BREAK THE CHAINS OF OPPRESION AND THE YOKE OF ...

cove nanTi ng
focused on. On the one side it should reflect the scholarly insight into the main
topics discussed within the European Churches and Theology. While critical
voices 6 rightly point out the danger of persisting on this level only, this approach
prevents the discussion from simplifications and incommunicable standpoints
outside the horizon of the reformed protestant Christianity. As this can only be
one side of the coin the second scope of our project was therefore laid on concrete
projects in the light of the Accra-Confession, aiming to facilitate a compendium
of various European voices and delivering insight into the European
situation of the struggle for Justice and providing material for the ongoing
process within the new communion of the reformed churches in the world.
In the end of this joint project “Europe Covenanting for Justice” there is a astonishing
amount of manifold engagement concerning the issue of ‘justice in the
economy and on earth’. The struggle for justice was an issue in churches in congregations
and churches even if the Accra-Confession played no major role. The
responses showed outstanding engagement of smaller churches, putting all power
and creativity into ideas fighting injustice. The larger churches brought this
question into all fields and levels of society and engaged in uncountable projects.
There is a shared hope that these various European voices will join in the choir
of the communion of sisters and brothers in Christ seeking for justice and life in
the light of the coming God. It is the experience made during the project that
the common ground of our communion is laid by the Gospel and is antecedent
to all discussions and debates yet to come: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even
as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One
God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph 4:5)
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Martin Engels (1980) is assistant pastor of a reformed parish in Wuppertal-Ronsdorf.
He studied theology in Wuppertal, Heidelberg, Kyoto and Bochum. He is a
member of the Reformed Alliance Germany and worked as executive secretary on the
publication-project “Europe Covenanting for Justice”.
6 René Krüger, The Biblical and Theological Significance of the Accra Confession, A Perspective
from the South, in: Reformed World 55 (2005) 3,226-233, 227.
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– EUROPE’S ROAD TO JUSTICE – 55