Communio viatorum is a theological journal from Central European perspectives founded in 1958 by J. L. Hromádka and J. B. Souček, published by the Protestant Theological Faculty of Charles University in Prague three times a year.
Communio Viatorum seeks to promote research and scholarly debate in all theological disciplines. Since its foundation special attention has been paid to both biblical studies and Czech Protestant history. The journal is also interested in articles that reflect new accents within the field of theology as well as relevant challenges from neighbouring disciplines, developments in the Church worldwide as well as new moves within society. It seeks to promote an ongoing process of theological debate from a specific Central European Protestant background, but open to authors from all around the world and all denominations who wish to engage in such a conversation.
As of 2024, the journal Communio Viatorum has transitioned to an open-access publication, issued by Charles University Karolinum Press.
Articles published here are indexed in the ATLA Religion Database® and are included in the full-text ATLASerials® (ATLAS®) collection. They are also indexed and abstracted in the Web of Science – Arts and Humanities Citation Index® of Clarivate Analytics, in Scopus, in CEEOL, and in ERIH PLUS.
The previous journal homapage with an archive of published issues
COMMUNIO VIATORUM, Vol 66 No 3 (2024), 285–298
Mission and Colonialism: Ludwig Harms’ and the Hermannsburg Mission’s Romantic Approach
Jobst Reller
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14712/30296374.2025.6
published online: 22. 04. 2025
abstract
The original vision of the founder of the Hermannsburg mission, Pastor Ludwig Harms (1808–1865) was deeply rooted in the period of romantic revival in Germany in the early 19th century. Whole congregations of missionaries and colonists should be sent overseas together. Although critical of colonialism, the mission and its settlers became later part of a colonial and even racist society in South Africa. Did the vision influence the social concept six generations later in the former mission field? Did it slow down the process of indigenization, lock up in racist concepts like “apartheid”? The essay provides many hints in that direction and exposes a specific variant of the interaction of migration, colonialism and mission.
keywords: Hermannsburg mission; Pastor Ludwig Harms; colonialism; mission; migration; South Africa
Mission and Colonialism: Ludwig Harms’ and the Hermannsburg Mission’s Romantic Approach is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
210 x 148 mm
periodicity: 3 x per year
print price: 500 czk
ISSN: 0010-3713
E-ISSN: 3029-6374
