14.06.2024

Light for Churches Worldwide

General Secretary Rev Dr Andar Parlindungan described the meaning of the Declaration for Asia, Africa and Germany. Photo by: Martina Pauly, UEM

"How Remembrance Works – The Works of Remembrance" was the title of a symposium organised by the Protestant Church District and the Kirchliche Hochschule (KiHo) Wuppertal on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the publication of the Barmen Theological Declaration from 31 May to 1 June 2024, which included a festive service in the Gemarker Church. The conference was held under the direction of Superintendent Ilka Federschmidt and Prof. Dr. Nicole Kuropka "on the holy mountain" of the KiHo in Wuppertal.

The Theological Declaration of Barmen is a central document in German Church history: During the Nazi era, just before World War II, protestant theologians stood against racism and fascism in the Hitler Administration. These Theologians were often left alone by their church leadership who endorsed and supported Hitler’s racist ideology.

In his address, Dr Andar Parlindungan, General Secretary of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM), highlighted the global significance that the Barmen Theological Declaration still has for churches in the global south: "Hardly any other theological document has had more influence on global Christianity than the Barmen Theological Declaration. Perhaps the reverberation of the declaration is even more inspiring, motivating and stimulating for the churches in the South than in Europe and Germany, where it originated.”

He cited the Belhar Confession of 1982 as an example, which inspired the Black Christian community in southern Africa to rise up against the racist policies of apartheid and the state's policy of white supremacy. He also said that the people in his own church, the HKBP* in Indonesia, felt encouraged by the Barmen Theological Declaration in the late 1990s. They resisted the interventionist, dictatorial government of President Suharto, who wanted to silence the critical voices of the churches on behalf of the poor and oppressed.

For Parlindungan, the declaration results in two tasks for today's church leaders:

• to take a more courageous stand against right-wing populist, right-wing extremist, racist, anti-minority and nationalistic attitudes.
• not to give up support for the realities of poverty, human rights violations and discrimination in the global south:

"For 90 years, the Barmen Theological Declaration has taught us to remain hopeful and that the church will never die out as long as it stands on the side of the victims and the marginalised. In the worldwide church, humans find hope, protection and security because they find Christ in the church," says Parlindungan.

In his opinion, a church that focuses only on budget issues becomes meaningless and unattractive to its members because it only stands for itself and has no real influence on Christianity and global society. Here, he hopes that the Barmen Theological Declaration will inspire the church today to stand up courageously for peace and justice, thereby strengthening the worldwide community of believers.

*HKBP = Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (Christian Protestant Church of the Batak)