Benjamin Simon – författare

Im Jahr 2021 hat der Kimbanguismus sein hundertjähriges Bestehen seit dem Auftreten des Propheten Simon Kimbangu begangen. Im gleichen Jahr wurden die Kimbanguisten aus dem Ökumenischen Rat der Kirchen (ÖRK) ausgeschlossen. Was ist geschehen? Welche theologischen Positionen hat die erste Afrikanisch-Initiierte Mitgliedskirche des ÖRK formuliert, damit dies geschehen musste? Das vorliegende Werk geht dieser Frage nach und analysiert anhand von Feldforschungen aus dem Kongo und Archivmaterialien aus dem ÖRK die geschichtlichen wie auch theologischen Entwicklungen dieser religiösen Gruppierung in ihren ersten hundert Jahren. Dabei entwickelt der Autor ein sechsstufiges Modell, um aufzuzeigen wie eine Genese einer neuen Religion begünstigt wird und so aus einer Mutterreligion eine neue Religionsformation entsteht.[Genesis of a Religion - Kimbanguism and its Farewell to Ecumenism]In 2021, Kimbanguism celebrated its centenary since the appearance of the prophet Simon Kimbangu. In the same year, they were expelled from the World Council of Churches (WCC). What happened? What theological positions did the first African-initiated member church of the WCC take to make this happen? This work explores these and other questions, using field research from Congo and archival materials from the WCC to analyse the historical as well as theological developments of this religious grouping in its first hundred years. The author develops a six-stage model to show how the genesis of a new religion is fostered and how a new religious formation emerges from a mother religion.

The denominational plurality in continental Europe keeps growing. The churches of African origin are of increasing number. Seeking for a new identity in their new home, the concept of Diaspora and the question for legal issues get important for their identity. To what extent is their identity determined rather by seclusion or openness? Are the churches missionizing amongst Germans and are there ecumenical relations? What are the characteristics of such a new identity? How does it develop? By analyzing three different types of churches of African origin in the German context, especially by examining their sermons, the author demonstrates how those churches develop in a missionary direction and how they can become ecumenical partners.