I am Pastor of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud (EERV). I have been ministering in various parishes, as General Secretary of the Swiss Bible Society and as in charge of the ecumenical dialogue in the EERV. I had also a ministry of spiritual accompaniment in the Community of Saint Loup. I collaborate in the project « JC2033 » which calls the churches to prepare together the jubilee of the resurrection of Christ. I am also involved in several ecumenical projects, such as the Global Christian Forum through the committee of the Christian Forum of French-speaking Switzerland. I teach also ecumenism at the Theological High School of the French part of Switzerland (HET-PRO).
Co-founder of the Community of Christian Churches in the Canton of Vaud (CECCV) in 2003, I was its president and then its executive secretary for ten years. I participated in the activities of “l’Arzillier”, the House of Dialogue in Lausanne, since its opening in 1996. I was a member of its committee between 2004 and 2015. I have been a member of the Jewish-Christians Friendship (Amitiés judéo-chrétiennes) since 1985. For 15 years, I participated in the ‘Montées de Jérusalem’ (Jerusalem Ascents) and since 2024, I have been part of the Swiss group of the initiative ‘Towards a Second Council of Jerusalem’ (TJCII). I am also active in the group « Muslims and Christians on the Way », since 2015.
I am also a member of Focolari, a movement of spirituality rooted in the Catholic Church, open to members of other churches. In this context I participate in « On the way together« , the Swiss branch of the « Together for Europe » network.
Active in the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, on the local and international level, the words “dialogue, encounter, communion” are essential for me. On the vertical plane as on the horizontal plane. That’s why I’m particularly interested in spirituality, to root the action in contemplation. Co-chair of the Rally for a Reformed Renewal (R3), I commit myself to all that contributes to the Unity and Renewal of the Church.
I am also interested in everything related to formal and informal training, as I have been delegated by the United Bible Societies to UNESCO, for literacy issues, the key to development.
My wife Chantal and I have been keen to encourage young artists in their spiritual convictions. The Consol’artes website gives an account of this. Chantal died in 2024, after 20 years of marriage. Together we have 5 children and 9 grandchildren.
Martin Hoegger