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Church in Transition: Challenges and Hopes at the Synod
The deanery synod in Kronach-Ludwigsstadt discussed the changes in the Protestant Church and current challenges.
Church in Transition: Challenges and Hopes at the Synod
The deanery synod of the Evangelical Lutheran deanery Kronach-Ludwigsstadt recently took place in the “Schafstall” community center and highlighted the pressing questions of the present. NP Coburg reports that regional bishop Berthild Sachs gave a remarkable speech entitled “Now is the time – the church is changing”. In her lecture she addressed the current challenges facing the Protestant Church in Bavaria.
A central issue was the decline in membership numbers, which is putting the church in financial difficulties. The decline in membership is not just a local phenomenon; The statistics show a widespread decline in church membership in Germany. According to the latest findings from the daily news At the end of 2024, only around 37.8 million people will belong to one of the two large churches, which means a decrease of over one million compared to the previous year.
A look at the numbers
A detailed analysis of church departures shows that around 345,000 people left the Protestant Church in 2024, while the number of people leaving the Catholic Church was 322,000. Despite an increase in admissions - 15,000 in the Protestant church and 6,200 in the Catholic church - the loss remains worrying. Catholic Academy Bavaria addresses these topics in detail in her analyses.
In addition to the decline in membership, the number of baptisms is also alarming. A decline of around 30,000 baptisms was recorded for 2024 compared to the previous year. However, Regional Bishop Sachs is optimistic that change can succeed if the church actively addresses the challenges and finds innovative ways to get in touch with people.
Changes required
The EKD council chairwoman Kirsten Fehrs appeals to the churches to develop new ideas in order to interest people in church offerings. Bishop Georg Bätzing also emphasizes the need to think about what role the church should play in a changing social environment. Changes in society require a change in thinking and a good hand in order to maintain the relevance of churches.
The deanery synod, which has attracted numerous decision-makers such as deans Ulrike Schorn and Markus Müller, as well as Horst Moser and Vera Student-Reiß, is a step in the right direction. It shows that the church is also prepared to reinvent itself in times of change.