500 years of Reformation: historical influence and implications for today

2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the European Reformation. For this reason, the Korea office of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) hosted a lecture event about the political and economic dimension of what the German Augustinian monk Martin Luther initiated in 1517. The cozy location of Radio M in downtown Seoul offered the perfect scenery for an evening filled with an interesting presentation followed by a vivid discussion. Opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Ahn Lee-whan, president of FNF Alumni Association, and by Mr. Lars-André Richter, Head of Office FNF Korea. Furthermore, the hosts felt honoured to welcome Ms. Isabel Lorenz, in charge of cultural affairs at the German embassy, who delivered a welcoming speech. The events main speaker was Dr. Malte Rhinow, professor at Luther University in Yongin, who discussed the impact of the European Reformation on political, educational, social and economic aspects in Germany. He additionally drew a connection to the modern political views regarding this topic and the importance of reformation ideas for Korea in the 21. century. Numerous questions from the audience led to a lively Q&A session and the debates were also continued during the dinner after the event. More than 40 people attended the event that was hosted in cooperation with ADeKo (Alumni Network Germany- Korea) and the FNF Alumni association.