Bonner Querschnitte 10/2019 Ausgabe 574 (eng)

(Bonn, 21.03.2019) The Secretary General for Theological Concerns of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, criticized the guide “‘Christians and Muslims’: discussion paper on a theological determination of the way of the Protestant regional church in Baden“ [„‚Christen und Muslime‘: Gesprächspapier zu einer theologischen Wegbestimmung der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Baden“]. The “Network of Protestant Christians in Baden” and the “ChristusBewegung Baden” had commissioned the theologian and sociologist of religion with an expert opinion of the discussion paper.

After a detailed examination of the paper, Schirrmacher recommends a new version to the Landeskirche in Baden. Although the document contains praiseworthy concerns to promote dialogue between Christians and Muslims, the negative aspects predominate. Thus the discussion paper sets the own position absolutely, offers no practical assistance for the concrete congregation on the spot, and in many places lacks a differentiated consideration – for instance when it comes to the presentation of different Islamic currents and their manifestations. His conclusion: “Thus it remains to be hoped that the discussion paper will be fundamentally reconsidered again, that there will be a serious discussion of all theological directions in the church, and that all this will then be tailored to the actual needs in terms of dialogue of the local church congregations.”

Downloads and Links (in German):

• Theological expertise by Thomas Schirrmacher (short version) (pdf)
• Theological expertise by Thomas Schirrmacher (long version) (pdf)
• Discussion paper “Christians and Muslims” of the Landeskirche in Baden: https://www.ekiba.de/html/aktuell/aktuell_u.html?&m=31&artikel=16751&cataktuell=331
• EKD position paper on Christian-Islamic dialogue: https://www.ekd.de/positionspapier-der-ekd-zum-christlich-islamischen-dialog-37797.htm
• idea press release „Schirrmacher kritisiert Islampapier der badischen Landeskirche“: https://www.idea.de/frei-kirchen/detail/schirrmacher-kritisiert-islampapier-der-badischen-landeskirche-108510.html
• Article on jesus.de „Theologe Schirrmacher kritisiert Islampapier der badischen Landeskirche“: https://www.jesus.de/theologe-schirrmacher-kritisiert-islampapier-der-badischen-landeskirche/
• Network of Protestant Christians in Baden: http://www.netzwerk-baden.de/aktuelles/
• ChristusBewegung Baden: https://www.cbb-baden.de/aktuelles