December 11, 2004

HANOVER, Germany/GENEVA - The chairpersons of the negotiation commissions of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD), Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) and the Union of Evangelical Churches in the EKD (UEK), have initialed agreements that will determine the future roles of the UEK and VELKD within the EKD.

VELKD Presiding Bishop, Dr Hans-Christian Knuth (Schleswig), UEK General Conference Chairperson, Bishop Dr Ulrich Fischer (Baden) and EKD Council Vice-Chairperson, Bishop Dr Christoph Kaehler (Thuringia), initialed the proposed agreements and submitted the latter for approval to the EKD member churches.

The structural debate to strengthen cooperation between the EKD member churches has been going on for the past two years or so. Strong unanimity marked the negotiation process by the three high-ranking commissions that elaborated the draft agreements on the future relations between the EKD, UEK and VELKD, according to parallel press releases issued on December 8.

The reforms aim at achieving the highest degree of cooperation possible between the EKD member churches, with distinctions in responsibilities only to be made where necessary according to the respective self-understanding of each association of member churches.

The tasks of the individual bodies will in future be carried out at the EKD Church Office in Hanover, where UEK and VELKD offices will be set up. This will primarily favor continuous dialogue and a common discourse, and will help to reduce duplication of structures. The existing member churches associations will retain authority over initiatives, policy decisions and their evaluation in accordance with their constitutions, especially with regard to their respective confessions. This will enable the UEK and VELKD to increase their scope of action by gaining legally safeguarded rights within the EKD to take part in, and influence policy decisions in the EKD as a whole.

Kaehler said the Protestant churches in Germany have demonstrated their capacity to shape policy with these agreements, and have strengthened their own profile and visibility. Knuth believes VELKDs autonomy as a church is maintained in the new system, and that the commitment to its confessional basis is preserved. Furthermore, the body of Evangelical Lutheran churches will continue to be solely responsible for shaping its ecumenical relationships. Fischer welcomed the negotiations outcome saying it emphasizes common ground, and significantly strengthens the EKD, making it possible to achieve an important UEK objective.

The preliminary approval means that the church governing bodies and synods can now begin to consider the agreements so that the necessary constitutional amendments are submitted to the legislative bodies next year for final approval. The subsequent approval by the member churches is scheduled for 2006 in order for the agreements take effect on 1 January 2007 at the latest.

The EKDs 23 Lutheran, Reformed and United churches have a membership of 26 million people. Activities of the member churches are structured federally at all levels while the shared concerns are the responsibility of the governing bodies * the Synod, Council and Church Conference, whose business is coordinated by the Church Office.

The VELKD brings together eight Evangelical Lutheran churches in Bavaria, Brunswick, Hanover, Mecklenburg, North Elbe, Saxony, Schaumburg-Lippe and Thuringia, with some 10.4 million members.

The UEK comprises the 13 member churches of the Arnoldshain Conference and the Evangelical Church of the Union, with the aim to promote EKDs unity.

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