Ecumenical Statements
The EKD is committed to the goal of Christian Unity and signatory to the Leuenberg Agreement of 1973 by which a relationship of full communion was established between most of the Protestant churches of Europe. On the basis of this agreement the EKD and its member churches are in full communion with 105 Lutheran, Reformed and United churches, pre-Reformation churches such as the Waldensian Church and the Church of the Czech Brethren, plus five South American Protestant churches. The seven Methodist churches in Europe joined this communion of churches on the basis of a "Joint Declaration of Church Fellowship".
The Charta Oecumenica of 2001 is a fundamental document for the Protestant, Orthodox and Roman-Catholic churches of Europe.
With the Meissen Declaration, the EKD and the Church of England committed themselves to take all possible steps to closer fellowship in as many areas of Christian life and witness as possible, and to strive together for full, visible unity.
Agreement between the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)
The activities of the partners to this agreement are based on the commission given by Jesus Christ to his Church. By virtue of this commission, the partners to the agreement work together in the witness and service of the Church for the world. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), whose Lutheran member churches are in communion with the ELCIC through their common membership in the Lutheran World Federation, acknowledge their common roots in the history of the western Church and in the 16th century Reformation movement and reaffirm hereby the communion that exists and is practiced between them.
The Agreement between the EKD and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) establishes a relationship of pulpit and altar fellowship, which includes the mutual recognition of ordination, between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and all member churches of the EKD. Similar agreements exist with the Lutheran churches of Sweden, Finland and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).
For some 30 years there have been individual regional agreements on mutual recognition of baptism in Germany between EKD member churches and Roman Catholic dioceses; this Mutual Recognition of Baptism is an agreement signed by Evangelical Church in Germany, the Orthodox Church in Germany, the Roman Catholic Church and other churches.