english information - Brücke

Information
about BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ
Center for Christian-Muslim Encounter in Nürnberg / Germany
The center BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ (Bridge) was founded in 1993 and is run by the Finnish Evangelical
Lutheran Mission, the Evang.-Luth. Mission of Bavaria and the Evang.-Luth. Congregation St.
Johannis in Nürnberg.
Concept
Motivated by their Christian Faith and perspective the workers of the BRÜCKEKÖPRÜ invite Christian and Muslim men and women for different projects. They
open a space for witness of the Christian and the Muslim faith.
The projects unify academics and low level educated people dealing with
Christian-Muslim issues. At least 150 visitors regularly attend the programs of the
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ.
Personnel
www.bruecke-nuernberg.de / info@bruecke-nuernberg.de
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen / Leonhardstr. 13, 90443 Nürnberg / phone: 0049 911-28 77 313 / fax: 0049 911-28 77 324
BRÜCKE - KÖPRÜ
Leader of the institution:
Reverend Hans-Martin Gloël
Reverend Gloël and deaconess Zenns
receiving the Intercultural Award in
Nürnberg 2005
Responsible for the work with women:
Deaconess Doris Zenns
The credo of the BRÜCKE is to reduce prejudices and fears and to contribute a little
to the peace among Christians and Moslems. This is to what the full-time
employees deaconess Doris Zenns and Reverend Hans-Martin Gloël and the
roughly 25 honorary members feel obliged to do.
Our aim is to encourage a deepened comprehension of the own faith by meetings
and conversations, to become able to communicate this and to meet people of the
Islamic set of beliefs with respect in order to find common ways for a peaceful
cooperation.
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I. Promoting Interfaith Dialogue
Twice a year the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ edits a program in German, Turkish and Arabic
Language which announces the almost daily offers of Christian-Muslim Encounter
(see www.bruecke-nuernberg.de).
The Bridge is a symbol for the encounter of Christians and Muslims. One pillar
stands for Christian identity, the other for Islamic identity. Encounter is possible,
where people dare to leave their own side for entering the bridge.
Bridge as a place of encounter
Logo of our half-yearly emerging
program showing the languages
spoken in BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ
Different projects empower cognitive, affective and pragmatic forms of
encounter: Lectures and seminaries on religious and cultural matters, Cooking and
celebrating on the occasion of Christian and Muslim feasts (while it is always made
clear, whose feast it is and who is the one, who is celebrating as a guest). Name of
the project: “Speisereise “ (= “Journey of Meals” ).
Open meetings: “5-o'clock-tea” and “Oasis” .
www.bruecke-nuernberg.de / info@bruecke-nuernberg.de
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen / Leonhardstr. 13, 90443 Nürnberg / phone: 0049 911-28 77 313 / fax: 0049 911-28 77 324
BRÜCKE - KÖPRÜ
Bridge as a place of self-reflection
Open meeting ‘5 o’clock tea’
attended by child-nurses dealing
with “cultural-specific nursing”
The pillars of the bridge mark the different banks. A bridge also keeps different
things asunder. The strength of each pillar is a precondition for the strength of the
whole construction. It can also guarantee, that there will be no deceptions about
differences on the bridge. The encounter with “the other” challenges to think
about the own roots and about the identity of the own faith.
The group “Bible and Koran” (ca. 15 Christians and Muslims) share twice a month
their experiences of their lives and faiths while reading Bible and Koran together.
Each one takes part in the story of live and faith of the other.
Bibel and Koran studies
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Bridge as a way to change the perspective
The purpose of a bridge is, to cross it for reaching the other side. Our bridge enables
the perception of the situation on the other side concerning personal matters,
matters of, family, society and spiritual live. It's not necessary to understand
everything. The first goal is, to meet foreign or even strange things with respect.
Guided Church-Tours for Muslims, guided Mosque-Tours for Christians and
invitations for religious celebrations give insight into the spaces of the lives and
the faith of the other.
The group “Kant and Kismet” (around 10 Christians and Muslims, meeting twice a
month) enables the participants to experience how matters of political and
societal concern can be viewed from the perspective of the other side.
Bridge as encouragement for common action
www.bruecke-nuernberg.de / info@bruecke-nuernberg.de
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen / Leonhardstr. 13, 90443 Nürnberg / phone: 0049 911-28 77 313 / fax: 0049 911-28 77 324
BRÜCKE - KÖPRÜ
“Bridge-people” have acquired certain competences which should flow back to
their own pillar: into the families, the mosques, churches and in the community of
the town in which both live.
The knowledge of each others perspective and the possibility to deal with common
matters helps to develop common strategies for common action (f.e. concerning
matters in the neighbourhood, in the quarter, in town …).
The personnel of BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ helps in cooperation with Muslim friends if there
are interreligious or intercultural problems in kindergartens and schools.
But common action is not only done concerning problems: regularly they prepare
together with Muslim friends days of mulitreligious prayers in schools (f.e. in the
days before Christmas).
The purpose of the bridge
Leader of the Islamic Center
Nürnberg guiding a Mosque-Tour for
pupils
Intercultural Training dealing with
“encounter and identity”
The bridge has no end in itself. It is not thought as a third point between the banks.
It's first purpose is to walk on it and not to rest on it. So in the first respect it doesn't
want to be a point of rest between the banks. It wants to make people move in each
others direction.
The Bridge opens ways to each other and encourages for common action. But it
also clearly marks differences.
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II. Best Practice
SpeiseReise (journey of meals) - a recipe for success
Idea
Eating and celebrating joints people together beyond the bounds of religion,
culture and nation. In 2002, hence the idea was born to win people over to the
Christian-Moslem meeting by means of a kind of cookery course.
During the SpeiseReisen the joint experiencing and doing, cooking, narrating and
celebrating is in the centre of attention. With the feasts of the Christian calendar
year such as harvest festival, Christmas, Easter or Whitsun as well as the festivals of
the Islamic feast calendar such as Id al-Fitr (the end of the fast in the month of
Ramadan), the Feast of Sacrifice and Ashure, we developed a SpeiseReise
throughout the year with individual religious-culinary afternoons.
Explanation of christening rituals
Implementation
www.bruecke-nuernberg.de / info@bruecke-nuernberg.de
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen / Leonhardstr. 13, 90443 Nürnberg / phone: 0049 911-28 77 313 / fax: 0049 911-28 77 324
BRÜCKE - KÖPRÜ
The SpeiseReisen always take place on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon between
16:00 - 21:00 hours and are in average visited by about 25 adults and 15 children.
After a generous welcome and presentation with oriental tea there is an
introduction of the festival as regards content either by an employee of the
BRÜCKE or by women or families who narrate about their experiences of the
feasts. Afterwards the set menu of the festival and the individual meals are being
presented and the participants divide up into several groups. During a good two
hours everybody is busy with cutting, sizzling, baking and tidying up, until about
19:00 hours when all participants are eating and celebrating together. During the
joint cooking and doing, the participants get automatically into conversation with
one another about everyday and religious topics, something that fosters the
curiosity and respect for each of the other cultures and religions.
Cooking a typical Iftar meal
instructed by muslim women
Experiences
SpeiseReise - a recipe for success. Meanwhile, there were already 20 SpeiseReisen
in the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ. In 2004, we were awarded for our concept with the special
prize “Interreligiöser Dialog” (inter-religious dialogue) in the Ecumenical
competition “Gelungene Beispiele” (best practice) of the Evangelic-Lutheran
church of Bavaria. The laudation said: “the SpeiseReise is a project that is welltransferable and places the inter-religious dialogue on a concrete level and thus
makes it accessible to the people.”
So the model of the SpeiseReise is arbitrarily extendable and transferable no
matter if applied uniquely or continuously during the year. Moreover, biographical
feasts such as christening or circumcision and wedding can be added. The meals of
various countries show the cultural colourfulness of the religions. The scheme
could be enhanced also for children in kindergartens and schools.
Christians and Muslims, women and
men, adults and children in
expectation of a delicious self-made
meal
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III. Scholarly Pursuits
Publications
One book on the concept and projects of the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ.
Many articles (in variations) on the concept and the projects of the BRÜCKEKÖPRÜ.
Hans-Martin Gloël (Hrsg.): Brücken bauen. Christen und Muslime erleben
Begegnung, Neuendettelsau 2005
Hans-Martin Gloël: Was bedeuten Existenz und Anspruch des Islam für das
Selbstverständnis „christlich Glaubender“? in: Hansjörg Schmid, Andreas Renz,
Jutta Sperber (Hrsg.), Herausforderung Islam. Anfragen an das christliche
Selbstverständnis, Hohenheimer Protokolle, Bd. 60, Stuttgart 2003, S. 125 133
Hans-Martin Gloël, Brücke-Köprü. Begegnung für Christen und Muslime, in:
Zeitschrift für Mission 3/2004,S.244-251
Hans-Martin Gloël, Brücke-Köprü: Begegnung für Christen und Muslime,
Reflexion zu einem kirchlichen Konzept der Begegnungsarbeit, in: Beate SchmidtBehlau/Antje Schwarz (Hrsg.): Im Dialog zum Miteinander. Ein Leitfaden zur
Begegnung mit Muslimen in der Erwachsenenbildung, IPE 49 IIZ/DVV, Bonn 2005,
S. 76-79
www.bruecke-nuernberg.de / info@bruecke-nuernberg.de
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen / Leonhardstr. 13, 90443 Nürnberg / phone: 0049 911-28 77 313 / fax: 0049 911-28 77 324
BRÜCKE - KÖPRÜ
Doris Zenns, SpeiseReise - ein Erfolgsrezept, in: Beate Schmidt-Behlau/Antje
Schwarz (Hrsg.): Im Dialog zum Miteinander. Ein Leitfaden zur Begegnung mit
Muslimen in der Erwachsenenbildung, IPE 49 IIZ/DVV, Bonn 2005, S. 106
Hans-Martin Gloël, Brücke-Köprü. Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen, in: E.
Ballhorn, T.O. Brok, K. Hellwig, D. Stoltmann (hg.): Lernort Jerusalem. Kulturelle und
theologische Paradigmen einer Begegnung mit den Religionen, Jerusalemer
Theologisches Forum (JThF) Band 9, Münster 2006, S. 71-80
Booklet, encouraging the encounter of church congregations and mosques, edited
be the Evang.-Luth.Church of Bavaria, worked out with contributions of Rev. Gloël
and Deaconess Zenns of the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ:
Begegnungen von Kirchengemeinden mit Muslimen, islamischen Gruppierungen
und Moscheevereinen. Theologische Überlegungen, Anmerkungen und praktische
Hinweise, hrsg. vom Evang.-Luth. Landeskirchenamt in Bayern, Ref. Ökumene,
Partnerschaften, Mission, Entwicklungsdienst). Bestelladr.: Evang.-Luth.
Landeskirchenamt, Postf. 20 07 51, 80007 München
Front page of the book on the
concept and project of BRÜCKEKÖPRÜ
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Cooperation with Academies of the Church
In 2004 BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ was official partner of cooperation in the congress
“Minarets in Germany” projected by the Evang.-Luth. Academy of Tutzing in
Bavaria.
In 2006 Rev. Gloël in the name of BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ is co-operator (responsible for
the concept and holding a workshop) in the congress “Islam 2020” projected by the
Roman Catholic Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart.
IV. Ministerial Outreach
IIn the Deanery of Nürnberg, Rev. Gloël is the Deputy for Islamic Affairs and shares
his experiences in the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ, concerning questions of congregations
regarding their contacts with Muslim individuals and communities.
The workers of the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ give around 70 lectures and seminaries per
year in church congregations (all over Bavaria and beyond) concerning the
challenge for Christians to deal with Muslim presence through witnessing the love
of Jesus Christ.
In the BRÜCKE-Center, in schools and in congregations they organize
multireligious prayers together with Muslim partners.
www.bruecke-nuernberg.de / info@bruecke-nuernberg.de
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen / Leonhardstr. 13, 90443 Nürnberg / phone: 0049 911-28 77 313 / fax: 0049 911-28 77 324
BRÜCKE - KÖPRÜ
On Pentecoast 2006 the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ organized a service in the congregation
St. Johannis in Nürnberg with the motto: “The spirit of God connects people”.
Muslims were invited as guests and played active roles in this service (playing a
scene, multireligious prayer).
With all these projects the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ wants to encourage people to witness
their own faith.
Multireligious discussion in context
of the “Week of Christian-Muslim
Dialogue in Nürnberg”
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V. Community Outreach
The Federal Ministry of the Interior funds five projects of the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ and
regards the work of the Center as a model for the encounter with Muslims.
On the level of the Federal Republic of Germany, the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ is member of
the “Association for the Organizations of the Christian-Muslim Dialogue in
Germany” (www.kcid.de). Reverend Gloël is member of the board of this
association.
In 2005 the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ received the Intercultural Award (2000 €) from the
Council of Foreigners of the Municipalitiy of Nürnberg.
The BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ contributes to the efforts of integration of foreigners into the
community of the town and the society by offering language courses for
beginners (men and women).
Each year the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ is a partner in the “Week of Christian-Muslim
Dialogue in Nürnberg” which prepares together with a network of 12 groups of
churches and mosques lectures and celebrations for Christian-Muslim Encounter.
www.bruecke-nuernberg.de / info@bruecke-nuernberg.de
BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ Begegnung von Christen und Muslimen / Leonhardstr. 13, 90443 Nürnberg / phone: 0049 911-28 77 313 / fax: 0049 911-28 77 324
BRÜCKE - KÖPRÜ
Important for the town community and well reported by the different newspapers
of the town is the concept of “Trialogue-Panels” in the BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ, which
takes place as a reaction to important matters which should be commented by a
Jewish, a Christian and a Muslim voice.
This year, a panel was made in February concerning the problem of the Cartoons on
the prophet Mohammed. In July, a Trialogue-Panel was held on the new war in the
Middle-East with each a Jewish, Christian and Muslim Guest from the Middle East.
The newspaper “Nürnberger Nachrichten” wrote on July 29th 2006: “The
Discussion in the Center BRÜCKE-KÖPRÜ shows a way out of the conflict in the
Middle East”.
For each panel a fourth guest is invited, to contribute a view from outside the
religions. In the first case (Mohamed-Cartoons) this was a Turkish lawyer, in the
second case it was a professor for political science.
Trialogue-panel dealing with Cartoons on Prophet Mohammed
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