Ecumenical African Conference - Berlin - 11th-15th September 2003 Theme: The Berlin Congo Conference 1884 - The Partition of Africa - Implications for Christian Mission Today. Joe (Rohrmayer)

Christians facing modern culture in the city

After the foundation of the Council of African Christian Communities in Geneva in June 2001 efforts have been made to establish a local branch in Berlin. As Fr. Rohrmayer had earlier contacts with some of the members, the Africa Center of the Missionaries of Africa became the venue of meetings. Then in July 2002 an executive body was elected and officially established in an ecumenical service in one of the Lutheran Churches on September 7th.

The European Council (the official name is ' Council of Christian Communities of an African Approach in Europe') had already come to Berlin in September 2001 to elect the Executive of the Council. They had chosen Berlin precisely because of the Congo Conference that had gathered the major European Colonial powers and the US in 1884 causing artificial boundaries and divi-sions that swept the African Continent. All school and confirmation classes attending the Afrika Center are made aware of this partition of Africa by the Confrères addressing them.

An earlier Council had already conducted three European Conferences in Leeds 1997, Hamburg 1998 and Cambridge 1999. It was then planned that, with the experience of the Ecumenical Church Convention, another ecumenical African conference should take place in Berlin in order to assess the division of Africa and the implications for Christian Churches on the Continent and in the European Diaspora. It should be noted that since the early 1990s a proliferation of African Churches could be observed in most European countries. At this time Germany alone may count some 300 foundations.

This year's conference was held in the Lutheran Youth Centre Storkow just outside Berlin. It is remarkable that this Centre functioned throughout the communist era. The Council was able to rely on the co-operation of the theological department of the Berlin Humboldt University, the Mission Academy of Hamburg and the Missiological Chair of Rostock University. The Confer-ence had set itself the following aims:

· The historical and socio-political consequences of the division of the Continent in 1884 for the present Africa and the African Diaspora.
· The contribution of this Diaspora in Europe to the survival of migrants and refugees in dignity, a new understanding of the Christian faith, overcoming barriers in Europe and promoting peace in Africa.
· A shift of paradigm in the Christian Mission in the sense of Christianity moving from Af-rica to Europe and dialogue with Christian Churches in secular societies.
· Establishing links between scholars, pastors and missionaries in the field, academia and grassroots, European and African Christianity.

The Conference was officially opened in the afternoon of September 11th by the Berlin Council and Dr. Gerloff who had been instrumental in the preparations. Experts and participants had arrived from various European countries, 6 African countries, the Caribbean, Mexico and the US numbering all together close to 100 people. In the absence of a local government representative the visitors were welcomed by Prof. Hock (Rostock), Prof. Heuser (Hamburg) and Fr. Rohrmayer (Berlin). Then reports were given on the situation of the African-Christian Diaspora in six European countries and five areas of Germany including the newly founded Council of Berlin. Talks and discussions were in English and French with simultaneous translation. Fr. Rohrmayer moderated a group of four reflectors who would offer an evaluation of contents and procedures at the end of the conference.

In view of the main theme of the Conference the following procedure for morning and afternoon sessions had been carefully prepared:

Part One on Friday (12.09) morning was going to deal with the historical aspect. It was introduced by two keynote addresses presenting the political and spiritual partition in Africa as well African cosmology.
Participants then divided into groups to choose and attend lectures and discussions in five par-allel groups with two talks each. Here a great variety of topics was offered by the experts: Returned slaves to Africa, colonisation and Christianity today, liberation in Southern Africa, African identity in Europe, mental images and African Diaspora, African Anglicanism, women theologi-ans in South Africa, Black and Indian experiences in Mexico and African religious experience among African Americans.

Part Two on Friday afternoon had the topic 'Socio-political and Gender Aspects'. The keynote addresses dealt with African American reflection on Aladura and gender practices as well as trans-cultural perspectives and religious identity.
The parallel sessions had the following subjects: Colonisation and politicisation of Religion, Ber-lin 1884 and theology in Africa, African migrants and colonisation, female leadership in Pentecostalism, Muslim Diaspora in Europe, HIV-Aids - unemployment, economic migration and missiological perspective.

Part Three on Saturday (13.09) morning had the topic 'Missiological Aspects'. Keynote addresses covered: Deconstructing colonial mission - new perspectives and charismatic Christian-ity in Africa.
The parallel sessions heard the following presentations: Pentecostal/charismatic movement and Christian renewal, Methodism in the Caribbean, Pentecostalism and migration, Kimbaguism and migration in Europe, African Pentecostalism in Germany, African migration and Mission, global impact in Europe.

Part Four on Monday (15.09) morning finally dealt with 'Practical Missiological Consequences'.
On this final morning the participants went straight into the parallel session to become familiar with the following topics: Christian missions and the imaging of Africans, Africans in Europe faced with racism, poverty, violence and ill health, Christian mission and the emancipation of African women, healing and reconciliation in Rwanda, mission of a Catholic professor, rise of Pentecostalism in Germany, charismatic renewal in established churches.

It must be stated that in all these talks and lectures lively discussions contributed to a more real-istic approach. On the one hand participants were confronted with scientific and academic presentations with regard to Berlin 1884 and on the other hand it was up to them to create a balance by referring to the grass root experience as missionaries, pastors, lay people in daily life and faith practice. Of equal importance were the numerous personal exchanges and discussion between the participants.

On Saturday (13.09) afternoon two busses took visitors to Berlin in order see some of the sights of the city as well as colonial vestiges in old Berlin. The Chancellery where Bismarck hosted the 1884 Conference has of course vanished in the course Nazism and World War II destructions. This outing was followed by an ecumenical service in the Lutheran St. Bartholomew's Church followed and a joyful African meal. It offered an opportunity for people of the local Parish to witness African joy of life and faith. On Sunday (14.09.) another Service was held at the Youth Centre with a memorable gesture of reconciliation between former colonisers and colonised. This had been proposed by one of the British participants. What a thought of penance and reconciliation! May similar gestures help in healing the wounds of the past in Africa and Europe.

On the picture. Myself on the left. Then lecturers from Kenya, Ivory
Coast and South Africa.

Josef E. Rohrmayer M.Afr.

Back page ecumenismback page interreligious