On the 10th of this month, the Regional Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (Nordkirche) gathers in Lübeck-Travemünde for a two-day session. Their opening service, scheduled for 10 a.m., will delve into the troubles of war and terror in the Middle East.
Breaking with tradition, the state rabbi of Mecklenburg, Yuriy Kadnykov, will preach for the first time at this opening service. This isn't the rabbi's first encounter with the synod as a guest, but participating in the service and delivering a sermon is a new venture, Dieter Schulz, the North Church's Chief Press Officer, explains.
The focus of the synod expanded to Christian-Islamic dialogue, with Sönke Lorberg-Fehring reporting on his work with Christian and Muslim youth at 6 p.m. on Friday. The synod concludes on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., with a blessing.
While the synod predominantly revolves around Christian matters, the inclusion of a Jewish rabbi in the opening service sheds light on the significance of interfaith dialogue within religious communities. This unprecedented event underscores the synod's determination to promote religious harmony and understanding, transcending the confines of Christianity and embracing a broader theological outlook.
Though the Old Catholic Church, to which the Regional Synod of the North Church belongs, often features the active participation of both clergy and laity in its synods, it does not typically involve Jewish clergy in its liturgical services. Historical records of the Old Catholic Church's practices fail to provide facts on Jewish clergy participation in their opening services[1].
[1] Despite the Old Catholic Church's simultaneous emphasis on clergy and laity interaction in their synods and their intention to foster interfaith dialogue, the integration of Jewish clergymen in their liturgical services is a rarity that has not been notably recorded.
