Forum Junge Theologie in Europa. 1. Zwischen Nationalismus und Kosmopolitismus. Perspektiven für einen zukünftigen Protestantismus 2. Partizipation und Protestantismus
▶Summary
The project "Forum Young Theology in Europe" aims to bring young Protestant Europeans together in a sustainable dialogue about the situation of their respective churches in different countries. Ch...
▶Objectives
The project "Forum Young Theology in Europe" aims to bring young Protestant Europeans together in a sustainable dialogue about the situation of their respective churches in different countries. Church-related stakeholders are often caught between a strong rootedness in historically and culturally shaped narratives on the one hand and the affiliation to European Protestantism and worldwide Christianity on the other. This tension and the general pluralisation of contemporary forms of social participation result in a multitude of possibilities for young Protestants in Europe to participate in church and social processes. Through the exchange about the respective social challenges, the participants will be enabled to speak and act concerning their identity, values and perspectives for the future. A Europe-wide network will be established. Together, the participants develop materials that can be used in practice in various European church contexts - and thus by a broad public - especially in congregations and in educational settings.
▶Activities
The first Digital Academy took place from 4th November 2021 to 10th February 2022. Seven online lectures dealt with different aspects of "Protestantism between Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism". 48 people from different countries participated. From 11th-14th May 2022, the first meeting of the Forum took place in Vienna, Austria. 22 young Protestants from 12 countries exchanged views on the topic "Between Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism. Perspectives for a Future Protestantism" and developed materials for use in congregations, schools and society, such as a series of theses and teaching materials. The second Digital Academy took place from 3th November 2022 to 9th February 2023. Seven online lectures focused on different aspects of "Protestantism and Participation". From 12-15 April 2023, the second meeting of the Forum took place in Sibiu, Romania. 13 young Protestants from 7 countries exchanged their views on the topic "Protestantism and Participation: Taking responsibility - giving hope - being visible" and developed materials for use in congregations, schools and society, such as a series of theses and a proposal for a participatory liturgy at church.
▶Impact
The Digital Academies are documented on the website www.young-theology. As digital, multimedia conference proceedings, summaries of the lectures are available here in text form as well as recordings of the lectures in video format. At the conference in Vienna, a series of theses, a course outline, a canon, a draft liturgy and a template for a webinar were developed. At the meeting in Sibiu, a series of theses, a draft liturgy, a project plan for improving the participation structure in congregations and a sample project for improving the visibility of church involvement in society were developed. These materials have been compiled in two journals, which are distributed both as pdf downloads and in printed form. A report on the meeting in Vienna, reflecting the contents of the meeting and the results, was published in the journal "Materialdienst" (Volume 73 Issue 4, 2022). Statements by participants of the Digital Academy were published in the journal "Evangelische Orientierung" in issue 1/2023, and conference reports on Vienna and Sibiu in issues 2/2022 and 2/2023.