In Germany, more and more people are turning away from the Christian churches and leaving them. Does this mean that faith is waning?
On the other hand, millions of people prayed for Pope Francis, who died in 2025, and his recently elected successor, Leo XIV, was also welcomed with enthusiasm and hope. Protestant church conventions regularly attract large crowds, including many young people, and explore new forms of religion and personal faith.
How has faith changed, and with it, its symbols and attributes? How was it practiced at home, but also in public spaces, and how is it practiced today? In which rituals and sacred objects did it take shape, and in which does it continue to do so?
At the heart of the exhibition are the “wonderful” objects from Ansgar Fütterer’s collection of 18th–20th-century religious folk art. Their significance and iconography are deciphered, and fascinating details are rediscovered. Do they still represent the Christian faith, or what has taken their place today?
On the other hand, millions of people prayed for Pope Francis, who died in 2025, and his recently elected successor, Leo XIV, was also welcomed with enthusiasm and hope. Protestant church conventions regularly attract large crowds, including many young people, and explore new forms of religion and personal faith.
How has faith changed, and with it, its symbols and attributes? How was it practiced at home, but also in public spaces, and how is it practiced today? In which rituals and sacred objects did it take shape, and in which does it continue to do so?
At the heart of the exhibition are the “wonderful” objects from Ansgar Fütterer’s collection of 18th–20th-century religious folk art. Their significance and iconography are deciphered, and fascinating details are rediscovered. Do they still represent the Christian faith, or what has taken their place today?
