Enlightenment in the 21st century
How the Giordano Bruno Foundation responds to the pandemic
Assessments of how dangerous the new corona virus is vary widely within the Giordano Bruno Foundation (gbs). It is certain, however, that the gbs – like the vast majority of non-profit organisations – must break new ground in the wake of the corona pandemic. The prerequisites for this were set by a meeting of the Board of Trustees and the Directorate, which took place last Sunday via video conference.
Why the Giordano Bruno Foundation refrains from making statements on COVID-19
The Giordano Bruno Foundation had already cancelled all events until May 2020 two weeks ago, i.e. before the corresponding administrative instructions had been given. While the foundation is working intensively on the pandemic internally, it is refraining from making any further statements due to the currently still very unclear data availability. "What is needed now is serious transdisciplinary research of the virus, its spread and its consequences," says gbs board spokesman Michael Schmidt-Salomon, "no further fueling of the rumour mill".
Criminologist Pfeiffer demands the retrieval of the abuse files from the Vatican and comprehensive compensation
Criminologist Professor Christian Pfeiffer has demanded that the federal government retrieve the abuse files from the Vatican, that the Bishops' Conference pay compensation also for life-long loss of earnings of abuse victims, and that independent research involving 5,000 active priests be permitted. Pfeiffer said this on March 8, 2020, at an event on the topic of "Religion and Violence" organized by the Institut für Weltanschauungsrecht (ifw - Institute for Secular Law) and the Giordano Bruno Foundation (gbs) in Haus Weitblick in Oberwesel.
Non-religious Frenchman does not have to pay church tax in Germany
Following the two groundbreaking rulings of the Federal Constitutional Court last week on self-determination at the end of life and on strengthening ideological neutrality in the courtroom ("headscarf ban for legal trainees"), the Institut für Weltanschauungsrecht (ifw - Institute for Secular Law) founded by the gbs can report a third success within a few days: In the ifw case of the Frenchman Thomas Bores, the Archdiocese of Berlin revoked the church tax assessment at the end of February 2020 after five years of legal wrangling and several waves of negative media coverage. A commentary by ifw director Jacqueline Neumann.
Commemoration for Uwe-Christian Arnold on March 21 in Oberwesel
There is probably no other German doctor who has so courageously worked for self-determined dying and has taken as many personal risks as Uwe-Christian Arnold. On March 21, the Giordano Bruno Foundation will honour its advisory board member, who died last year, with a commemorative event and at the same time celebrate the latest landmark decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, about which presumably no one would have been more pleased than Uwe-Christian Arnold himself.
Review of a successful campaign
For more than six years, the Giordano Bruno Foundation and its cooperation partners have fought for the "right to Last Aid". With the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court on Wednesday, which declared the controversial section 217 of the German Penal Code unconstitutional, an important milestone has now been reached. A welcome occasion to look back on the campaign's main stages.
Federal Constitutional Court overturns "Euthanasia Prevention Act"
In its decision today, the Federal Constitutional Court has annulled section 217 of the German Criminal Code. Leading politicians such as Angela Merkel and Jens Spahn must now be accused of having voted in 2015 for a law that is not grounded in the German constitution. A report from Karlsruhe by Michael Schmidt-Salomon.
The Hans-Albert-Institute promotes critical-rational thinking in politics and society
Perhaps he is the only living person who has succeeded in becoming friends with the antipodes Karl Popper and Paul Feyerabend simultaneously: Today, Saturday, the great science theorist Hans Albert celebrates his 99th birthday. In his honour, the Giordano Bruno Foundation is launching the Hans Albert Institute, which aims to foster critical-rational, evidence-based thinking.
Religion and violence: On the abuse of children in denominations Lecture by Germany's most famous criminologist Christian Pfeiffer on March 8 in Oberwesel - event fully booked!
In view of the cover-up of the Catholic abuse scandal, the former director of the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony, Christian Pfeiffer, recently demanded the resignation of Cardinal Marx as chairman of the German Bishops' Conference. On March 8, Pfeiffer will explain during the presentation of his current book "Gegen die Gewalt" ("Against the Violence") at the gbs foundation headquarters in Oberwesel what prompted him to make this statement.
Award ceremony and exhibition in the Stadtmuseum Düsseldorf from July 18 to 26, 2020
"...wirkt nicht über den Placebo-Effekt hinaus" ("...does not work beyond the placebo effect!") is the theme of the "DA! Art-Award", which will be presented for the second time this year. The prize, which is offered by the Düsseldorfer Aufklärungsdienst (gbs Düsseldorf), aims to inspire artists to take a critical look at religion and irrationalism. The award is supported by the Giordano Bruno Foundation, among others, as part of its annual focus theme "The fine art of rationality: facts, fakes and perceived truths".