Menno Simons Sermon Award / Premio Sermón Menno Simons / Menno-Simons-Preekprijs
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11
Motto of Menno Simons (1496 – 1561), one of the most important figures in the first generation of Anabaptists and the namesake of those within the movement who chose a pacifist path.
“Help us to resist all false teachings and false sects, large and small, that go against the spirit, ordinances, word, and life of Christ – not through force, tyranny or sword, but through the spirit of Christ, with teaching, exhortation, virtuous service and care, that they may turn from what is wrong, listen to Christ and follow him alone.” Menno Simon, Von dem rechten, christlichen Glauben 1556, Vollständige Werke, S.188.
The Menno Simons Sermon Award encourages and acknowledges sermons that explore the Biblical witness through the lens of the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, that promote the peace church tradition in the larger ecumenical context and that communicate in a manner that is effective, convincing and that strengthens the spirituality of the hearer. In addition, chosen sermons awaken and engage themes critical to the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, other ecumenical traditions and the world at large.
Dr. h.c. Annelie Kümpers-Greve (Mennonite Church Hamburg) founded the annually-awarded prize in 2008. The winning sermon shall be preached as part of a regular worship service at Mennonite Church Hamburg on an agreeable date within the church year. The celebration and prize ceremony shall also take place at this time.
The Menno Simons Sermon Award includes an award of € 2.000. Half of this money is given to the preacher; the remaining half is given to the preacher’s congregation to encourage scholarly Biblical reflection in the congregation’s context.
Both pastors and lay people from Mennonite congregations are welcome to submit sermons for this prize, though sermons from preachers of other denominations may also be considered. Sermons shall normally be submitted by December 1 of each year, in German, Dutch, English or Spanish. Sermons are anonymized prior to consideration by the Selection Committee.
Selection Committee:
Chair: Prof. Dr. Fernando Enns (Hamburg, Germany)
Lukas Amstutz (Bienenberg, Switzerland), Pastorin Birgit Foth (Ludwigshafen, Germany), Dr. Christiane Karrer-Grube (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Dr. Andrés Pacheco Lozano (NL/Colombia), Heinrich Wiens (Detmold, Germany)
External Expert:
Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin Gutmann (Hamburg, Germany)
Further Information:
Center for Peace Church Theology, Department of Theology, University of Hamburg; Gorch-Fock-Wall 7, 20354 Hamburg / Germany; friedenskirchen@uni-hamburg.de
https://www.theologie.uni-hamburg.de/einrichtungen/arbeitsstellen/friedenskirche/menno-simons-predigtpreis.html