Sárospataki Füzetek 21. (2017)
2017 / 2. szám - ARTICLES-STUDIEN - INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE SINCE THE AGE OF THE REFORMATION-INTERKULTURELLER DIALOG SEIT DER REFORMATION - Gosker, Margriet: Erős vár a mi Istenünk: 500 years of protestantism in the netherlands in ecumenical perspective
Margriet Gosker The process of unification has taken more than forty years and was closely linked to Jesus’ appeal for unity.7 In our country, we organised the ‘Luther Year 2016-2017’ in an ecumenical way, because we think this is our ecumenical task, and as the Germans say: Gebot der Stunde. From the very beginning, the PCN worked together with the Council of Churches in the Netherlands, with the Dutch part of the well- known Refo500 International Platform (with 160 partners all over the world), with the Catholic Association for Ecumenism (Katholieke Vereniging voor Oecumene), with the Ecumenical Womens Synod in the Netherlands (Oecumenische Vrouwen Synode in Nederland) and with the Roman Catholic organisation named Marienburg Association (Marienburgvereniging). Celebrate or commemorate? The PCN as a whole is ecumenically involved, but there are also wings within the PCN thinking less ecumenically. Those who are not so much ecumenically involved, or those who want to use (or misuse) this 500 years in order to promote especially their own church, may preferably speak of‘500 Years of Protestantism’ or a ‘Jubilee Year’, and emphasize only the positive side of the Reformation. From this viewpoint, it is emphasised that God granted our church many blessings in the 500 years of Protestantism. It is the time to be deeply grateful for all the efforts and the fruits of the Reformation and to celebrate the jubilee. I agree of course: we have so many reasons indeed to celebrate. To the crown jewels of the Reformation I count: the focus on the Floly Scriptures, the Priesthood of all Believers, the Freedom of a Christian, and, last but not least, the emphasis on God’s free amazing Grace. But we also recognise that the Reformation brought many things which fill us with shame. There was much misunderstanding, prejudices and many struggles. Consequently, others prefer to speak of the ‘Reformation Anniversary’ or the ‘Reformation Commemoration’. This is because they have developed an ecumenical sensitivity, thereby teaching us that we cannot just look back and celebrate the fruits of the Reformation. We must also be aware of some dark aspects of the Reformation. Can we celebrate? Hardly, I say.8 And according to René de Reuver, General Secretary of the PCN, it seems inappropriate.9 Also our own Roman Catholic bishop for ecumenical affairs, Mgr Hans van den Hende, said the same. If we realize that Protestants and Roman Catholics have been divided and have gone separate ways for the last 500 years, we must regret our failures and confess our guilt. Therefore it is rather difficult to celebrate the 500 7 K. van den Broeke: Preface, in Plaisier - Koffeman, The Protestant Church, (1 -2), 1. 8 M. Gosker: 500 Jahre Protestantismus in den Niederlanden, in H.-G. Link - D. Sattler (eds.): Zeit der Versöhnung, Göttingen, Vanden hoeck & Ruprecht, 2017 (88-93), 91. F. Trento: 500 Jahre Reformation sind kein Grund zum Feiern, https://www.kath.ch/newsd/500-jahre-reformation- sind-kein-grund-zum-feiern/ (9 August 2017). 9 R. de Reuver: Protestant: samen één: Oecumene behoort tot het DNA van het protestantisme, Woord& Weg, August, 2017,16. 30 Sárospataki Füzetek 21, 2017-2
