A handbook of councils and churches profiles of ecumenical relationships
|
|  Yüklə 3.98 Mb.
|
AUSTRIA Population: 8,120,243 Surface area: 83,860 sq.km Capital: Vienna GNI per capita: 26,810 US$ Classification: Developed economy Language: German Religions: Christian 90%; Muslim 3%; Christianity: Catholics 5,770,000; Protestants 363,080; Orthodox 100,600; Independent 72,340 Austria was once the centre of the Austro-Hungarian empire. After World War I it became a federal republic, which was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. In the period following World War II, Austria developed gradually into a prosperous country with a healthy economy and a relatively secure social system. It joined the European Union in 1995. Because of its neutrality and its geographical position, Austria has often been a bridge-builder between East and West, politically and culturally. The churches participate also in this mediating role. The main religious group in Austria is the Roman Catholic Church. The Protestant churches (Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist and Baptist) are a minority of about 6 percent of the population. The Methodist Church is part of the United Methodist Church and thus also of the WCC. There is an Old-Catholic Church and also a sizeable Orthodox minority, among which the Greek Orthodox Church is the oldest, and the Serbian Orthodox Church the largest group. Ecumenical partnership has been common practice for decades. The churches work together in the Ecumenical Council of Churches, regardless of their size. The Roman Catholic Church has been a full member of the council since 1994. Good interfaith relationships exist with the Jewish and Muslim communities. The official recognition of Islam by the state has helped to create a climate of mutual understanding. There is an Evangelical Alliance of Austria, which is affiliated with the WEA.
(Ökumenischer Rat der Kirchen in Österreich) Founded in 1958. Basis of membership: Membership is open to all churches in Austria which approve the aim of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria and agree with its by-laws. Aim: The purpose of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria is to fulfill ecumenical tasks together. In particular, the council considers it to be its task to put into practice the ecumenical ideal in Austria, making it known, and deepening this ideal in the life of the congregations. Member churches: Anglican Church Armenian Apostolic Church Bulgarian Orthodox Church Catholic Church Coptic Orthodox Church Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession Evangelical Church of the Helvetic Confession Evangelical Methodist Church Greek Orthodox Church Old-Catholic Church Romanian Orthodox Church Russian Orthodox Church Serbian Orthodox Church Syrian Orthodox Church Observers: Austria Diakonia Austrian Bible Society Baptist Union Ecumenical Youth Council Evangelical Missionary Council European Ecumenical Forum of Christian Women National Ecumenical Committee Austria “Pro Oriente” Salvation Army Servitas Vienna Community Church World Day of Prayer Website: www.kirchen.at / www.oekumene.at Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetic Confessions in Austria (Evangelische Kirche Augsburgischen und Helvetischen Bekenntnisses A.u.H.B.) Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession
Europe
independent in matters of confessional identity and administration. The dual legal entity both churches agreed to, with the obligation to follow in the way of the reformers, is the basis of Austrian Lutheran and Reformed participation in the WCC, an arrangement akin to that of Germany’s Lutherans and Reformed, participating under the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Austrian Lutherans are members of LWF through their own ecclesiastical body, the ECAC, just as the Reformed are members of WARC through their own Reformed Church of Austria. The Reformation reached the area of what is today called Austria very early. By the end of the 16th century two thirds of the population were touched by it. At that time a systematic counter-reformation was started in the Habsburg empire. Evangelical preachers had to leave the country, churches were destroyed, books and writings burned. Citizens as well as farmers had to choose between emigration or return to the Catholic Church. For more than three generations they had to decide for their faith or their home country. Thousands chose to emigrate, many turned back to Catholicism and some stayed Evangelicals in their heart. A “secret Protestantism” was able to survive for decades, mainly by withdrawing to the hardly accessible valleys in the mountains of Carinthia and Upper Austria. During this period of persecution evangelical worship services were allowed only in Vienna. In 1781 the emperor issued a Deed of Tolerance, and in 1861 the Protestants were granted complete freedom of confession and public practice of religion. During the “Free from Rome” movement in the late 19th and early 20th century many Catholics joined the Protestant churches. The ideological trends of the 1930s brought about a severe time of testing for Protestants. A few men and women raised their voice and offered resistance but the church as a whole did not follow them. The influx of German refugees from central and eastern Europe after World War II, and of Hungarians after the uprising of 1956, increased once again the membership of the Protestant churches. Lutheran and Reformed Christians in Austria have been working together in areas of spiritual and administrative concern for many years. One of the reasons is that in both churches membership is mixed, i.e. the Lutheran Church has Reformed members, and the Reformed Church has Lutherans. The law for Protestants voted in 1961 by the Austrian parliament provided for the legal autonomy of the churches and public support for the Protestant faculty of theology, for religious instruction in schools, and for military chaplaincies and church-related welfare services. Finding itself in the very centre of Europe, the church makes great efforts to promote dialogue with various Christian communities in neighbouring nations, in particular in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Through its theological faculty in Vienna it contributes to the ongoing European theological debate.
(Alt-Katholische Kirche Österreichs) Church Family: Old-Catholic Membership: 14,621 Parishes: 11 Bishop: 1 Priests: 29 Member of: WCC (1967) – CEC – ÖRKÖ Periodical: Altkatholische Kirchenzeitung (monthly, in German) Website: www.altkatholiken.at The church separated from the Roman Catholic Church after the definition of infallibility and the universal primacy of jurisdiction of the pope as a dogma in 1870. The OCCA became an established church in 1877, through the recognition by the Austrian imperial government, although the authorities did not permit the consecration of a bishop or recognize the validity of marriages performed by the Old-Catholic Church. Neither did the government allow the church tax paid by Old-Catholics to be used for the clergy, as was done in the case of all other denominations. Consequently, Old-Catholics, mostly working-class people, were constantly in financial straits. They also had difficulty in finding priests. After the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1918, only three parishes remained. Nine more were established later. The first bishop was consecrated by the archbishop of Utrecht and other bishops during the International Old-Catholic Congress at Bern in 1925. The church suffered much during the period 1933-45, and flourished again from the foundation of the second republic of Austria onwards. In 1982 and again in 1998 the church hosted the gatherings of the International Old-Catholic Congress. The Old-Catholic Church of Austria seeks to preserve the heritage of the ancient church. It takes seriously the freedom of faith and conscience of the individual. In 2000 it adopted a document stating that the OCCA wants to be an inviting and participatory church, open to diversity, accompanying people in their life journey, a community that is constantly being renewed, a church that offers a home and protection, where each person can receive and live out the faith without fear. All decisions are taken together by the clergy and the laity. Since 1997 the ministry is open to women. The OCCA is ecumenical and is committed to the issues of justice, peace and the integrity of creation. BELGIUM Population: 10,359,127 Surface area: 30,510 sq.km Capital: Brussels GNI per capita: 25,760 US$ Classification : Developed economy Languages: French, Dutch and German Religions: Christian 88%; Muslim 4%; Buddhist, Jewish and other 1% Christianity: Catholics 8,747,706; Protestants 143,990; Orthodox 48,200; Independent 69,710 Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy since 1830. It has a largely federalized government system in order to accommodate the language areas (Dutchspeaking Flanders, French-speaking Wallonia, Brussels where both languages are used, and a small German-speaking area). Belgium has a modern industrialized and commercial economy. It is one of the six founding members of the European Union, and the offices of the EU Commission and Council are located in Brussels. Several European churches and ecumenical organizations have established offices in Brussels, to liaise with the EU. The Catholic Church is the majority church in Belgium. Historically, the Reformation had a strong impact in the area, but the independence struggle of the Netherlands and the Counter-Reformation led to the re-establishment of the Catholic Church. The relationships of the small Protestant churches and groups with the Catholic Church have been difficult for a long time, Europe
but have been normalized in the recent past. The WCC member church is the United Protestant Church of Belgium. Evangelicals and Pentecostals make up about 50 percent of the Protestants, and together with the Charismatics 3 percent of the Christian population (2000). There is a small but growing Orthodox presence. A consultative body groups the Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox and United Protestant churches. There are two Evangelical Alliances, one Dutch, and one French speaking, which are affiliated with the WEA. Consultation of Christian Churches in Belgium (Concertation des Eglises chrétiennes en Belgique CECB) Founded in 1990 Purpose: To express the communion that already exists between its member churches and to promote a greater unity and a more efficient Christian witness; to be a place of common prayer; to be a place of information sharing, listening and dialogue between the churches; to facilitate reflection and possible joint initiatives in the areas of witness, service and Christian presence to the world. Member churches:
Catholic Church Orthodox Church United Protestant Church of Belgium United Protestant Church of Belgium (Eglise protestante unie de Belgique EPUB)) Church Family: United and Uniting Membership: 50,000 Congregations: 103 Pastors: 105 Member of: WCC (1948) – CEC – CEPPLE – CECB – WARC – EAC – WMC – CPCE
Periodicals: De Stem (in Dutch), Mosaïque (in French) Kerkmozaïek (in Dutch) This church traces its history back to the Reformation which had a great influence in the country. Political forces and the Counter-Reformation did not eliminate Protestantism entirely. But it found the necessary freedom for its development only after the independence of Belgium in 1830. New churches were then added to those which had survived difficult times. This was a result of evangelization by the Reformed churches in Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. From 1925 onwards two different strands developed in Belgian Protestantism. There were churches which participated in the worldwide ecumenical movement and in the Federation of Protestant Churches in Belgium, and others which stayed away from ecumenism. From 1962 onwards four churches realized an organic church union in two stages. In 1969 the Evangelical Protestant Church of Belgium united with the Belgian Conference of the United Methodist Church to form the Protestant Church of Belgium. In 1971 this church started union negotiations with the Reformed Church of Belgium (founded in 1837 as the Belgian Christian Missionary Church, mainly working in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium), which led in 1979 to the formation of the United Protestant Church of Belgium. Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion of the nation. There are in the country more and more Orthodox churches, and large immigrant communities adhering to Islam. The UPCB is a minority church, but it contributes to the social and religious life of the people in several ways. It has created a few organizations which work towards the integration of refugees and migrants into society. Programmes of evangelization have been developed. The church sponsors radio and television work and maintains a missionary relationship with the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda. It is concerned with issues of development and economic justice. A considerable number of African students, in particular from Zaire and Rwanda, are enrolled in the theological faculty of Brussels. Since the Second Vatican Council the relations with the Roman Catholic Church have improved and deepened, and there is today an atmosphere of confidence and cooperation. As a united church representing different traditions, the UPCB benefits from its close ties with the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the Evangelical Church of the Rhineland (EKD, Germany) and the United Methodist Church.
Founded in 1997. Basis of membership: Cooperation in ecumenical institutions. Member churches: Catholic Church Evangelical Church in Croatia Evangelical Pentecostal Church Reformed Christian Church in Croatia Serbian Orthodox Church Union of Baptist Churches in Croatia CZECH REPUBLIC Population: 10,230,060 Surface area: 78,870 sq.km Capital: Prague GNI per capita: 9,150 US$ Classification: Economy in transition Languages: Czech, Slovak Religions: Christian 33% Christianity: Catholics 2,756,622; Protestants 178,627; Hussite 99,356; Orthodox 23,053; Independent 31,000 The Czech Republic was established in 1993, after the peaceful division of former Czechoslovakia into two states. The Czech are a Slavonic people who have been living in the area since the 5th century. From the 17th through the beginning of the 20th century the territory was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918. It came under communist rule in 1948, after World War II, until 1989 when the Soviet bloc collapsed. The country was one of the industrial centres of the Soviet bloc. It has been rapidly adjusting to Europe
liberal economy and joined the European Union in 2004. During the communist period, the churches were to a large extent controlled by the Communist Party and were not allowed to work freely. Prague, the capital, was the home of the Christian Peace Conference. However, after the repression of the attempt to create a “socialism with a human face” in 1968, Prague became also a centre of dissidence in the Soviet-ruled part of Europe. The Ecumenical Council groups the main Protestant, Pentecostal, Orthodox, and Old-Catholic churches. The Roman Catholic Church, which is the majority church, is an associate member of the council. There is also a Czech Evangelical Alliance, which is affiliated with the WEA. The Czech land is the area of the early Reformer Jan Hus and the Moravians, who later moved to Hernnhut in Germany. The Baptist Theological Seminary, serving the whole of Europe, is located near Prague. The Czech Republic is today one of the most secularized countries in Europe. *Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic Founded in 1955 as the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Czechoslovakia, it became the Czech Ecumenical Council in 1970, and the Czechoslovak Ecumenical Council of Churches in 1984. In 1993, after the division of Czechoslovakia, it took its current title. Basis of membership: The ECC is an association of churches, which profess that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour and aspire to fulfil their mission together to the glory of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The ECC is not a supra-church. Each of the member denominations makes its own decisions regarding its teachings, creed, life, and order, as well as regarding its relationship to other churches and church unions. However, membership in the ECC binds individual churches in an ecumenical relationship with all of the other churches that belong to the ECC. It also compels them to strive for the highest possible degree of agreement on all controversial issues. Member churches: Apostolic Church Baptist Union in the Czech Republic Brethren Church
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession Old Catholic Church
Unity of Brethren (Moravian Church – Unitas Fratrum) Associate member church: Czech Bishop’s Conference (Catholic Church) Observers: Seventh-day Adventist Church Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic Website: www.ekumenickarada.cz
Church Family: Hussite Membership: 102,000 Dioceses: 6 Congregations: 303 Bishops: 7 Pastors: 241 (107 women) Lay preachers: 84 (49 women) Member of: WCC (1963) – CEC – ECCCR – CPCE Periodicals: Cesky Zapas (weekly, in Czech), Husita (monthly, in Czech) The Czechoslovak Hussite Church (CHC) declares that it “came into being through the will and grace of God, so that through it many who would otherwise have been lost in unbelief and despair should be brought into the one, holy, universal church of God, and so that it might strive to bring about the church of God without stain or wrinkle” (Basic Principles of Faith of the CHC). This took place with the celebration of church services in the Czech language for the first time at Christmas 1919. The CHC was then formally established in January 1920 in Prague by Focus, the radical wing of the modernist reform movement of Roman Catholic clergy. The basic theological characteristics of the CHC are: 1) The Spirit of Christ (the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit). This is the highest norm. 2) The apostolic and Reformation character of the church. Both are understood as coming from the Holy Spirit. 3) The presence of Christ as a liturgical principle. The living Christ makes himself present through the power of the Holy Spirit in the sacramental action of the church. 4) Respect for scientific truth and openness towards the world. There is only one final truth and knowledge of this final truth is only partial. Truth is a responsible relationship with God and with fellow human beings. 5) Freedom of conscience, which opens up horizons of pluralism of opinions and viewpoints. 6) Presbyterian and episcopal order. This has its origin in the universal priesthood of the people of Christ. Bishops are elected for a certain period of time. The presbyterian order refers to the participation of elected or approved presbyters (church elders) in the structures of the church. Through its name, the “Czechoslovak Hussite Church” proclaims its adherence to the Christian traditions of its historical territories, especially the Hussite or Czech Reformation (also known as the first Reformation). The Hussite Church occupies the middle ground between the essence of the Catholic Church (liturgy and the seven sacraments) and the principles of the Protestant churches (teaching and order). Its theology is constantly engaged in the process of critically defining its own church practice. The basic unit of the church is the local congregation, led by a council of elders which is elected by the assembly of the congregation. Together, the local congregations make up five dioceses in the Czech Republic and one in Slovakia. The dioceses are administered by diocesan councils under the leadership of a bishop, elected by the diocesan assembly. The church as a whole is administered by a central council, under the leadership of a patriarch, who is elected by the all-church assembly. The central council consists of both priests and presbyters in equal numbers, who are elected by the diocesan assemblies. In the periods between meetings of the all-church assembly, authority is vested in the whole church vestry, with delegates (clergy and lay) from each of the dioceses. The CHC seeks to fulfil its vocation in society by bringing into dialogue contemporary moral thinking and scientific knowledge with the Spirit of Christ as preserved in the scripture and the tradition of the early church, and in the Bohemian and 16th-century Reformation movements. The church takes care of Europe
the spiritual growth of all its members, at the parish level through Bible studies, religious education, preparation for the sacraments and pastoral care, at the synod and national levels through seminars, courses, summer camps, etc. Candidates for the ministry are trained at the Hussite theological faculty of Charles University in Prague, which offers also programmes for other professions in the church and is open to students from other churches. A new institution of the CHC is the Huss Institute of Theological Studies where pastoral assistants, deacons and other church workers are trained. The church is actively involved in educational, social and diaconal activities and in cultural manifestations (e.g. the Hussite Music School). Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren Church Family: United and Uniting Membership: 117,000 Congregations: 270 Seniors: 13 Pastors: 230 (55 women) Lay preachers: 38 Member of: WCC (1948) – CEC – ECCCR – WARC – EAC – LWF – CPCE Periodical: Czech Brother (bimonthly, in Czech) Website: www.srcce.cz The present Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren is the result of the union of the former Czech churches of the Helvetic and Augsburg Confessions. Its history, however, goes back to the 15th century awakening through the work of Jan Hus and his followers, which later on brought into existence the Unitas Fratrum. Although the Protestants constituted 90 percent of the population at the beginning of the 17th century, they were outlawed in their own homeland after 1620. They had either to leave the country or accept the Catholic faith. The most notable of the exiles was J.A. Comenius, the last bishop – or senior – of the Unitas Fratrum. In 1781, the emperor granted the Protestants a measure of religious liberty. But still they had to belong either to the Lutheran or to the Reformed Church. Only in 1918 was union reached on the basis of a common return to the Hussite and Brethren Reformation, which brought into being the Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren. The ECCB is the largest Protestant church in the country. The congregations of the ECCB have a presbyterian order and the whole church is organized on synodal principles. The synod meets each year and its 80 members are elected by the seniorate meetings. The life and work of the church is closely connected with the work of Evangelical Diaconia with its 32 local centres, which was set up after the political changes of 1989. The new situation made it also possible for the church to appoint pastors in public institutions, like the military chaplains, prison chaplains, diaconal pastors, reporters working in the media, etc. Training for the ministry takes place at the Evangelical Theological Faculty of Charles University in Prague. Some 10-15 graduates of this faculty start each year their ordained mission in the church. The publishing house KALICH is also closely linked with the ECCB. The church is concerned about the spiritual life of its members. Its major programmes include postgraduate theological training of pastors, courses for lay preachers and training of other lay workers. There is a large meeting of youth each year in one or the other of the Czech towns. The main topics of discussion of the last such gathering were: the meaning of ordination, holy communion for children, the meaning of the gospel in secular society, the financial resources of the church, etc. Besides its membership in the ecumenical bodies mentioned above, the church has a large range of bilateral contacts with many churches in Europe and in the world. |