wfn.org | Portrait: Bishop Dr. Christian Krause

["Frank Imhoff" <franki@elca.org>]

Diplomat in God's Name

WOLFENBUETTEL, Germany)/GENEVA, 10 February 2002 (LWI) - Political action
in
Christian responsibility is the motto that has motivated him all his
life-as
a young pastor working among refugees as a Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
staff person in Africa, as Oberkirchenrat (church executive) and expert on
the ecumenical movement with the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Germany (VELKD) or as general secretary of the Kirchentag, the German
Protestant churches' conference. 

Dr. Christian Krause retired January 31 after eight years as bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick, Germany. But things will not be
much quieter for the 62-year-old since he plans to stay true to his motto
in
his capacity as LWF President, chairperson of the board of the Church
Development Service - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) or as
chairperson of the Luther Center in Wittenberg.

But Krause does not understand political involvement as a means to an end
for the church's outreach. He is less interested in sophisticated media
appearances. In persevering diplomacy, which often takes place behind the
scenes, Krause succeeds in helping people, whether in development
cooperation
or in dialogue between western and eastern Europe. His management skills
and
grasp of issues and instinct for finding solutions are of benefit to many
positive outcomes. He recently visited South Africa with German President
Johannes Rau to explore new forms of social and economic partnerships with
Germany. 

Traveling in the mainly Roman Catholic or Orthodox countries of central and
eastern Europe has pointed to how politically significant, yet somewhat
non-political theological conversations can be. The Joint Declaration on
the
Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), the unique international agreement
between
the Roman Catholic Church and LWF to overcome historical divisions, has, in
Krause's view, had beneficial effect on the integration of Europe as a
whole.
When religious and mental barriers are dismantled, a new sense of European
community emerges. Krause and other representatives of the Lutheran world
communion signed the JDDJ on 31 October 1999 in Augsburg, Germany. 

A world citizen and diplomat in God's name, Krause views contemporary
developments in a liberal spirit and with clear Christian judgement.
September 11, 2001 was a major turning point. The former holder of a
Fulbright scholarship in Chicago, well versed with the United States of
America knows how much the terror attacks on New York and Washington shook
the USA. It is precisely for that reason that he calls for a new dialogue
between Europe and the USA, one that takes Europe's cultural experiences
and
its exchange with Islam into account.

However much at ease Krause feels on the international scene, for him, home
is the Brunswick region. He will continue to live there, a place where he
has
been confronted with the challenges of a shrinking mainline church with no
choice but to accept reform. New models of missionary commitment, new
places
for spiritual experience, new courage for social ethical discussions and
new
readiness to find alternative uses for church buildings-his goal is the
shaping of new activities and pronounced awareness of the signs of the
times.

Following up these ideas has never been very easy, Krause admits frankly.
After all, Protestantism is characterized in his region by numerous
heterogeneous forces and differing levels of responsibility. Sometimes the
"all-too-human" takes over. Holding different opinions is part of everyday
life, so are personal and human disappointments. Yet those signs of life
and
broad participation constitute the charm of Protestantism. The former
general
secretary of the Kirchentag knows that. After all, a lot worked out well,
for
example the consolidation of the regional church facilities on the "church
campus" in Wolfenbuettel, increased women's participation in church
leadership or the stronger participation of the Brunswick church in public
debate on central political, social and economic concerns.

By retiring from the bishopric at 62, Krause can continue assignments he
has
pursued zealously throughout his whole career. Not least, the question of
the
Lutheran profile will concern him in many ways. The Protestant churches in
Germany will be able to benefit from their umbrella organization. The
Evangelical Church in Germany - Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) is
a
unique structure, difficult to describe outside of Germany. While the EKD
brings together 24 churches of different confessional traditions, it is
denominations and their world communions that characterize ecumenical
activity worldwide.

If Krause is asked what is most important to him, he would probably say:
the
church should do its job wholeheartedly, proclaiming the biblical message
of
the love of God to all people. Anyone who has heard him preach, with
passion
and forthright evangelistic enthusiasm will know that he means what he
says.
The diplomat and manager is, above all, a preacher of the Gospel.

(By Michael Strauss, press officer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Brunswick.)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 133 member
churches in 73 countries representing over 60.5 million of the 64.3 million
Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas
of common interest such as ecumenical relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission
and development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the
Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented does
not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units.
Where
the dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material may be
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