2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the posting of Martin Luther's theses. What is the function of the Reformation anniversary? Can it be used for ecumenical commemoration? And is it possible to commemorate the Reformation "differently"? An article by theologian Andrea Strübind.
2017 marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's "posting of his theses", which is traditionally interpreted as the beginning of the Reformation. Although it has long been disputed whether Luther actually posted his theses on the right understanding of the sacrament of penance on the door of Wittenberg Castle Church, the "hammer blows" of 31 October 1517 have become firmly inscribed in cultural memory: A single fighter, a hero of faith, shook the entire medieval church with his hammer blows. A new age, a new way of thinking, a new man, a new church - according to the trivial but long-lasting interpretation.
The Reformation, on the other hand, led to the formation of a large number of independent denominations that separated themselves from the Roman Church in a long process. The theologically motivated upheaval had consequences for all areas of social and cultural life in the early modern period and made religious and cultural differentiation and pluralisation a signature of Europe.
"Reformation anniversaries offered occasions for self-promotion and polemics"
From a confessional-cultural perspective, the self-image of pluralist Protestantism was always characterised by a reflection on its own history. The reception of the Reformation's original history developed into a medium for theological, social and church-political debates. Reformation anniversaries offered occasions for self-promotion and polemics, but they were also always attempts to update the Reformation doctrine and relate it to the present.
The Protestant Church in Germany proclaimed the Luther Decade in 2008. The focus on Luther as a person has been criticised, particularly within the Protestant ecumenical movement. According to the objection, it does not do justice to the overall event of the Reformation. It is about a variety of Reformation movements that started in Wittenberg and Zurich and spread throughout Europe and the New World via Geneva.
"Does the jubilee primarily serve to build its own denominational profile?"
The ramified worldwide Protestantism sees itself as a process of appropriation of the Reformation message in the various contexts and time phases. The Reformation is therefore by no means a "German event", but has a global dimension and significance. The 2017 anniversary will take place in a situation characterised by multilateral and plural ecumenism. Not only the two major churches in Germany will be involved, but also the Orthodox churches and the diverse free-church Protestantism. It is also essential to recognise the European and - not least in the form of the many migrant churches - the global perspective.
Now that the Luther Decade has reached its halfway point, the question arises as to the function of the 2017 anniversary. Will it primarily serve to raise the profile of one's own denomination or can it be used for ecumenical commemoration? At the beginning of the Decade, hardly any thought was given to participants from other denominations or countries when appointing the anniversary committees and initiatives. They are neither represented on the Board of Trustees nor on the Steering Committee. Nevertheless, a Catholic theologian was nominated for the Scientific Advisory Board.
The spectrum of positions is also very broad in the Catholic Church. It ranges from a rejection of joint celebrations - on the grounds that a church split and the loss of church unity is no reason for celebrations - to urgent reminders to come to an understanding. After initial irritation, a joint penitential service is currently being planned for 2017 as a "healing gesture" between the Catholic Church and the Protestant churches.
"Christians' self-image increasingly less characterised by traditional denominational perspectives "
From an ecumenical perspective, the plural interpretations of the Reformation also include the Catholic understanding of a tragic schism and the loss of ecclesial unity in the Western Church. However, commemoration also includes the subsequent history of religiously motivated conflicts and wars. The dissenting Protestant movements - such as the Anabaptist movement or the Puritans - which were persecuted and marginalised by Catholic and Reformation authorities, point to a different approach to commemorating the Reformation: the dark side of religious conflicts such as experiences of violence, forced migrations and even the execution of thousands of dissenters.
The anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 will also take place in a society in which many people are no longer connected to the Christian religion or the church institutions that represent it. In addition, the self-image of Christians is also becoming less and less characterised by traditional denominational perspectives.
The "Freedom Space Reformation" project
Against this background, the "Reformation Freedom Space" project is an attempt to commemorate the Reformation and its comprehensive history of impact in a forward-looking way. In co-operation with many partners from science, churches, culture and society, the project of the University of Oldenburg offers a unique platform for schools, citizens, initiatives and communities.
In order to explore the overall event of the Reformation in the north-west and its significance for contemporary society, the participants utilise innovative ways of communication. In concerts, lectures, exhibitions, school projects, academic conferences and excursions, but also in plays, concert talks, internet presentations, installations and debates, they address, analyse and stage different aspects of religious and cultural pluralisation.
The project aims to raise pressing questions about religious diversity and tolerance, religious affiliation and the identity-forming significance of religion and cultural values. It aims to encourage critical questioning and bring people into dialogue with one another. With this approach, the anniversary of the Reformation will become a "space of freedom" for joint questioning, remembrance and critical appropriation of traditions.
You can read the unabridged version of this article in the current issue of EINBLICKE.