Future of churches: renovation, profanation or demolition?

Future of churches: renovation, profanation or demolition?

Potzbach, Deutschland - The Christian churches in Germany face a fundamental crisis. They have been losing members for years, which is reflected in a significant decline in worshipers. According to swr are now threatened with around 20,000 evangelical and Catholic churches in Germany. This development brings high maintenance costs for the church buildings and forces municipalities to think about alternatives.

One might think that the topic of church closures and the discussion about alternative uses have been new, but the pressure has increased since the turn of the millennium. This change is noticeable, especially in regions such as the lignite areas, where many churches had to give way to the opencast mine. fowid reports of a discrepancy between the alleged "church wealth" and the economic constraints of the closure of worshipers, which raises many questions.

a new life for old churches

Another example is the former St. Lukas Church in Coburg, which is listed and is now to be converted into administrative rooms and a stage. Real estate agent Peter Helm bought the building and wants to provide it with modern elements, while the original architecture is preserved. This shows that there is a great interest in the preservation of such buildings in the population - in Coburg you are relieved that the building is not torn down, but finds a new use.

The support of the community

In Potzbach, the doctor Lukas Schur plans to convert a church into a doctor's office, a project that is supported by the majority of the population. Such initiatives are also part of the over 22,000 signatories strong church manifesto, which demands new sponsors for churches, in response to the decreasing membership and the difficult financial situation of many communities.

The numbers speak a clear language: less believers and falling worshipers in the past ten years have made it difficult to generate sufficient income. According to BR , the number of members has decreased dramatically for both the Evangelical as well as among the Catholics: 23 percent in the Evangelical and 9 percent the Catholics.

The discussion about church closings increases, while numerous restructuring are taking place in the communities. Many parishes have to merge, and the diocese of Essen is planning savings of 70 million euros - a clear sign that the question of the future of many churches is a topic of the greatest urgency.

The challenge of preserving old church buildings and at the same time adapting to the needs of today's society seems great. However, as the examples mentioned show, creative solutions can be found. The awareness that churches not only have religious but also cultural and social functions could be the key to their rescue.