On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Leuenberg Concordia, the Community of European Protestant Churches (GEKE) has planned a series of jubilee events. In this context, between March 9th and 11th, 2023, the Debrecen Reformed University of Religion hosts the highlight event of the jubilee year, the international scientific conference “Being a church together”.
With the participants of the event, organizers are looking for answers to questions such as what is the ecclesiastical, theological and socio-public significance of the Leuenberg Convention, what future awaits European Protestants, and where can they play a role in the service of peace, social justice and the preservation of the environment?
The scientific council of the conference – in addition to the invited speakers – was waiting for the applications of those who wish to give a presentation in the spirit of the themes set out in the conference call and join the work of the various sections, or who wish to participate in the event as an interested party.
The three-day conference is attended by specialists, university lecturers, pastors and interested church members, doctoral students and graduate students from all regions of Europe, member churches of GEKE and ecumenical sister churches active in the various fields of religious studies, religious studies and humanities.
At the German-language opening of the conference on Thursday evening, Reformed Bishop Károly Fekete from Tiszántúl gave a brief historical overview of how Debrecen became one of the most important centers of Protestantism in Hungary, the organizers announced. Béla Baráth, the rector of the Debrecen Reformed University of Religious Studies, gave a brief overview of the history of the reformed college and the library in addition to the introduction of the institution.
According to the information, László Papp, the mayor of Debrecen, spoke about how the settlement became a reformed city from the beginning of the 1560s, and today, in the spirit of ecumenical thinking, it makes a special contribution to “close religious cooperation and spiritual unity”.
Photo: Facebook/László Papp
debreceninap.hu
