EKD Press Releases
"Pious and Political"
Katrin Göring-Eckardt takes stock of the Magdeburg Synod
November 9, 2011
Today, Wednesday, the president of the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) Katrin Göring-Eckardt issued a positive assessment of the fourth session of the Eleventh Synod of the EKD.
Göring-Eckardt stated that she was pleased by the "lively debate" that took place at this session of the Synod. The liveliness of the constructive disagreement benefited the important topics on which the meeting focused, the Synod president said. The Synod had been both "pious and political." This was evident with regard to the Synod's two central themes-the central theme "Missionary Impulses" had been discussed with "passion and energy." The first official echoes had already shown that the question as to how Christian faith today can be "articulate and effective" had met with great interest.
In a crisis-ridden world with its insecurity and accelerated pace, the longing for consolation, relief and concentration had become more acute. Therefore, more was at stake than merely remedying shortcomings on the part of the church or defining a "strategy to increase membership." The gospel gave us a lens through which to see crises differently and to deal with them differently." "Pausing to heal, comforting the frightened soul and overcoming fear" are fundamental not only for Christians; they apply also to society.
In addition to the main theme, the subject of church labor law also occupied much of the debate. Here a "genuine breakthrough" had been achieved. The adoption by a large majority of the Law on the Principles Guiding Labor Regulation (ARRGG) with the implementation of the so-called "third way" had opened the door to renewed solidarity. But, the Synod president insisted, this was only the first step of many that would be needed. For example, the EKD Council had already approved a reliable analysis of the diakonia situation to be carried out in the form of a study by an independent body. It was also important that it be possible to impose sanctions-infringement of rules could no longer be tolerated for the sake of our collaborators and our credibility!
Göring-Eckardt commended the EKD Synod for having addressed the labor law issue in its statement entitled "Ten Demands for Church Labor Law Shaped by Solidarity" (Zehn Forderungen zur solidarischen Ausgestaltung des kirchlichen Arbeitsrechts"), which is directed toward the public and builds bridges to trade unions.
Magdeburg, November 9, 2011
Press Office of the EKD#Reinhard Mawick