Luther. Catholicity and reform. Roots - Paths - Effects

21st-25th September 2014, Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt

Martin Luther is a reform Catholic and as such he remains deeply enrooted in his church, the Latin church of the west. Shaped by the monastic tradition in which Luther grew up, he developed his theology while dealing with the scholastic theology at his time. Luther is convinced that the shape of the church of the 16th century is in need of reform. Its renewal is his core concern, and with this concern he strikes a new path. It is a historical fact that the Wittenberg reform movement led to the establishment of  independent Lutheran churches. Even this is the ecumenical challenge the Luther Symposium has to face.

Prof. Dr. Josef Freitag, Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät der Universität Erfurt
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Thönissen, Johann-Adam-Möhler-Institut für Ökumenik, Paderborn

 In german language you will find here a report on the Symposium, the Welcoming speech of Kurt Kardinal Koch and the Welcoming speech of Landesbischof Gerhard Ulrich, also printed in KNA-ÖKI 40 (30. September 2014): p. 3-5, If., III-V.

Impressions while a main lecture at the "Haus der Versöhnung"

panel discussion (from left to right): Bischof Dr. Gerhard Feige, Bishop of Magdeburg, President of the Commission for Ecumenical Relations Prof. Dr. Werner Klän, Lutheran Theological College Oberursel Bischof Simo Peura, Bishop of Lapua, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland Prof. Dr. Josef Freitag, Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University Erfurt Landesbischof Dr. Karl-Hinrich Manzke, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe, Catholica-Commissioner of the VELKD Prof. Dr. Theodor Dieter, Director of the Institute for ecumenical research in Strasbourg Bischof em. Dr. Joachim Wanke, former Bishop of Erfurt

Program 1Program 2

Opening

Sunday, 21 September 2014

Roots

Monday, 22 September 2014 

07:30	Breakfast	Martin Luther als Mönch Lucas Cranach d. Ä., Posthumes Bildnis Martin Luthers als Augustinermönch Copyright: Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg
08:30	Morning Prayer, Augustinerkirche Keynote Speeches, followed by discussion Haus der Versöhnung
09:15-10:30	Luther and the last of the Fathers of the Church, Bernhard von Clairvaux (Dr. Franz Posset) Coffee break
11:00-12:15	Luther and Philosophy (Prof. Dr. Theodor Dieter)
12:45	Lunch
15:00-17:30	Individual Events (parallel) Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät, Domstr. 10 - The young Luther and Athanasius (Dr. Franz Posset) - Luther and Thomas von Aquin (Prof. Dr. Theodor Dieter) - Between the times. Continuity and new beginning in Luther´s biography (Prof. Dr. Volker Leppin) - Luther: Repentance, confession, indulgence (Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Thönissen) - Doctrine and Practice in Martin Luther's Theology of Eucharist (Bischof Dr. Jari Jolkkonen)
18:15	Dinner
20:00	Public Lecture Augustinerkirche Luther - common ecclesiastical teacher?! (Bishop em. Prof. Dr. Eero Huovinen)

Paths

Tuesday, 23 September 2014 

07:30	Breakfast	Martin Luther bei der Spendung der Kommunion Andreas Herneisen, Konfessionsgemälde Copyright: Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirchengemeinde Buchbrunn
08:30	Morning Prayer, Augustinerkirche Keynote Speeches, followed by discussion Haus der Versöhnung
09:15-10:30	Aspects of a theology of canonical hours from the point of view of Martin Luther (Prof. Dr. Andreas Odenthal) Coffee break
11:00-12:15	Ministry and Ordination from the point of view of Martin Luther in the light of the history of ordination (Prof. Dr. Reinhard Meßner)
12:45	Lunch
15:00-15:30	Lecture, Haus der Versöhnung Martin Luther, Erfurt and the poor widow´s mite (Prof. Dr. Josef Pilvousek)
15:45-17:30	Individual Events (parallel) - Guided visit to the Augustinian monastery (Rev. Dr. Irene Mildenberger) - Guided visit to the library of the protestant Ministry in the Augustinian monastery and presentation of selected prints dating of the time of reformation (Dr. Michael Ludscheidt) - Guided visit to the city (Prof. Dr. Josef Freitag) - Guided visit to the Cathedral (Matthias Schmitt, parish clerk) Dinner to be taken in the city (private)
19:30	Concert with music for choir and organ by Mendelssohn, Peeters and Rutter, Augustinerkirche Augustiner-Kantorei, Dorothea Zimmermann - alto, Matthias Dreißig - organ, musical conduction: Dietrich Ehrenwerth (Possibility to attend)

Effects

Wednesday, 24 September 2014 

07:30	Breakfast	Martin Luther im Kreis der Mitreformatoren Lucas Cranach d. J., Kopie nach dem Meienburgischen Epitaph Copyright: Stiftung Luthergedenkstätten in Sachsen-Anhalt
08:30	Morning Prayer, Augustinerkirche Keynote Speeches, followed by discussion Haus der Versöhnung
09:15-10:30	From Wittenberg Reformation to Lutheranism. Confessional transformations (Prof. Dr. Irene Dingel) Coffee break
11:00-12:15	Finnish research on Luther and its importance for the ecumenical movement (Prof. Dr. Risto Saarinen)
12:45	Lunch
15:00-17:30	Individual Events (parallel) Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät, Domstr. 10 - Lutheran order of canonical hours compared (Prof. Dr. Andreas Odenthal) - Service of ordination in the Middle Ages and during Lutheran reformation (Prof. Dr. Reinhard Meßner) - Confessionalisation and confessional boundaries (Prof. Dr. Irene Dingel) - Reception of the Finnish Luther research (Prof. Dr. Risto Saarinen) - Diocesan Episcopate during early Lutheranism (P. Dr. Augustinus Sander OSB)
18:15	Dinner
19:30	Johann-Sebastian Bach´s variations on the Choral "Ein neues Lied wir heben an" on texts by Martin Luther, Predigerkirche, Heike Porstein - soprano, wind quartet "ensemble Dix" (Possibility to attend)

Summary

Thursday, 25.09.2014 

Registration deadline: 15.06.2014

Please note: The conference language will be German.

Venue of the conference:
Augustinerkloster, Augustinerstr. 10, 99084 Erfurt
Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät, Domstr. 10, 99084 Erfurt

Accomodation: Augustinerkloster and Bildungshaus St. Ursula, Trommsdorffstr. 29, 99084 Erfurt

The costs including accommodation expenses, meals and conference fees amount to: 350 €
For students: 200 €

Costs excluding accommodation and meals: 120 €
For students: 70 €