)

6.15 p.m.
Interludium

18.20 hrs
Reactions and discussion

18.40 hrs
Postlude

6.45 p.m.
Spiritual impulse and evening blessing (Bishop Friedrich Kramer)
Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for further discussion at a small reception.

Places for the event are 'limited. We therefore ask you to register by 20 June.

 

link to registration

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