Der reformierte Protestantismus in den Niederlanden und in Deutschland im 20. Jahrhundert - Signaturen, Beziehungen, Differenzen, Wechselwirkungen

Internationales Evangelisches Tagungszentrum Auf dem heiligen Berg, Wuppertal, Kirchliche Hochschule Wuppertal/Bethel

22./23. November 2018

u. a. Prof. Dr. Rolf-Ulrich Kunze

Rolf-Ulrich Kunze

Reformed Politics in the Netherlands and the Federal Republic since 1945.

A problem outline and two examples on the relationship between theology and politics.

Wuppertal, 22/23.11.2018

In Dutch social history since 1945, the broad topic of theology and politics is related, among other things, to the processes of decolonization and milieu erosion, but also to the astonishing left-progressive reinvention of conservative Reformed milieu parties in the Netherlands since the 1960s. Another factor in the history of mentality in the Netherlands, but one that has a much different impact than in the Federal Republic, is the Reformed contribution to the reception of the 1972 Club of Rome Report on the Limits to Growth. In the Netherlands, the reactions were more global, above all more developmental, and more welfare-state oriented than those of the EKD, which focused above all on environmental and peace policy, the "integrity of creation," and in whose canon of voices the special German-German relations at the system border played a role from the very beginning.

This topic is neither comfortable nor conducive to consensus with regard to the political culture of the Netherlands or the Federal Republic: the newly progressive move in the reformed party landscape did not initially bring about a turnaround with regard to the historical-political mainstream interpretation of the 'heroic people' of the occupation period. This was only brought about by the contemporary historical-publicistic debate on grijs verleden, initiated by Chris van der Heijden in 2001.

The historical-political changes in the Federal Republic of Germany can hardly be described as inspired by left-wing reformers, least of all the famous speech of Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker on May 8, 1985, whose fame was perhaps psychologically connected with the fact that he was the first to publicly name all German victim groups in connection with the other victims.

"Reformed Protestantism in the Netherlands and Germany in the 20th century.
Signatures,
Relationships,
Differences, Interactions
Conference
on November 22 and 23, 2018
On the holy mountain
International Protestant Conference Center
Wuppertal

ORGANIZATION
Archief- en Documentatiecentrum Kampen/Theologische Universiteit Kampen
Society for the History of Reformed Protestantism e.V.
Historisch Documentatiecentrum voor het Nederlands Protestantisme vu Amsterdam
Johannes a Lasco Library Emden
(...)

PROGRAM
The conference languages are Dutch, German and English.

Thursday, November 22, 2018
Morning
10.30 Visit to the Barmen exhibition (guided tour: Martin Engels)
12.30 Lunch (at the Gemark church)
Afternoon
14.00 Welcome and introduction
Main lectures
14.15 German Protestant theology in the 20th century from the perspective of the Dutch Reformed (Kees van der Kooi)
15.15 The Reformed Netherlands as perceived by the German Reformed (Hans-Georg Ulrichs)
16.00 Break
16.30 'German connection' by J.H. Gunning Jr. (1829-1905) (Albert de Lange)
17.00 'Made in Germany': Dutch Liberal Protestantism and its Relationship with German-Speaking Europe until 1940 (Tom-Eric Krijger)
17.30 The reception of Barmen in the Netherlands (Koopmans-Barth) - (Niels den Hertog)
18.00 Dinner
Evening
19.30 Encounter and Resistance. Pastors in border traffic on the eve of the Second World War (J.D.Th. Wassenaar)
20.00 The influence of Karl Barth's early homiletics (from 1922) on K.H. Miskotte's 'The Dare of Preaching' (1941/1948) (Jantine Nierop)

Friday, November 23, 2018
Morning
9.00 German students in Kampen, the Netherlands: mutual sharpening and broadening of perspectives regarding politics and history (Berthold Bloemendal)
9.30 Arnold van Ruler and Jürgen Moltmann (Dirk van Keulen)
10.00 Bonhoeffer in the Netherlands (George Harinck)
10.30 Break
11.00 Reformed Politics in the Netherlands and the Federal Republic (1949-1982). A problem outline on the relationship between theology and politics (Rolf-Ulrich Kunze)
11.30 'With no other weapon than conviction': Protestant civic engagement in Germany and the Netherlands in the 20th century (Peter van Dam)
12.00 Lunch
Afternoon
13.00 Ecumenism / attitude towards communism (Jurjen Zeilstra)
13.30 Between confessionalism and ecumenism
(rec/warc). Differences between Dutch and German Reformed - until Accra (Douwe Visser)
14.00 The Benefit of the Divine Appointment of the State: Religion, Law and Politics (Leon van den Broeke)
14.30 Break
15.00 The 'Reformed Lutheran' Hans Joachim Iwand and the Reformed Netherlands (Gerard den Hertog)
15.30 Israel and Church: Duits-Nederlandse samenwerking in de christelijke kibboets Nes Ammim in Israel na 1957 (Gert van Klinken and Thomas Kremers)
16.30 Visit of the Dutch Reformed congregation Wuppertal with dinner (Jan-Henry Wanink)
Kohlbrügge in the 20th century - a link between Dutch and German theologians? (Georg Plasger)
End of the conference with dinner

In the Netherlands, once considered a 'Reformed nation', Reformed Protestantism presented itself ecclesiastically and theologically diverse, while in Germany, especially in the 20th century, it always found itself in the minority and felt denominationally oppressed. Despite this almost contradictory situation, they were special partners for each other and engaged in a lively exchange. The German Reformed observed the Dutch majority denomination with some admiration, and the Dutch Reformed took up theological impulses from Germany and the German-speaking world. They also exchanged political and social ideas and engaged in comparable activities.
The conference will explore the signatures of Reformed Protestantism as well as the relations between Germany and the Netherlands with their interactions and also differences." (Source: Conference flyer)