“It’s possible to celebrate the reformation across the borders”: a conversation with Dr. Margot Kässmann

Dra.Margot_Kässmann

Dr. Margot Kässmann

MEXICO-

Leopoldo Cervantes-Ortiz-

Dr. Margot Kässmann, former bishop of the German Evangelical Church (EKD) and current ambassador for the 2017 Reform jubilee, will be in Mexico City in the coming days to offer lectures and receive the Honoris Causa Doctorate that will grant her the Theological Community of Mexico (CTM). On Sunday, he will preach at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit and inaugurate the exhibition “Here I stand”. On Monday 20th, she will present the conference “The 500th Anniversary of the Reform: What is to be celebrated?” at CTM. On Tuesday 21 in the morning, about “Christian Responsibility in Politics”, at the Mexican Institute of Christian Social Doctrine, And in the afternoon at the Goethe Institute, she will present the conference “Reform and development of civil society”. She kindly accepted this interview before leaving for the United States, prior to arriving in Mexico. We thank the intermediation of Pastor Marc Reusch and Prof. Friederike Deeg, head of Latin American affairs at EKD.

Dr. Kässmann, what has been the real impact of the celebrations of the Protestant Reformation in your country until now?

On the one hand, there is wide public interest. The jubilee is not seen as a church affair, but as a matter of interest for the entire country. On the other hand, we see the fruits of the ecumenical movement of the last 100 years. This time we celebrate with an international and ecumenical spirit.

 

Do you consider that the legacy of the Reformation remains in force in these times of globalization and dictatorship of the economic market?

Oh yes, indeed. Every person is free in matters of faith and conscience. That is a very actual challenge and Luther had a clear critique of the capitalism of his times. Money should not rule human beings he said. That’s a helpful thought also today.

 

What do you think of the role of the churches of the so-called South (fruit of missionary activities) in the practice of the theological and social spiritual heritage of the Protestant Reformation?

When I visited Hong Kong last year a student told me that she had been almost in despair with all the pressure to be successful in her society. Luther’s teaching about living by God’s grace alone came as a liberation to her. For me that was moving. I am convinced the churches of the so-called South today can contribute the topic of justice as challenging. Too often it is ignored in the so-called North. Certainly we need renewal of spirituality. Interesting enough many of our German parishes are inspired by refugees from the South who join them and bring new music, ways of prayer and interpretation of the Bible.

 

What do you think of the new churches and their complex relationship with the religious reforms of the sixteenth century? Do you think they are a kind of deformation or betrayal of the original spirit of those movements?

The other day a pastor from Korea told me, his church would be post-confessional and not interested in the dogmatic differences of 16th century Europe. I think that is too easy. First of all, we need roots in our faith and the thought of our mothers and fathers in faith is not irrelevant. Secondly, we have to discuss what we believe. What does baptism mean to us, what do we see in the Eucharist, and so, I see many of the Pentecostal churches as inheritants of the reformation, but to be in dialogue means that you are equipped for it and ready to discuss about your faith.

 

The Protestant ethic and its relation to the rise of the capitalist spirit is a theme always mentioned. How would you characterize that relationship from the churches and European societies?

It has been Max Weber who brought up the thesis that Protestantism shaped capitalism with regard to the pilgrim fathers: work a lot and do not amuse too much to put it short. That was more the reformed wing of reformation but also Luther put an emphasis on your work as a calling. Today the question is how we criticize a market ideology that does not long for the best of the people but only supports greed and the wealth of few.

 

Do you consider that the Protestant Reformation remains an essential part of Western culture in a time as secularized as ours? What extent?

Yes, I think so. Europe is marked by the Reformation experience. The freedom of thought and speech and religion has taken centuries to be a right for every person regardless of sex, origin, color of skin. We struggle for it in a new way in a secular and at the same time multi-religious society, but struggling for it is part of the heritage.

 

What do you think of the evangelical or Protestant testimony of the Latin American churches? What echoes come to Germany about them?

We are in good relationship with our Lutheran partner churches in Latin America. There is exchange of thought in visits and mutual communication. As Europeans, we are interested in how they relate with the roman-catholic church on the one hand and the Pentecostal movements on the other hand. When I was a student, I have been very interested in liberation theology, which has challenged European theology quite often.

 

In Mexico, you will talk about the political participation of believers. What is the experience of the German evangelical churches in this regard?

For some people the church should not be political at all. As for myself, I am convinced you cannot preach the gospel apart from the world you live in, so the church will always have to take a political stand with regard to critical issues of peace and justice, the dignity of refugees for instance, and the believers will have to stand up for their Christian conviction where they live and work. Luther would say that it is about the worship in our daily living.

 

About migration in your country. Do you believe that the people who arrive are a challenge for the evangelization and mission of the churches or that they should be content to contribute to ensuring their good stay there?

For me the best definition of mission is this: living in such a way, that others ask you why you live that way, and we see in our parishes that quite a few of the refugees are so overwhelmed by the hospitality of our church that they become interested in our faith. Some of the refugees already come as Christians for instance from Ethiopia or Iran and bring fresh thought to the parishes.

 

Finally, what message would you send to those who wish to celebrate in the best spirit the 500 years of this movement that changed the face of the world at the time?

We can celebrate that the Reformation made educated faith possible. People are allowed to ask questions, they are encouraged to read for themselves, there is no cast of priests who have the knowledge, but the church is a community of believers where every member has a gift to bring. That is a pretty good concept against fundamentalism. That it is possible to celebrate 2017 across borders and in an ecumenical spirit is a gift we can be grateful for. Thank you very much.

 

 

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