On Sunday, the “Berliner Morgenpost”, the largest newspaper in Berlin (with a circulation of 465,000), ran an extensive article on “House Nazareth” and Philosophia. Here it is in English:

Renewing Society through Values
In autumn, the faith-based group, “Philosophia Europa” is opening a multifunctional center in Steglitz
By Maggie Riepl

There’s still hammering and drilling, pipes are visible and walls are being torn down. “Careful! Up ahead there’s a hole in the floor,” warns Dr. Matthias Ploner, as he leads through the building site that in October will become the center for Philosophia Europa. One still needs some imagination to visualize how the rooms of “House Nazareth”, a building rich in history near the Steglitz Schlosspark Theater will eventually look.

The house has a long, eventful history: the foundations of the impressive structure were laid in 1880, financed by a Jewish manufacturer. In the years that followed, it was sometimes used as a Jewish synagogue. After World War I, an institute for the blind, founded by the Jewish community, moved in. In the “Third Reich”, the Gestapo had the blind occupants deported to Auschwitz. Today, a stone memorial in front of the house calls attention to that time.

After the war, the Catholic Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus assumed responsibility for the multi-story house. In the following decades, it became a place of refuge for children from problem families as a home for single mothers and as an orphanage. The Sisters had to give up the house last year because of their age. Was it a lucky coincidence? Divine leading?

Dr. Matthias Ploner, a family physician who lived in the neighborhood heard of the sale and considered how the house and its spiritual tradition could be preserved and continued. He is an active Christian and discussed the project with his friend of many years, Dr. Clark Peddicord, Director of the newly-founded Philosophia Europa. The decision was made together to take the financial risk and purchase the house for almost 2 million Euros. “As Christians, we want to contribute to a renewal of our society by helping to make a place from which the bright light of hope shines into the darkness of the world,” said Dr. Ploner, quoting the words of Friedrich Bodelschwingen. This is the guiding principle of the old-new house. “House Nazareth” is to be, as it was in the past, “a place of fellowship and sharing, a place of community for all who seek God,” said Dr. Peddicord. Originally from the USA, he is a theologian and philosopher with an earned doctorate. Prior to his involvement with Philosophia he worked with Campus für Christus and the Offensive Junger Christen.

The goal is to link daily life with faith. Thus, a medical center and property management firm will move into the ground floor of the main house (which has a total area of 17,250 sq. ft.). The rental income from these offices will insure the financing of the project. The apartments of the Ploner and Peddicord families will be on the 2nd and 3rd floors, along with rooms for about a dozen students, who will pay about 200 Euros rent and will be moving in for the fall. A prayer room is also planned, since the previous chapel had to be sacrificed in the remodeling. Only the beautiful stain-glass windows were preserved.

Above all, “House Nazareth” is to be a place of community. In addition to theological seminars and Bible studies, there will be discussions about social and political issues and open evenings with artists. It will serve as a place for people from around the world to energetically interact, aiding better understanding between cultures. The work with students will be another emphasis and take the form of mentoring, learning and study groups. The former kindergarten in the garden area is planned as a multifunctional building that will be a library, seminar and conference center. The result will be a place where daily and professional life is linked with the need for community.

The Community
Philosophia Europa is a branch of Philosophia International. Its ecumenical center for faith and work is located in Berlin in “House Nazareth”. Philosophia is committed to the communication of Christian values as well as the training and mentoring of young people of the next generation, who are responsible for our future.

The goal of Philosophia is to link daily and professional life with the need for community and interaction about issues of faith. It is a special concern that different groups and generations of Christians and non-Christians be connected.

More information about this religious community and its values can be obtained through:

Philosophia Europa
Wrangelstrasse 6-7
12165 Berlin-Steglitz
and
www.philosophia.net