The chairman of the council of the protestant church in germany (EKD), heinrich bedford-strohm, has warned against a return to nationalism and anti-semitism.
After the end of the first world war 100 years ago and another terrible war, the people drew the right conclusions at that time and demanded "never again war" and "never again nationalism," the munich bishop said on sunday at the start of the annual meeting of the EKD synod in wurzburg.
"We christians in particular will stand up for the lessons of history not to be thrown overboard and for the rewards of the people to remain the primary goal of our social and governmental actions," said bedford-strohm. Hate and mistrust must have no future, even if right-wing populist forces in particular try to stir up fears, divide and question the basic consensus of a tolerant and open-minded society.
With a view to the 80th anniversary. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the pogrom night, the bishop warned against a renewal of anti-semitic incitement. "We will not allow the holocaust memorial to be called a monument of shame and demand a 180-degree turnaround in remembrance policy."
At the opening service of the church conference, which focuses on recruiting young people, bedford-strohm called on the church to be more open to young people. Many young people do not miss god and are rather distanced from the christian faith. Perhaps the lack of interest is due to the fact that young people have no spirit or enthusiasm for the church they know.
"I would like to see that change," bedford-strohm said. "I wish that we as a church would rediscover the spirit of freedom ourselves and, out of the strength of this spirit, set out together as young and old."Even skeptics should have the desire to participate in the church. The church is a place where "neither the normative power of the gray-haired prevails nor any kind of youth cult is propagated. In his speech to the synod, the bishop stressed the need for young people to be more present in church bodies. "In the places where strategic decisions are made, they are not yet sufficiently represented."
At its meeting until wednesday, the church parliament will discuss, among other things, how more young people can be inspired for the faith again. Other topics include peace work and the church in the digital age. The parliament, the so-called synod, is made up of 120 church parliamentarians from the 20 protestant state churches. As the umbrella organization, the EKD represents the 21.5 million protestant christians in germany.
On the fringes of the synod's annual meeting, employees of the diaconia and the protestant church protested against a draft amendment to the EKD's employee representation law. To be discussed on monday.