The Baden state synod has been dealing with peace for years - the topic did not seem as urgent to many as it is today. In view of Russia's rocket attacks on Ukraine, it is becoming more explosive - and this should result in a new statement.
Bad Herrenalb (dpa/lsw) - The autumn conference of the church parliament of the Baden regional church is marked by the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The state synod in Bad Herrenalb (Calw district) intends to adopt a new position paper on the subject of peace ethics by Thursday. Topics such as new community forms and climate protection are also on the agenda. All plenary sessions are open to the public and are broadcast live on the Internet at www.ekiba.de/landessynode/herbsttagung2022.
"The topic of peace has long played an important role in the deliberations of the Baden state synod," explained Synodal President Axel Wermke in advance. In 2013, the synod drew up a resolution on peace ethics, which, according to the information, was taken up in the discussion of many other regional churches and is now to be renewed. A peace institute was set up at the Evangelical University in Freiburg, which deals with forms of peace work and possibilities of influencing politics and church action. "Because of the war in Ukraine and several critical questions about the peace paper, the synod is now taking up the subject again," Wermke continued.
The synod is also dealing with a law on new church forms. Among other things, it should enable members of other churches or people who are not church members to work in the congregations and to distribute tasks differently. "At the same time, these new forms of congregation also allow congregations of other languages and origins to settle under the umbrella of the regional church," explained the Protestant regional church in Baden in advance.
As of New Year's Eve 2021, this numbered around 1.06 million people - almost 30,650 fewer than a year earlier. The constant losses are one reason why new forms and ways of church work are being sought. Since the spring, Heike Springhart (47) has been the first woman to hold the office of state bishop of Baden.
