Publication series “Radicalizing Reformation”

This issue connects Bible, Reformation and today’s crisis: money in religious, political, economic and mental perspective. In the Old and New Testaments the imperial rule of money is understood as structural sin, making all people to co-perpetrators. God’s liberation happens as the formation of Torah led and new messianic communities, which practice solidarity instead of egocentric individualism. This corresponds to Luther’s rejection of purchasable salvation and his systemic critique of individualism and early capitalism.

Luther systemically criticizes ealy capitalism. He is aware of the religious character of capitalism on the basis of the first commandment. His writings on trade and usury (finance) only marginally effected later protestantism (cf. e.g. Winstanley in the 17th century) but mainline Lutheranism did not follow this critical line. Only recently the potentials of Luther’s position for the theological critique of neoliberalism and for a political ethics of partisanship and reconciliation were rediscovered.

Volume 4 explores troubling questions about the Reformation legacy in relation to the peasants war, Anabaptists, Jews, and Muslims. The ecumenically diverse authors – Lutheran, Mennonite, and Reformed – analyze the limitations of the Reformation in its own historical context and provide constructive theological and ethical reflection for addressing the imperatives of global economic justice, the cry of the earth, radical peacemaking, and interreligious reconciliation. How do we achieve a New Reformation to address the crises of our time?

The cross is a sign of evil, of consolation for all those tortured and suffering, a sign of hope, of liberation. Christ takes on the socio-political, cultural and economic conditions of those who have been deprived of their rights. The church needs to risk its sustainability by being with and for the poor. The Spirit works freely in people and the world, therefore also in other religions besides Christianity. Rather than only focused on the person or individual, a more communal ecclesial focus for resistance and transformation is essential.

This book provides critical perspectives from North American theologians involved in the international project, “Radicalizing Reformation – Provoked by the Bible and Today’s Crises.” This project explores the radical roots of what was ignited 500 years ago, in order to bring more attention to the systemic challenges that must be addressed today, drawing from both the strengths and the weaknesses of the Reformation legacy.

Authors in this all-English volume include Brigitte Kahl, Paul S. Chung, Samuel Torvend, Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Craig L. Nessan, Peter Goodwin Heltzel, Charles Amjad-Ali, Karl Koop, Wanda Deifelt, Vitor Westhelle, and Karen L. Bloomquist. Each has also been published in one of the previous five volumes. This volume also includes background on the overall project, the 94 theses, and a guide for discussion in local contexts.

Band 7 bezieht die Realität in Palästina/Israel auf die Vision des Paulus vom Zusammenleben der Juden und Völker in der Gemeinschaft des Messias Jesus. Luther deutet die Unterscheidung von Gesetz und Evangelium falsch, indem er daraus Feindbilder entwickelt. Diese sind heute wiederbelebt, denen auch aus muslimischer Sicht entschieden widersprochen wird. Zwei jüdische Beiträge kritisieren den Missbrauch des christlich-jüdischen Dialogs zur Legitimation des Staates Israel aus der Sicht der Propheten und der bekennenden Kirche. Diese zwei jüdischen Beiträge dürften den Deutschen Koordinierungsrat der Gesellschaften für Christlich-Jüdische Zusammenarbeit (DKR) am meisten ob dieses Buches erzürnt und zu seiner Erklärung mit massiven Verunglimpfungen veranlasst haben. Der Beitrag eines israelischen Ökonomen zeigt, wie der Westen die Völkerrechtsbrüche des Staates Israel ermöglicht. Was heißt das theologisch und politisch für uns? Darüber erhoffen die AutorInnen eine öffentliche Debatte statt des heute üblichen leichtfertigen Vorwurfs des Antisemitismus als einziger Antwort, wenn israelische Rechtsbrüche kritisiert werden – ein Verhalten, das neuen Antisemitismus generiert.