“The church must always be reformed”

Author(s):  
Heinke Röbken ◽  
Marcel Schütz

This paper explores how the Protestant territorial churches in Germany deal with the so-called “visitation” – an instrument aimed at developing and inspecting the church and its local parish. We analyze (1) how and to what extent the visitation is used for program development and improving the church, (2) how church officials (ministry) and volunteers (lay ministry) are involved in the visitation process, and (3) how these people communicate with each other. After presenting an organization theory perspective on churches and church communities, we illustrate our arguments using case studies in four selected territorial churches – “Landeskirchen” – in Germany. The findings reveal that the visitation serves as a multifunctional instrument for both the church as an organization as well as the church community as an interaction system. The dual nature of the visitation as a tool for inspection and organizational development produces “useful insecurities”, which can create room for informal, trusting exchange among church members. Some unintended side effects also occur, including “window dressing” and a sense of “artificial naturalness” during the visitation. Our findings suggest that the different functions of the visitation are the result of shifting expectations as the visitation is imbued with new functions. While this increases organizational opportunities, it also leads to a further increase in expectations. The findings are potentially of interest to other organizations rooted in a community and personal beliefs.

Laws ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Susana Mosquera

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments established important restrictions on religious freedom. Due to a restrictive interpretation of the right to religious freedom, religion was placed in the category of “non-essential activity” and was, therefore, unprotected. Within this framework, this paper tries to offer a reflection on the relevance of the dual nature of religious freedom as an individual and collective right, since the current crisis has made it clear that the individual dimension of religious freedom is vulnerable when the legal model does not offer an adequate institutional guarantee to the collective dimension of religious freedom.


Rural History ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Aronsson

In 1776, baron Salomon von Otter, governor of the neighbouring county of Halland and jus patronatus of the local parish, stood opposite the men of Öja parish at a meeting outside the church. The powerful nobleman was for the third time arguing for the praiseworthy and legally required task of building a combined school and poor-house in cooperation with the neighbouring parish (where he happened to own most of the land). The peasants of Ö for a third time refused, both in writing and orally, on the grounds of their alleged right to self-government. The baron continued with his persuasions, and presented the support he had from the local nobility, among them the bishop. He was still met with a firm refusal. Eventually the baron ordered that they should build the house, referring (probably without much legal foundation) to his position as jus patronatus. Now everybody surrendered, except one farmer who refused to join in the final decision. This fact was carefully noted by the local clergyman, together with assurances that this unwise stubbornness would not suffice to impede the project.


Horizons ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-149
Author(s):  
Jason Steidl

This contribution to the roundtable will compare two forms of protest in the church—one that is radical and challenges the church from the outside, and the other that is institutional and challenges the church from the inside. For case studies, I will compare Católicos Por La Raza (CPLR), a group of Chicano students that employed dramatic demonstrations in its protest of the Catholic Church, and PADRES, an organization of Catholic priests that utilized the tools at its disposal to challenge racism from within the hierarchy. I will outline the ecclesiologies of CPLR and PADRES, the ways in which these visions led to differing means of dissent, and the successes and failures of each group.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-27
Author(s):  
Alexander Forsyth

This article focusses on the formation and delivery of training and support for pioneer ministry in the Church of Scotland, by (i) reflecting on recent thinking on the place of theological education in enabling missional vocation; and (ii) presenting three case studies of approaches taken by denominations (in the Netherlands, Germany and Aotearoa New Zealand) which share a similar historical tradition with the Church of Scotland and which have seen similar trajectories of decline.


Why Delegate? ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 162-166
Author(s):  
Neil J. Mitchell

This chapter explains how the modified logic of delegation differs from the standard account in the treatment of the main parties to the relationship. The principal is a more untrustworthy and at times unresponsive figure in her relationship with the agents. The agent, likely a professional agent, is more complicated than portrayed. Professional responsibility is a mechanism to overcome the trust gap in a delegation relationship, according to principal-agent theorists. But overlooked are the side effects of professionalism, where the loyalties it fosters create tenacious control problems. It has a pronounced form in the church and the army, but other security and police forces may find punishing and controlling rogue agents a complicated process. While the boundaries to delegation are uncertain and some may choose not to delegate as much as they should, blame is one task that will be delegated.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 565-571
Author(s):  
J. Monteiro ◽  
P. F. Ashley ◽  
S. Parekh

Abstract Aim Understand EAPD members’ practices of vital bleaching for children with dental anomalies. Methods An anonymous online survey sent via EAPD in January 2019, consisting of 13 questions with possible multiple answers and free text. Results 110 responses from 24 countries were obtained. The majority worked in hospitals/universities (n = 69, 63%) or private practices (n = 50, 46%) and were specialists (n = 62, 57%) or senior academics (n = 35, 32%). Most respondents (n = 74 68%) did not provide vital bleaching for children. 88 respondents (80%) belonged to EU: of these, 46 (52%) were not aware of bleaching regulations. For respondents who provided bleaching 26 (72%) undertook home bleaching, using 10% carbamide peroxide (n = 21, 58%), most commonly for 2 weeks (n = 14, 39%), following establishment of the permanent dentition (n = 21, 58%). Deciding factors included: extent (n = 27, 75%) and shade (n = 26, 72%) of discolouration and child being teased by peers (n = 23, 64%). Main reasons for not bleaching included: concerns with side effects (n = 41; 55%) and not agreeing with bleaching (n = 23, 31%). Dentists who did not bleach managed a range of conditions, most frequently molar-incisor hypomineralisation (n = 57; 77%). The majority provided composite restorations with removal of tooth structure (n = 50; 68%) with a number opting for no treatment (n = 27, 37%). Conclusion This study shows wide variations in treatment of children’s dental anomalies across Europe. Fears of adverse effects and personal beliefs seemed to be the main deterrents to bleaching in children. Clinicians who provided bleaching tended to opt for more conservative techniques and to take children’s concerns into consideration.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-193
Author(s):  
Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen ◽  
Magne Supphellen

Abstract To what extent do Norwegian ministers deal with social-ethical issues in their sermons? While we examine the frequency of such topics in this article, we primarily explore the potential determinants of their priorities in discussing these issues: their individual backgrounds, their ethical and political orientations, the local parish characteristics and the ministers’ sources of inspiration in preparing sermons. The results shows that different ethical orientations appear to be largely unrelated to the frequency of addressing social-ethical issues. Experiences in nature are the most important source of inspiration. The school at which the minister was trained has a significant impact on frequency, while political orientation has a very weak influence. Different parish characteristics—affluence and level of social challenges—and the age and marital status of the clergy do have an impact on which issues are given priority. The minister’s gender and geographical location both have no effect.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-186
Author(s):  
Heléna Tóth

AbstractThis article argues that the topos of dialogue between Christians and Marxists fulfilled a key role in the creation and maintenance of power relations in religious politics in East Germany. Three case studies illustrate the topos of dialogue as a strategy of struggle: 1. the campaign against ‘revisionism’ and ‘politicised religion’; 2. the church policy strategy of ‘differentiation’; 3. the critique of the phenomena commonly associated with the Christian–Marxist dialogue outside East Germany in the mid-1960s. These instances of socialist religious politics, while having their own dynamics, were closely related through specific actors and argumentative strategies.


1990 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 548-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry Hackman ◽  
James O'Toole ◽  
Liisa Fagerlund ◽  
John Dojka

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