“Our Churches remain part of Europe“
Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Chair of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany (Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, EKD) and Bishop Ralf Meister, Senior Bishop of the United Protestant Lutheran Church in Germany (Vereinigte Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, VELKD) regret the British decision to leave the European Union.
On the occasion of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, EKD, and Bishop Ralf Meister, VELKD, Co-Chair of the Meissen Commission, have highlighted their profound conviction in a common letter to Archbishop Justin Welby and Bishop Jonathan Gibbs, that the close relationship of the Churches in Europe and the brotherly and sisterly community in Christ is now all the more important.
They underline in the letter: “Together we are called to spread the Gospel of Gods’ love in Jesus Christ to all people. We remain together in our task to seek the common good for our societies, for Europe and beyond, to engage for a peaceful, respectful and solidary living together locally, regionally, nationally and beyond.”
Finally they emphasize the importance to cooperate in the future: “As Churches we are committed to engage for a society which allows and respects diversity and different opinions but is sustained from the conviction that all members of society belong together. Within our troubled world belonging together and working together is most important as a sign of God him-self through the gospel being present among us. In the perspective of EKD the European Union is the instrument, with which the political, economic, social and ecological challenges of our time can be addressed adequately. We regret the British decision to leave the European Union but we respect it as a sovereign democratic decision. Our churches are part of Europe and will remain as part of Europe. Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the incarnated, crucified and risen Lord, we belong together, and we are called to shape our common future together in Europe. In him we remain together.“
Hanover, 30 January 2020
EKD Press Office and VELKD Press Office