Christian Stäblein, the bishop of the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia, emphasized the importance of an honest examination of the corona pandemic during a state synod meeting in Görlitz. He stressed the need for open and honest conversations to learn from the experiences of the past year.
Stäblein acknowledged that the church faced strict corona measures during the pandemic, with services being canceled or held under strict rules. However, he emphasized that despite these challenges, the overall response was not in vain. The pandemic was seen as a joint effort to protect lives, and Stäblein expressed gratitude for those in politics and science who worked tirelessly to combat it.
The church parliament is set to debate a proposal from its council of elders regarding a clear distancing from the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The church is committed to upholding democracy and the rule of law and will resist any actions that undermine these principles. Stäblein highlighted the church’s commitment to staying away from populism and standing against any form of incitement.
Another important topic at the church parliament meeting was sexual abuse within the Evangelical Church. The church leadership provided funds for professionalization of processing, prevention, and intervention work to support victims and address this issue. The church acknowledged its responsibility in addressing abuse and pledged to support those affected by it.
Stäblein emphasized that sexual violence is a horror that must be confronted head-on, both by society as a whole and by institutions like churches. He called for accountability and a commitment to changing structures that facilitated abuse within religious institutions like his own church. The Evangelical Church is taking steps to address past misconduct and support victims in seeking justice and healing
