Rainer Bätzing

Born in 1963 in Hessen/Germany, I became a theologian in 1982-1988 in Göttingen and Heidelberg and worked as a vicar in Kassel and as a New Testament Assistant in Marburg. From 1993 until today I am pastor in the „Evangelische Matthäuskirchengemeinde Bad Hersfeld“ (EKKW). Working as steward in the International CEC-Conference in Stirling/Scotland 1984 founded my lifelong ecumenical passion. Latest experiences with big meetings in Sept. 2022 (steward in the WCC Assembly Karlsruhe) and June 2023 (steward in the Special Olympics, Berlin). I love cinema since I saw „Ben Hur“ at the age of 11, four hours on wooden seats in our local village-cinema. In our Bad Hersfeld Cineplex we offer regularly the event „Kirche im Kino“ (Church and Cinema), introducing 9 films per year.