400 Years of the Synod of Duisburg - From its Beginnings to the Modern Day
Culture is our heritage and our responsibility
Organ at Salvator church / Photo: Ullrich Sorbe
The 1st Reformed General Synod 1610 was a key moment for the development of Protestantism in the lower Rhine area. Representatives declared that Protestant churches should decide all church-related matters on their own, without interference from the state. It was also decided that theologians and laymen should have an equal say in how the church was run. Dubbed "the beginning of the modern age", the impact of the synod’s decisions continues to this day, both within Protestant churches and beyond. The council’s 400-year-anniversary will be commemorated in 2010, including 5 projects that are part of the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010.
New Year's reception of the Duisburg Evangelical Church District & King David concert
The anniversary will be remembered at a reception November 29, 2009, with guests from the realms of politics, business, the media and the church. Dr. h.c. Fritz Pleitgen, Chairman of RUHR.2010 GmbH, is among those shedding light on the Duisburg Synod’s lasting impact. A performance of Arthur Honegger’s "King David" Oratorium will be one of the evening's highlights; it will also be performed for the public November 28, 2009, at Duisburg's Salvatorkirche.
Lay sermons at Duisburg's Salvatorkirche - well-known personalities talk about God
Reflecting the importance of laypeople in protestant churches as declared by the Duisburg Synod, several prominent laypeople will speak about current spiritual, political, social and cultural issues, taking into account their ethical and theological implications.
• December 6, 2009, 17:00 Adolf Sauerland
• February 21, 2010, 17:00 Dr. Dr. H.c. Jürgen Schmude
• April 18, 2010, 17:00 Dr. h.c. Fritz Pleitgen
• June 26, 2010, 10:00 Gabriele Grillo
• August 29, 2010, 17:00 Ruprecht Eser
Additional events are being planned
Admission is free and open to the public
Salvatorkirche Duisburg, Burgplatz, 47051 Duisburg
Historical tours of Duisburg - Old Quarter and Salvatorkirche
The Salvatorkirche where the Duisburg Synod had taken place will offer historic tours of the city, particularly its churches and Old Quarter. Tours will be conducted by knowledgeable volunteers using modern interactive media to create a special experience.
Starting at 15:00 on: January 3, February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 4, August 1, October 3, November 7 and December 5, 2010.
The tours will be free and start at the Salvatorkirche, Burgplatz, 47051 Duisburg
"To avoid extremes…" - an exhibition
The decisions taken at and circumstances surrounding the Duisburg Synod as well as the council's main actors will be the subject of an exhibition that also shows the historical context and lasting impact of the council's decisions. Historical documents and exhibits on loan from churches and museums will visualize religious and social life in the region over a span of 5 centuries. The exhibition is organized by the Rheinland Evangelical Church in cooperation with the Duisburg Museum of City History.
September 5 - end of October, 2010
Tu, Wed, Th, Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Fr 10:00 - 14:00
Sun 10:00 - 14:00
Admission is free and open to the public.
Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum, Johannes-Corputius-Platz 1, 47049 Duisburg
The 1st Reformed General Synod 1610 from a scientific perspective
Despite its great impact on the church, the synod’s historic, theological and church-political context - as well as the public reaction to its decisions - have not been the subject of much scientific research. National and international scientists will look into these and related issues at a congress September 7 - 9, 2010.
September 7 - 9, 2010
Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum, Johannes-Corputius-Platz 1, 47049 Duisburg
Admission is free and open to the public.
Project partners: 400 years 1st Reformed General Synod
Organization: Rheinland Evangelical Church, Evangelischer Kirchenkreis Duisburg, Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Alt-Duisburg
You can find additional information (in German) at:
www.wir-sind-so-frei.de
Related links:
www.salvatorkirche.de
www.stadtmuseum-duisburg.de