Message

“The neighbour could be someone who is visiting a congregation for the first time or someone who has long been a member of it. Whichever it is, we love them all. It also doesn’t matter where they come from, what religion they belong to, whether they are religious in the first place, or consider themselves particularly devout. We love them all: regardless of gender, sexual orientation, and age, people with disabilities, the poor and the rich.”
– Rüdiger Krause, President of the New Apostolic Church Northern and Eastern Germany

People need each other. They need the various skills and ideas that everyone brings to the table. Paul described this with the image “many members, one body”: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you’” (1 Corinthians 12: 21). The one has this gift, another one that gift. This varies considerably. But it is precisely in this diversity that people need each other. May everyone feel welcome in this diversity – in all countries, in all places, and especially in all churches.

In various areas of life, diversity is and can already be experienced in the daily life of the congregations.

• Diversity in ecumenism: “Reconciled diversity” is the leitmotif of ecumenism. Living together in faith without renouncing the identity of one’s own church. To view diversity as a form of wealth, not as an obstacle. Where Christians of different denominations meet directly, at the congregational level, this motto has been coming to life for some years now.
• People with disabilities: What does it mean if everyone is to be included in the same way? What needs to be changed in terms of organisation, construction, or language for this to happen? How should everyone communicate and interact? The Church supports its congregations in this process. It is committed to gradually remove barriers of all kinds—most notably those related to building construction.
• Pastoral care for all: A person’s sexual orientation has no relevance for pastoral care. In the Bible, Paul’s letter to the church in Rome states: “For there is no partiality with God.”

“Everyone has their own personality and identity. This is a good principle, but even so it is sometimes difficult to tolerate when your neighbour is completely different from you. I would like to encourage you to work through and resolve these tensions together and to do intensive relationship work: building, fostering, and developing relationships only works if we show an interest, pay attention, and are mindful. In this context, may we above all succeed in reaching out and showing love to the weak, those who are on the margins, whom we have perhaps even ignored for a long time because of our own difficulties.”
– Helge Mutschler, Deputy President of the New Apostolic Church Northern and Eastern Germany

It is only natural that people do not share all the opinions and views of those they talk to. But it should be in the nature of all Christians to be able to love, to want to love, to love people regardless of their opinions. This requires tolerance of “otherness”. But what does tolerance mean?

An allowance and acceptance of other people’s opinions that differ from one’s own. According to the science journal Psychologie Heute [Psychology today], tolerance does not mean that the person who is being tolerated is also appreciated and respected. However, when we talk about loving our neighbour, this is precisely what tolerance demands: there is a difference between “only” tolerating and truly accepting people as they are and think. Ephesians 4: 2 urges us to bear with one another in love. And it is not uncommon to find one or the other common ground once we have occupied ourselves intensively with our neighbour and have accepted him or her.

“I believe that in a world where injustice and inequality prevail, there is a place where all human beings are welcome, a place where all are accepted as they are, and more than that, where they are loved. I believe that every home can be that place, and every church must be that place. As far as my home and my church are concerned, I will do everything I can to make that happen.”
– Björn Renz, initiator of the campaign

All human beings are equally worthy to not only be treated without prejudice, but also to be loved unconditionally—even if they experience this differently in their environment. The commandment to love one’s neighbour requires that we treat all human beings with love. It sets clear limits to egoism. In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25–37), Jesus illustrated that loving one’s neighbour means being merciful and acting accordingly.

The commandment to love our neighbour, to support our fellow human beings, and help in situations of need, should be especially evident in the Christian congregation (Galatians 6: 10). All who belong to the congregation have a duty to treat one another with sincere compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Wir lieben Gott und unsre Nächsten
Aus Norden, Süden, Osten, Westen
Mitmenschen aus jeder Region
Mitglieder egal welcher Religion
Die Atheisten und 200%-Frommen
Alle die, die nicht mehr kommen
Ganz egal ob alt, ob jung
Menschen mit Behinderung
Modern oder traditionell geblieben
Gleich welchen Geschlechts und wen sie lieben
Arm oder reich – nichts davon wichtig
So wie du bist, so lieben wir dich.

Die Aufnahmen erfolgten im September 2021 in der Neuapostolischen Kirche in Coswig (Anhalt).

Das Produktionsteam:

• Creative Director: Björn Renz
• Director + DOP: Florian Erker
• Camera: David Jayne
• Assistant Camera: Holger Sturm und Roberto Valesco
• Hair and MakeUp: Noelle Müller und Vivian Koch
• Costume Design: Rebekka Siemionek
• Continuity: Wernfried Koch
• Assistant Director: Jennifer Mischko
• Drohnenpilot: Sven Koselack
• Catering: Finn und Theodor

28 Darsteller wirkten an der Produktion mit.

Der Dank gilt auch der Gemeinde Coswig, die das Projekt in vielfältiger Art unterstützte.

• https://www.psychologie-heute.de/gesellschaft/artikel-detailansicht/40581-toleriert-nicht-respektiert.html
• Stangl, W. (2022, 26 October). Toleranz – Online Lexikon für Psychologie und Pädagogik [Tolerance - Online encyclopedia of psychology and education].
  https://lexikon.stangl.eu/4758/toleranz.
• https://nac.today/en/Gesellschaft/292457
• https://nac.today/en/Gesellschaft/1022927
• Catechism of the New Apostolic Church (CNAC 5.2.2, CNAC 5.2.3)
• Catechism of the New Apostolic Church in Questions and Answers (Questions 286, 290)