New Dynamics of Church Reform Debate in Central Germany Central German Church Federation Aims at Merger in 2009
EISENACH/MAGDEBURG, Germany/GENEVA, 17 April 2006 (LWI) * It came as a surprise: a few weeks after the constitutional commission of the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Central Germany (EKM - Foederation Evangelischer Kirchen in Mitteldeutschland) started its work in January this year, the joint church board of the Evangelical Church of the Province of Saxony and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thuringia already announced its proposed plan mid February. From 2009 onward the two sections of the church will merge -- with one bishop and one head office for the nearly 1 million Protestant Christians across Sonneberg (Thuringia) and Salzwedel (Church of the Province of Saxony).
This has brought new dynamics to the discussion about the future of EKM, which was established in mid 2004. It is now a question of giving concrete shape to what the two neighboring churches in the last few years have called the most important issue in their joint existence: to work more efficiently as a result of simplified structures and better services, and avoid work duplication at intermediate and higher levels, in order to serve their congregations more effectively.
Demographic Changes
One of the consequences of the impending merger would be the reconsideration of church borders inherited from the 19th century -- which determine that parts of the Church of the Province of Saxony belong today to the Free State of Thuringia including its regional capital, Erfurt. But, above all, the churches involved want to deal with the issue of declining financial resources in view of a decreasing membership.
This trend is not only a church problem but also an expression of continuing demographic changes resulting from people leaving the area and a low birth rate, which have led to declining income from church taxes. "As the church in Thuringia, we now have to face up to this issue if we want to continue to be able to act, rather than being overtaken by events," stressed Eisenach Bishop Christoph Kaehler, vice-chairperson of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), and head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thuringia.
More at Stake
The first steps have already been taken. The church headquarters, governing boards and synods are working together through a common administration and as joint bodies, but in different locations. The brass bands and women's work have been merged. The most recent outcome of the process was the "Center for Church Music" which was opened in March in Erfurt.
But there is more at stake in the intended merger. The current discussion about the future bishop's seat also relates to the perception of the two big Protestant churches in their traditional federal regions of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, both considered to be "core regions of the Reformation."
At the 30 March-1 April EKM synod in Halle, Germany, it was decided that preparations be made in the coming months to clarify the location of the federation's head office. A feasibility study will consider not only Erfurt and Halle as possible headquarters for the combined administration, but also Eisenach and Magdeburg. There is also the possibility to maintain the church headquarters in two cities.
The Saxony and Thuringia synods will take a final decision on the future headquarters and on the merger in November 2006. However, the decision on the merger may have to be postponed to 2007, as was emphasized by the vice-president and legal officer at the EKM headquarters, Dr Hans-Peter Huebner. The federation specifies March 2007 as the time it would decide on the future management, administrative and financial structure of its church districts.
Critical Stage
In his current report on the situation, Kaehler, who is also acting EKM board chairperson, spoke of a "critical stage" in the federation. Alongside the successful union of specific areas of work, the remaining decisions about future direction had caused the initial enthusiasm to give way to greater sobriety and some disappointment. The open question about the headquarters' location, anticipated financial measures and the quest for a uniform structure at the intermediate level were causing considerable uncertainty among church employees. The speed of the process also raises concern, for example about the loss of regional church identity.
Nevertheless, decisions about the federation's future, which Kaehler described as "arduous paths," could not be postponed because the staff needed to know about their prospects soon.
The federation and merger now taking more concrete shape, are the first union of two German regional churches of about the same size in three decades. Their different backgrounds within the EKD will continue unchanged --Thuringia as historically Lutheran and the Church of the Province of Saxony as a united church.
(Contribution from LWI correspondent Thomas Bickelhaupt, Weimar, Germany)
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