Der geteilte Himmel: CERES cooperates with Exhibition Project on the 500th Anniversary of Lutheran Reformation

Five centuries ago, a former Augustinian monk ushered in the age of Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther. Many books and articles have been written since on the meaning of his writings for both history and the world. But what effects did Reformation have on a more local level, more precicely on the area between the rivers Rhine, Ruhr and Emscher on what is now West Germany.

This central question is addressed in a broad programme of events organised by the Forum Kreuzeskirche Essen, Martin Luther Forum Ruhr and the Ruhr Museum on the occassion of the 500th anniversary of the start of Reformation. Partner is the Center for Religious Studies (CERES) of the Ruhr Universität Bochum.

In February 2017, CERES jointly organised an international conference in which the question of whether other religions have ever had reformation processes was addressed. Within the coming weeks, renowed scholars from CERES will address topics such as the long-run effect of the rise of Protestantism on society or the religious diversity in the Ruhr area.

In his talk on the 30th of May 2017, historian Prof emeritus Lucian Hölscher analyses the societal impact of Protestantism after the age of enlightement. Is Securalization a late off-spring of Reformation?

In another talk on the 07th of July 2017, Prof Volkhard Krech guides his gaze on the immense religious diversity of Germany's biggest urban agglomeration, the Ruhr area. In this west German area consists not only of more than 5 million inhabitants but also more than 200 religious groups.

Additionally, CERES members also helped to make the exhibition "Der geteilte Himmel. Reformation und religiöse Vielfalt an Rhein und Ruhr" happening. It runs from the 3rd of April until 31st of October 2017 in Ruhr Museum Essen.

More information on the project "Der geteilte Himmel" (German only)
More information on the exhibition "Der geteilte Himmel. Reformation und religiöse Vielfalt an Rhein und Ruhr" (German only)