The Iglesia
Evangelica Española (I.E.E.) (Spanish Protestant
Church) is one of the churches recognized in the Constitution
as 'rooted in the Spanish society'.
The logo, that for years and years on end was their emblem, dates
back from the time of the Huguenots, and presents, even in the most
abstract form we see below, a burning bush, that is not being consumed.
(Exodus 3:6)
As a introduction to New Churches
for New Times (the theme of the general 2001 synod in
Madrid) a more
modern logo has been introduced in 2000. More and more the I.E.E. looks
towards
the future, and is looking for a way to stand as a church in the actual
society,
both serving and self-confident.
Schooling was the key-word when she came into existence, both for
children and
grown-ups, and many a school was founded then, alongside the churches,
and even
preceding them at times. Alas! Most of them have been closed, often
brutally, by
the Franco followers during his reign. But the insight that schooling
at least
at the level of the staff and ministers must remain a most important
item, a
Protestant idea! is living still in the Church. Now this schooling is
more and
more seen as a continuing process of learning, both of ministers and
lay(wo)men.
The ordinated ministers receive their refresher courses in a yearly Pastoral,
a 3 days meeting, they are obliged to attend. (Don't think that such is
implemented easily: every Spaniard is an arch individual, which hates
to be sent
or steered. Besides, the enormous distances in Spain, and so the costs
of
traveling, impede often that people attend.)
Highly interesting articles are
included as separate
parts, to be collected, in the magazine Cristianismo
Protestante. The S.E.U.T.
is responsible for supplying refresher courses and actual knowledge for
this all
Christians, as it is for the academic education of the coming
ministers, beside
a part that is being given at this moment by the university. But they
are
working unto a full fledged university degree by way of the SEUT. Next
of the
ministers, there are the lays to be taken care of. Especially where
Protestantism is not matter of course, the parishioner must be equipped
to speak
for her or him self. By correspondence and readings the S.E.U.T.
provides
in this need. Not only that, but nowadays in Spain Protestant bookshops
can be
found in (nearly) all big cities, where freely can be sold and bought.
Nevertheless the problems of the Churches are gigantic.
The I.E.E. has a website to be
found on: http://www.iee-es.org/
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