REFORMATION ANNIVERSARY
REFORMATION ANNIVERSARY
The commemoration of the Reformation will last for the entire year. In Switzerland, the kick-off was in early November in Geneva.
“It is not a retrospective or a cult of personality. The Reformation moved hearts and minds in Switzerland, Europe and the world. This is what we are celebrating,” said Gottfried Locher, president of the Council of the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches.
Even if the movement came out of Germany, neighbouring Switzerland also was very involved. “It was clearly the epicentre of the spiritual and social earthquake of the Reformation,” recalled Interior Minister Alain Berset at the event in Geneva.
But if Protestantism has a long and glorious history in Switzerland, it has now become a minority faith. We spoke with Burri to find out more about what Protestantism means today in Switzerland.
swissinfo.ch: What does it mean to be a Protestant today?
Joël Burri: The basic idea of the Reformation is that salvation is offered by God, and does not depend on the Church. One consequence of this questioning of ecclesial authority is that the relationship with God becomes more individual. From there, it goes in all directions, it is an abundance.
Those considered Protestants come from old cantonal churches but also from a charismatic and spontaneously born movement. It is a vast field that runs from creationists to the most liberal thinkers. The question of Protestant identity, therefore, is a real question.
swissinfo.ch: Aren’t the traditional reformed churches lagging behind the evangelical movements from the United States?
J.B.: There have always been movements proposing a way other than that of the traditional reformed churches. But the evangelical movement from the US does have an incredible influence on all these non-traditional churches.
That said, it is true that …
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Categories: Europe, Europe and Australia, European Union, Switzerland
