Traveling in matters Reformation: Margot Käßmann’s visit to Prague

The Ambassador for the Reformation anniversary 2017 of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany, Prof. Dr. Margot Käßmann, visited Prague from 22nd to 25th March – and, therefore, also the native country of one of the spiritual fathers of Martin Luther. With Jan Hus and others the Reformation movement started in the early 15th Century and became, in the 16^thcentury with Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and many others, an event of European and ultimately global significance.

The visit of the Reformation ambassador from Germany was, therefore, also a bridge from the German to the Czech Reformation commemorations that will take place next year and will reach its peak with the events for the 600 years anniversary of the burning of Jan Hus.

To start off her visit, Dr. Käßmann preached on Sunday, 23rd March, at the service of the German Protestant Church in St. Martin in the Wall, which she celebrated together with Rev. Andrea Pfeifer. Many people from the parish came - and some traveled even from Saxony especially for the service. The sermon was based on the story of Elijah at Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19) - and was centered around, amongst other points, today's faith fatigue and the gift of Reformation renewal that not only are just events of the past, but, happen over and over again.

Monday began with ecumenical discussions - with the Synodal Council of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren and with the leadership of the Czechoslovak-Hussite Church. Then in the evening, Dr. Käßmann, gave a public lecture at the German Embassy entitled "Reformation and Tolerance" as a part of the series "Talking about Religion" sponsored by the German-speaking Protestant Parish. First she addressed the "dark side" of the Reformation - for example the attitude of Martin Luther to the so-called "Anabaptists" and towards the Jews. In a second part she then outlined the contribution of the Reformation to the modern history of freedom. Ambassador Detlef Lingemann welcomed the large audience in attendance and invited them to a reception after the lecture.

On Tuesday, her last day in Prague, Dr. Käßmann learned a bit about parish life as she was a guest at the Women's Breakfast in the parish hall in Stodůlky. Then the conclusion of her visit was another lecture, "What is there to celebrate? On the way to the Reformation Anniversary in 2017", at the Protestant Theological Faculty of Charles University.

The visit of the Reformation Ambassador and former EKD Council Chair was for the German-speaking Protestant congregation in Prague certainly a highlight of the year 2014. And for those who participated in worship as well as in the lectures, conversations and encounters, it was an important and beautiful contribution to the Reformation Commemorations in Germany and in the Czech Republic. A special thanks goes to Rev. Gerhard Frey-Reininghaus, Head of the Ecumenical Department, and the employees of the ECCB Church Office for their support in the planning and organization of the visit.

Frank Leßmann Piper, Pastor of the German Protestant-speaking Parish, Prague