wfn.org | Friedrich Weber Elected Bishop of Brunswick Church, Germany

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

Affirms Stand for a Church that Goes Where People Are

BRUNSWICK, Germany/GENEVA, 16 November 2001 (LWI) - Rev. Dr.
Friedrich Weber has been elected bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Brunswick (ELCB), Germany.

With 38 out of 52 votes-two-thirds majority-the Brunswick synod
elected Weber, 52, from Wiesbaden, to succeed current Bishop Dr.
Christian Krause who last May announced his intention to leave office
in January 2002 upon attaining the age of 62. Krause, president of
the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) since 1997, was elected Brunswick
bishop for life in June 1994.

Upon his November 10 election, Weber thanked the synod and offered to
extend his hand in friendship to his critics. He said he looked
forward to good progress during his service with the Brunswick church
and its people.

In a pre-vote speech, Weber said that he could carry out the duties
of bishop "responsibly and with theological integrity." As he was
ordained in the Reformed and not the Lutheran confession, inquiries
were made before the Synod convened.

Weber promised to visit the church's local congregations. He affirmed
his stand for an open church that goes where people are. He said he
would oppose "self-destructive and maudlin complaining" and would
help the church to have confidence in its convictions. Theologically,
he sees leadership as interpretation of doctrine and awareness of
people's life situations.

Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) Council Chairperson, Praeses
Manfred Kock, congratulated Weber on his election saying it is a
"sign of fellowship among Protestants." He said the EKD, representing
24 Lutheran, Reformed and United regional churches in Germany, could
vouch for Weber's familiarity with all forms of Protestantism, not
only theologically but also at a practical level.

Since 1991, Weber has been a member of the Leading Clergy of the
Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau in his capacity as
superintendent of the South Nassau district. The district comprises
390,000 members in 240 local churches and nine sub-districts. Since
1992 he also served as Moderator of the Pastors' Conferences of the
Evangelical Academy at Arnoldshain, near Frankfurt/Main.

 From 1984 to 1991, Weber served as pastor and dean of a sub-district
Wuppertal, Goettingen and Oldenburg, receiving his doctorate in
married and has two adult children.
church history from the University of Frankfurt in 1997. He is
in Oppenheim/Rhein, and was vicar and then pastor in the town of
theology, history and educational theory and methodology in
Greetsiel on the North Sea from 1972 to 1984. He studied Protestant

Weber is expected to take up his new duties next spring. The ELCB has
around 450,000 members. It joined the LWF in 1947.

(By Michael Strauss, press officer, 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 freely reproduced with
acknowledgment.]

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