PCT presides over interreligious service in Germany during EKD Assembly

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

3093 Edition

June 6-12, 2011

General Assembly News

PCT presides over interreligious service in Germany during EKD Assembly

Reported by Fang Lan-ting

Written by Lydia Ma

More than 200,000 people participated in EKD (Evangelical Church in Germany) 
Biennial Assembly in Dresden, Germany from June 1-5, 2011. This assembly 
featured more than 2,000 seminars, workshops, recitals, Bible studies, and 
information booths. It also included 38 services and one of the church groups 
that hosted a service was PCT. Leaders within PCT designed this interreligious 
service and also presented their respective ministries. 

PCT General Assembly heads took this long-sought opportunity to visit leaders 
from local churches in Saxony and Hamburg. This visit to Germany and encounters 
with EKD leaders was considered a stepping stone to closer partnerships between 
the two churches for various ministries involving missions, medicine, and 
communications.

The interreligious service was based on the theme “Spiritual Outreach” and it 
was attended by leaders from various religions and church organizations, 
including PCT General Assembly Moderator Chiohh Lyiam-Syian, PCT General 
Secretary Andrew Chang, Tainan Theological College and Seminary Professor Wang 
Jen-wen, Taiwan Church Press General Editor Fang Lan-ting, Taiwanesich 
Presbyterianische Gemeinde in Wien pastor Rev. Chen Chi-ying, German 
Benedictine padre Anselm Gruen, and Buddhist leader Ven. Chao Hwei.

Germany’s renowned pastor Christian Fuehrer who had led “Monday demonstrations” 
in East Germany at St-Nicholas Church during Germany’s candlelight revolution 
in the 1980s was among the attendees that day. He commented that the 2-minute 
standing ovation at the end was a sign that the audience was thrilled to be 
part of such an unique service.

To help the German audience understand Taiwan and PCT, a brochure and a slide 
presentation prepared in German were presented before the service began. 
Furthermore, Prof. Wang Jen-wen and Ms. Wu Hsin-ju, both fluent in German, 
served as translators during the service.. 

Two dialogues were slated after Rev. Chiohh Lyiam-syian finished greeting the 
attendees. One dialogue featuring Anselm Gruen and Chao Hwei delved into how 
their respective faiths taught them to care for the world and for humanity. The 
other dialogue featuring Rev. Chang and Anselm Gruen focused on how PCT and 
former Church of East Germany became fortresses for the oppressed and how the 
ecumenical movement coul enhance human rights, justice and peace.

The interreligious service ended with blessings and prayers for peace from all 
the religious leaders and Anselm Gruen later led the congregation in a final 
silent blessing for the world.

 

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