“Churches in Authoritarian Contexts: Current Opportunities for Cooperation Among Christians Worldwide” is the title of a conference taking place on November 18–19 in Hamburg. Alongside the Missionsakademie Hamburg, the Bremen Mission, Missio Aachen, the Berlin Missionary Society, and EMW are hosting the event.
Although freedom of religion is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, churches worldwide face restrictive state frameworks that limit their room to operate. By complying with prescribed regulations, they are constrained in their actions or impose self-limits out of caution or loyalty. This makes contact with church partners more difficult for us. Additionally, increasing nationalism and religious fundamentalism in many countries further complicate communication. This challenges us to reconsider how to communicate with our church partners in authoritarian contexts and how to address controversial theological and (church) political topics.
Concrete experiences in collaboration across different partner contexts will be discussed using examples from China, Russia, Iran, Nicaragua, India, and Togo. The Togo session will be led by Mawuli Assimadi, a theology student in Marburg and member of EEPT.
Date: November 18, 2:30 PM – November 19, 12:30 PM
Registration: tagungshaushamburg.com