wittenberg 2016 - 500 Days Before

Wittenberg, Germany
14 - 18 June 2016

​This year’s Wittenberg 2017 gathering was our first meeting held in the town of Wittenberg.  Previous gatherings have been more focused on the woes of the Roman Catholic Church which led to the Reformation.  This meeting explored more intentionally on the “Light and Shadow of the Lutheran Reformation,” both the blessings and burdens of Luther’s legacy.

Naturally, we had many German Lutheran pastors in attendance this year.  There were representatives from Argentina, Austria, Poland, Holland, Israel, Italy, Uganda and the USA .  There was beautiful unity among the many Catholics and mainline Protestant Christians, non-denominational and free church representatives, Anglicans, and our largest contingent yet of Messianic Jews. This gathering was uniquely blessed with participation from every generation, from the joy of children leading us in worship to the rich wisdom of our elders expressed in teaching.

One major theme that developed in this meeting was working to remove obstacles that we believe stand in the way of God’s purposes for the 500th anniversary in 2017.

One significant obstacle that was addressed was: 
Can Roman Catholics truly join
​in a celebration of the 500th anniversary?
​
Fr. Peter Hocken, a Roman Catholic priest, historian and theologian, spoke powerfully about celebrating together, whole-heartedly, what the Holy Spirit did in the Reformation – while also looking at the new things the Holy Spirit is doing now.
​
​Another obstacle that was addressed was: 
How can Messianic Jews participate when there is an offensive Jew-Pig sculpture on the wall of Luther’s church, put there by Catholics, endorsed by Luther himself, and embellished by Lutherans with a sacrilegious inscription?”
​ 
Dr. Richard Harvey, a Messianic Jewish historian and theologian, opened himself up with a passionate, painful, and ultimately forgiving talk on the Judensau.  
​He was joined in calling for its removal by Sr. Joela Krüger of the Darmstadt Marienschwestern.  She is publishing a short article, in which she as a German Lutheran says that removing the Judensau at the 500th anniversary would be a powerful sign of joint Catholic/Lutheran repentance for our shared history of anti-Semitism.
A third obstacle that was addressed was a lack of understanding for how to grieve appropriately. 
Grieving together is a core principle 
​of Wittenberg 2017. 
Yet our Western culture does not give us permission to grieve, and instead teaches us to remove, numb, or get used to painful situations.   But the Bible teaches us that God grieves, and we are invited to join His grief.  Amy & Thomas Cogdell spoke from both the Old and New Testament on the subject of grieving and how it leads to intimacy with God.
​
Below is the program and some prayers we used during the meeting
w16_program_-_engl_-_v5.pdf
File Size: 81 kb
File Type: pdf
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w16_program_-_engl_-_v6_saturday.pdf
File Size: 48 kb
File Type: pdf
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bridge_prayers_-_wittenberg_-_june_2016.pdf
File Size: 276 kb
File Type: pdf
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biblical_prayers_of_grieving.pdf
File Size: 1483 kb
File Type: pdf
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leucorea 

The historic Leucorea was the site of our meeting. Founded more than 500 years ago as one of the most renowned universities in Germany, it is now a lovely conference center and important research facility.

Collegienstraße 62,
06886 Lutherstadt
Wittenberg, Germany
THE TEACHINGS, PRAYER TIMES, AND OTHER TALKS WERE GIVEN IN ENGLISH AND GERMAN, WITH TRANSLATION PROVIDED.
ALL RECORDED AUDIO IS BEING HOSTED ON THE CHRIST THE RECONCILER WEBSITE.
History of & Conclusions From Previous Meetings
Leucorea Welcome + Introductory Remarks
Welcome from the Lutheran Sisters in Wittenberg
Amy & Thomas Cogdell - Grief & Intimacy
Sr. Joela Krüger - One Flock, One Shepherd
Nobility Report
Nobility Reports + Prayer Response
Benjamin Berger - Israel, God's Holy Sacrament
Dr. Richard Harvey - A Messianic Jewish Perspective on The Judensau
Sr. Joela Krüger - Letter About the Judensau
Wittenberg Prayer Walk - Stop #1 - Melanchthon Statue
Wittenberg Prayer Walk - Stop #2 - Luther Statue
Wittenberg Prayer Walk - Stop #3 - Judensau on the Stadtkirche
Wittenberg Prayer Walk - Stop #4 - Elster Gate
Israel Reports
Pastors Friedrich Aschoff & Henning Dobers - Treasures of the Reformation
Fr. Peter Hocken - Receiving and Refusing the Treasures of the Reformation
Q & A regarding Treasures of the Reformation
Pastor Burkhard Hotz - The Current Crisis in the German Lutheran Church
Responses to The Current Crisis in the German Lutheran Church
Amy Cogdell - The 500 Days - Study, Prayer & Fasting
George Miley, Phillip Owens, Verena Lang - Fasting During The 500 Days
Thomas Cogdell - The 500 Days & Plans for 2017
Benjamin Berger - Lighting the Menorah
Ryan Thurman & Julia Torres - Report on Meeting with Pope Francis
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