1 - 1998

Partnership from church to church

EDITORIAL

This edition of ECUMENICAL DIALOGUE focuses on "partnerships". By this we mean established relationships between churches, parishes and groups in Germany and church partners overseas.
These relationships run the gamut from official partnership schemes between Protestant churches in Germany and other European or overseas countries, through direct partnerships between German and overseas church districts mainly involving church parishes, to non-church but Christian partnerships of independent movements and groups.

Partnerships have mushroomed over the last few decades. There are good reasons for this. Many parishes have become more inclined to establish contacts and personal encounters with Christians all over the world. They want to share responsibility for the tasks of church-run missions and development agencies, and are no longer content with sending donations to these agencies.

This edition of ECUMENICAL DIALGOUE discusses the issue frankly and controversially: Can partnerships between churches or parishes really help trigger a process of ecumenical or even intercultural learning for those involved? Can direct partnerships between Christians inside and outside Germany help them see themselves and their own church - like the ecumenical theologian Ernst Lange put it - as a province within one, worldwide Christianity? The contributions compiled here seek to answer these questions.

Please send comments on these articles to the postal address, fax number or e-mail address mentioned in the Imprint. It goes without saying that all features documented in this edition reflect the opinions of the authors, who retain full responsibility.