Are arms deliveries from Germany to Ukraine right or wrong? The Synod of the EKD is also concerned with this question. The church parliament of almost 20 million Protestant Christians is struggling in Magdeburg for a common position.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) is divided on the question of arms deliveries in view of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The topics of war and peace, climate protection and dealing with sexualized violence are the focus of the synod of the EKD, which began on Sunday with a service in the cathedral in Magdeburg.
"It's about peace and justice and nothing less," said the regional bishop of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany, Friedrich Kramer. It is clear that Germany must help Ukraine. Kramer, who is also the EKD's peace officer, spoke out against arms deliveries.
In her report to the church parliament, the chairwoman of the EKD, Präses Annette Kurschus, called for solidarity with the Ukraine. In addition to military support, there is an urgent need to find a way to reach a ceasefire, she said. The call for diplomatic efforts is neither heartless nor ignorant towards the people of Ukraine. It is important to prevent a further escalation of the war.
From their point of view, it is not possible to clearly approve or reject arms deliveries. Those people who spoke out in favor of arms deliveries also wanted to bring about peace, she said. It is good that there are different positions on the subject in the church. But every weapon used for defense kills or injures other lives, she warned. If a Russian soldier is killed, then he is to be deplored just as much as a Ukrainian soldier. “People are people there,” emphasized Kurschus.
The EKD is the umbrella organization for the 20 Protestant regional churches in Germany, which have almost 20 million members. The synod, consisting of 128 members, meets until Wednesday.
