Mission and dialogue go hand in hand

Evangelische Verantwortung, the CDU/CSU’s Evangelical Working Group magazine, publishes a “critical statement” on resolution by the Rhineland’s Regional Synod

In the journal “Evangelische Verantwortung” published by the Protestant Working Group of the CDU/CSU (Christlich Demokratische Union/Christlich-Soziale Union, the party of chancellor Merkel), a “critical statement” by the Bonn theologian and religious sociologist, Thomas Schirrmacher, on the “anti-conversion decision” of the Rhineland Synod was published. The article was published under the title “Mission and dialogue belong together” (“Mission und Dialog gehören zusammen”).

Among other things, Schirrmacher criticizes that the Synod has abandoned the world-wide ecumenical consensus. The statement contains the following:

“The Synod of the Rhineland Church, without further justification, thus deviates from the global ecumenical consensus, which states that dialogue and mission go hand in hand. The Synod obviously regards them as mutually exclusive and has decided unilaterally for dialogue, at least vis-à-vis Muslims.”

In addition, the resolution avoided addressing the many baptisms of former Muslims in the Rhineland Church.

“The Synod is inconsistent since in larger numbers it has baptized former Muslims, also those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ due to missionary activities. In the resolution it is not even mentioned nor is it justified how this is possible if one holds that Muslims’ desire to convert through conversation with them is wrong.”

Among other things, the author says:

“At a time during which almost on a daily basis asylum-seeking converts to the Christian faith receive their notice of deportation to return to countries in which they face life-threatening threats and at least strong reprisals because of their new faith, against which almost all churches raise objections, one would have wished that the Regional Synod of the Rhineland Church had been able to express itself clearly when speaking on the subject of conversion from Islam to Christianity.”

Bibliography:

• „Mission und Dialog, Überzeugen und Friedenstiften gehören zusammen: Eine kritische Stellungnahme zum ‚Anti-Koversions-Beschluss‘ der Rheinischen Landessynode” (PDF-DOWNLOAD). Evangelische Verantwortung (EAK der CDU/CSU) 3+4/2018, pp. 7–13.

Tags: CDU, CDU/CSU, Christianity, Christentum Deutschland, Dialogue, Dialog der Religionen, Evangelische Kirche, peace, Islam, Konversion, Konvertit, Missions & Ecumenism, Mission, Ecumenism, Rheinische Landessynode, Rheinland