Evangelischer Gemeinschaftsverband AB

The Evangelischer Gemeinschaftsverband AB (until 2012 Evangelischer Verein für Innere Mission Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses) is an independent fellowship association within the Protestant Church in Baden, Germany. It is commonly known as the A.B.-Verband. Its local communities are also called "Stadtmission". As a free "Glaubenswerk" (work of faith), the association is independently organized and financed exclusively through voluntary gifts and donations. The association traces its origins to the Pietist revival in Baden sparked by Aloys Henhöfer (1789–1862), a former Catholic priest who became a Protestant pastor. On 24 January 1849, leaders of various Christian communities together with Protestant pastors founded the Evangelischer Verein für innere Mission Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses in Durlach. The name emphasized full agreement with the Augsburg Confession, which had been restricted in its validity by various formulations in the Baden Union Document of 1821. The association employed traveling preachers to visit existing communities and establish new ones. While the first four preachers lacked theological training, the first preacher with Chrischona training joined in 1856. Since July 2015, its preachers have held the title Gemeinschaftspastor or Gemeinschaftsprediger. In 1903, Theodor Böhmerle (1870–1927), pastor in Langensteinbach, was appointed full-time inspector. In 1909 he founded the Bible home "Bethanien" in Langensteinbach, which still serves as the association's retreat center. Böhmerle was an early opponent of emerging antisemitism, which he called anti-Christian. Although he died in 1927, his uncompromising stance prepared his successors for the danger of National Socialism. The association's members largely refused cooperation with the Third Reich. Böhmerle's successor as house father at Bethanien, Pastor Adolf Pfleiderer (1867–1963), consistently refused the Hitler salute and did not allow swastika flags on the premises. During World War II, the Bible home was therefore confiscated by the authorities, and the Nazis hung swastika flags in the great hall. The association is organized in 22 districts and is mainly represented in the formerly Baden areas of Baden-Württemberg, stretching from the Main to Lake Constance. 24 preachers and several community deacons are employed full-time, serving around 180 communities, 15 congregations, 80 house groups, 15 youth groups and other groups. The purpose and goal of the association is to bring people closer to the Christian faith and then accompany them. This happens in community work as well as in the structures of congregational work. Members hold Bible studies and help design services, make their homes available for Bible studies and house groups, and engage in children's, youth or diaconal work. They pray and support the work financially. The content of the work is the proclamation of the Word of God as help for faith and life for all people. Further focuses are two retirement homes that emerged within the association and are now connected to it as independent institutions, as well as the association's own kindergarten. The Bible home "Bethanien" in Langensteinbach has been the spiritual center of the association since 1909. Its offerings range from Bible courses and retreats to training sessions and seminars. The office and the A.B. bookstore were located at Kaiserplatz in Karlsruhe until the 2010s. Over 60 representatives from the districts form the members' assembly. They are legally the actual members of the association. The seven-member board leads the association and represents it externally: chairman since 2021 is Matthias Richter, David Grau as deputy chairman, Immanuel Grauer as head of theology and personnel, Dietmar Kamlah as house father of the Bible home, Peter Warkentin, Achim Kellenberger and Erich Seeger.

The history of the Evangelischer Gemeinschaftsverband AB begins with the Pietist revival in Baden in the early 19th century. Pietism had initially been suppressed in Baden in the 18th century. Through the work of Aloys Henhöfer (1789–1862), a former Catholic priest who became a Protestant pastor, a larger revival occurred. Communities of Christians shaped by his sermons emerged in various places. Leaders of such communities, together with Protestant pastors, founded the Evangelischer Verein für innere Mission Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses on 24 January 1849 in Durlach. The founders emphasized with the name of the association their unrestricted agreement with the Augsburg Confession, which had been limited in its validity by various formulations in the Baden Union Document of 1821. The association hired traveling preachers to visit the various communities that had emerged and to found new ones. While the first four preachers were without theological training, the first preacher with Chrischona training joined in 1856. Since July 2015, its preachers have held the title Gemeinschaftspastor or Gemeinschaftsprediger. In 1903, Theodor Böhmerle (1870–1927), pastor in Langensteinbach, was appointed full-time inspector of the association. In 1909 he founded the Bible home "Bethanien" in Langensteinbach, which still serves as the association's retreat center. Böhmerle was among the early opponents of emerging antisemitism in Germany, which he called anti-Christian. Although he died in 1927, he had prepared his successors well for the danger of National Socialism through his uncompromising stance on this question. The members of the association largely refused cooperation with the Third Reich. Böhmerle's successor as house father in the Bible home Bethanien, Pastor Adolf Pfleiderer (1867–1963), consistently refused the Hitler salute and did not allow swastika flags to be put up on the premises. During World War II, the Bible home was therefore confiscated by the authorities. The National Socialists hung swastika flags in the great hall. In 2012, the association changed its name from Evangelischer Verein für innere Mission Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses to Evangelischer Gemeinschaftsverband AB. The association is organized in 22 districts and is mainly represented in the formerly Baden areas of Baden-Württemberg, stretching from the Main to Lake Constance. 24 preachers and several community deacons are employed full-time, serving around 180 communities, 15 congregations, 80 house groups, 15 youth groups and other groups. The purpose and goal of the association is to bring people closer to the Christian faith and then accompany them. This happens in community work as well as in the structures of congregational work. Members hold Bible studies and help design services, make their homes available for Bible studies and house groups, and engage in children's, youth or diaconal work. They pray and support the work financially. The content of the work is the proclamation of the Word of God as help for faith and life for all people. Further focuses are two retirement homes that emerged within the association and are now connected to it as independent institutions, as well as the association's own kindergarten. The Bible home "Bethanien" in Langensteinbach has been the spiritual center of the association since 1909. Its offerings range from Bible courses and retreats to training sessions and seminars. The office and the A.B. bookstore were located at Kaiserplatz in Karlsruhe until the 2010s. Over 60 representatives from the districts form the members' assembly. They are legally the actual members of the association. The seven-member board leads the association and represents it externally: chairman since 2021 is Matthias Richter, David Grau as deputy chairman, Immanuel Grauer as head of theology and personnel, Dietmar Kamlah as house father of the Bible home, Peter Warkentin, Achim Kellenberger and Erich Seeger. Periodicals include "Reich-Gottes-Bote", published since January 1844 biweekly as a newsletter and devotional sheet (ZDB-ID 630419-9); "Wegzeichen" booklet, published three times a year since 1990 free of charge for community care; and a "Jahrbuch" with theological themes and contributions from community life.

• 2021

  Matthias Richter becomes chairman.

• 2015

  Preachers receive the title Gemeinschaftspastor or Gemeinschaftsprediger (since July).

• 2012

  Renamed to Evangelischer Gemeinschaftsverband AB.

• 1909

  Bible home "Bethanien" founded in Langensteinbach.

• 1903

  Theodor Böhmerle appointed full-time inspector.

• 1856

  First preacher with Chrischona training joins.

• 1849

  Founded as Evangelischer Verein für innere Mission Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses in Durlach on 24 January.

Independent Pietist fellowship association within the Protestant Church in Baden, emphasizing the Augsburg Confession and financed by voluntary donations.

• Reich-Gottes-Bote

  Biweekly newsletter and devotional sheet, published since January 1844.

• Wegzeichen

  Booklet published three times a year since 1990, free of charge for community care.

• Jahrbuch

  Yearbook with theological themes and contributions from community life.

• Bibelheim Bethanien

  Retreat and training center in Langensteinbach, spiritual center since 1909.

• A.B.-Buchhandlung

  Bookstore located at Kaiserplatz in Karlsruhe until the 2010s.

1. 1Evangelischer Gemeinschaftsverband AB – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Evangelischer Verein für Innere Mission Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses – Wikidatawikidata.org