Crimea - 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Conference

Simferopol

The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation provided an opportunity for Lutherans around the world to return to the events of the early 16th century to see what lessons might be learned about theology, church life, and the role of Christians in society. We celebrated the many positive effects of the Reformation and we mourned its unintentional, negative consequences. In the context of the former Soviet Union, it was also a unique time to educate the wider public about who Lutherans are and the historic contributions of our church to the countries in which we live. Church leaders in the Evangelical Lutheran churches in the former Soviet Union took full advantage of the moment, with regular public events held both in central locations and throughout many far-flung regions of the church.

Typical for such conferences on a local level was one held in Crimea in September - “Lutherans in Crimea: History and Contemporary Situation.” Attending were students and teachers of the religious studies department of the state university, members of local Christian congregations and of Lutheran congregations from throughout Crimea, as well as local government officials. It was a joy to see this wide engagement and to attempt to answer the questions that were raised.

Papers were presented by guests, students, and local leaders, including pastor Sergei Matiukh and the lay preacher from the congregation in Simferopol, Maria Gusarova, who spoke about the contribution of Lutherans to the history of their region. Music from the 16th century helped set the tone of the day.

The conferences and ecumenical events held throughout the past year have done much to increase understanding of our church; when understanding increases, fear decreases and this is so important for helping people open up to consider their faith commitments. The challenge for the church now will be to maximize the positive effects of these public events in order to strengthen its ministry of spreading the message Christ's love to our neighbors.