Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: A German Perspective

Abstract

Let me first express my gratitude for this opportunity to speak to you today. I'm bringing special greetings from EMW but also from sisters and brothers in our German churches. The organizers have asked me to present a short case study to you today, namely on the reactions to the document Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct in Germany. On this basis I will discuss how this text can help to strengthen in ecumenical unity and discipleship. Positive reactions to the document Let me start with the good news: since its publication in 2011 this document has attracted a significant attention from German churches, mission agencies, and theological faculties. This is quite unusual, as statements from the worldwide ecumenical community nowadays tend to meet with indifference in my country. Not so in this case: people belonging to a wide range of church groups, from evangelical mission societies to liberal regional churches, have given the text great attention, and the great majority agree that this document is important and of great help in their own work. I would say that no ecumenical statement on Christian witness and interreligious dialogue has echoed so resonantly in Germany in a long time. Why? The text is relatively short and understandable for those who are no experts on the subject. The language is inviting, the structure is clear, and it is well reasoned. The combination of basic theological statements that, however, remain open for varied interpretations is helpful. The authors have not restricted themselves to abstract formulas, because the descriptions of multi-religious contexts are accompanied by concrete recommendations. Therefore, this text can be used outside the church-related circles, too. The combination of those organizations responsible for the document is extraordinary: It is the first time that the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the Evangelical World Alliance (EWA), and the World Council of Churches (WCC) have taken a joint platform like this, and it cannot be rated highly enough. The very fact that such a diverse coalition has been established means that this must be something of great importance. Yes, it is a key issue of our current situation that is discussed here: Mission Ethics is a major subject in our discussions on appropriate forms of evangelism and authentic discipleship for today. A number of publications about encounters with people of other faiths or non-religious worldviews have a similar focus. For some years now, we have been seeing a growing interest in mission issues in many parts of our church life, but outside church circles there are still many stereotyped reservations about mission. Its religious nature is suspected of intolerance and totalitarian thinking. This leads to passionate debates about the capacity for peace and potential for violence of religions, especially since militant Islam has come to the forefront. The humble approach and the clear emphases of the document are quite helpful for these debates. I would like to add that in Germany there is general agreement on the fact that the bounds set on our engagement in mission described in this document should not be overstepped. Besides the focus on a dialogue-centred and respectful missionary presence, our debates have made it clear that the statement has another strength: its powerful affirmation of Christian witness in multi-religious contexts. While similar codes of conduct tend to give the impression that they are recommending refraining from mission, this text has quite a different ring to it. A clear Christian testimony of God's loving presence is indispensable--and that makes the text attractive to those who insist on putting authentic discipleship at the top of their agenda. Addressing church players and stimulating inner-Christian consultation processes have been helpful in our church constellations. …