Prof. Chung Hyun Kyung, Associate Professor of Ecumenical Studies at the Union Theological Seminary in New York

Prof. Charlotte Esser, Professorin der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf

Dr. Hedwig Meyer-Wilmes, Herausgeberin der Reihe 'Theologische Frauenforschung in Europa',Kleve

Prof. Susan Roll, Associate Professor (Program: Liturgy, Sacramental Theology) at the Saint Paul University in Ottawa

Prof. Ursula Rudnick, apl. Professorin am Institut für Theologie und Religionswissenschaften der Leibniz Universität in Hannover

The foundation of the "Scivias Institute for Art and Spirituality" is based on a vision by theologian and artist Annette Esser. After her doctoral dissertation on feminist spirituality (2007), rather then giving academic lectures, she thought of holding workshops together with other theologians, artists or psychotherapists. Thus, she envisioned a community of teachers and learners in spirituality & creativity. Based on this, also events should take place.  

Thus in 2008, theologian Dr. Annette Esser and art historian Dr. Manja Seelen founded the Scivias Institute for Art & Spirituality in Cologne in a circle of about 20 colleagues and friends. 

In September 2011, Dr. Annette Esser was awarded "Intra-Projektpreis für Komplematarität der Religionen" for her 20 years of engagement in inter-religious dialogue in the Mosque of Duisburg Marxloh. This price of 5000 EURO was given to her explicitly for the further development of the Scivias Institute.

In 2011, the Scivias Institute registered as a non-profit Society accordings to German law ("Gemeinnützig anerkannter eingetragener Verein e.V.) and hold a conference at the Rupertsberg in Bingen, thai is the very site where Hildegard of Bingen had founded her Women's Monastery in 1150. 

In the same year, Dr. Annette Esser got awarded with an inter-religious price for her 20 year-long engagement in inter-religious dialogue. The prize-money could be invested in building up the Scivias-office.   

Due to the canonization and promotion of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) as Doctor of the Church (Doctor Ecclesiae Universalis), the Scivias Institute organized its first International Conference. Prof. Susan Roll gave the inaugural address that is published in German:

Susan Roll, "Warum gerade jetzt? Hildegard von Bingen als Kirchenlehrerin", in Annette Esser (ed.), Die Kirchenlehrerin Hildegard von Bingen, Berlin 2015, p.99-116). We hope to it in English on this website in the Rubric "Hildegard of Bingen"

In 2014, we had our first Hildegard Pilgrimage with three Catholic sisters from Australia and one American professor from Canada... Even though, we wer a small group, this pilgrimage that guided us from Cologne along the river Rhine to Bingen and deep into the land of Hildegard, was just wonderful. It was full of site-seeing, learning, wellness and meditation.

This Hildegard pilgrimage was planned in cooperation between Dr. Annette Esser, Scivias Institute, and Prof. Chung Hyung Kyung, Union Theological Seminary, New York. It started July 27 in Cologne and ended on August 9, 2015, in the "land of Hildegard" near Bingen. We had pilgrims from America, Korea and Australia.

Sr. Caroline wrote a good report about the pilgrimage. (see below)

In 2016, we had our Second International Hildegard Conference on Hildegard's intersting notion of "Viriditas - Grünkraft - Green Power of life". The conference took place at various sites in Bingen, Disibodenberg and Eibingen. A group of Canadian students of Saint Paul's Iniversity, Ottawa, who just had been on a Hildegard Study Tour along the Rhine, joined the conference.

Since 2014, the Scivias Institute organizes pilgrimages in the historic land between the Rhine and the Nahe where Hildegard had lived in the 12th century and where the Institute is situated.

Thanks to Annette's political engagement, a new route for Hildegard pilgrimage was installed between Idar-Oberstein and Bingen. The Naheland-Touristik (new cooperation-partner of the Scivias Institute since December 2017), is the executive organization of thís project that is supported by the European Union financially. As an Hildegard-expert, Annette Esser has also designed the concept for this path consisting of 60 tableaus: 32 contain information on the historic sites and on Hildegard's major mystical, medical and musical works; and 27 meditation tableaus follow Hildegards major mystical work, the Liber Scivias itself, thereby presenting questions pilgrim's reflection. The landmark-signs and tableaus are already out on the 140km path in the landscape with German and English texts. A Pilgrimage Book (Pilgerbuch) is already published in the German language. As we are working hard on an English edition as well, English-speaking pilgrims may already find some articles in the rubric "Hildegard of Bingen" on this website.  

Also already on the website are dates for international Hildegard Pilgrimages in the English language guided by Annette Esser starting in 2019.