Diocese: Extremism and collaboration in parishes incompatible

Church - Diocese: Extremism and collaboration in parishes incompatible

Right-wing extremist attitudes are incompatible with participation in pastoral councils - this principle now applies in the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen. Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers had a corresponding declaration of the German Bishops' Conference (DKB) anchored in the election and council regulations for the parish councils and parish assemblies in the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen at the beginning of July, according to the diocese.

Therefore, persons can be excluded from participation in pastoral councils for serious reasons, such as "enemy of the church" behavior, which could undermine the church's credibility. This includes, according to the statement, publicly noticeable extremist statements and the - likewise publicly noticeable - membership in extremist parties or organizations. Candidacies and the assumption of offices or other tasks are also exclusionary reasons.

DKB declaration already in February

The Catholic bishops had declared at their spring plenary assembly in February that volkisch nationalism is incompatible with the Christian image of God and man. Right-wing extremist parties and those on the fringes of this ideology cannot be a place of political engagement for women and men and are also not electable, it said in a joint declaration by all Catholic bishops. Furthermore, they clarified: "The propagation of right-wing extremist slogans - this includes, in particular, racism and antisemitism - is also incompatible with a voluntary or honorary service in the church."

Explicitly mentioned is the AfD. In the party, this volkisch-nationalist attitude dominates. "The AfD fluctuates between a genuine right-wing extremism, which the Constitutional Protection Agency attests to some state associations and the youth organization of the party, and a right-populism that is less radical and fundamental in its origins."

The Diocese of Dresden-Meißen follows this stance clearly, according to the press release. "Any form of extremism is rejected, as such attitudes aim at excluding and marginalizing people, which endangers human dignity and solidarity to some extent or completely." The position on the incompatibility of extremist attitudes and participation in pastoral councils was regulated in time before the upcoming elections to the parish councils in November.

1. The Bishop of the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen, Heinrich Timmerevers, implemented a principle from the German Bishops' Conference (DKB) in July, prohibiting right-wing extremist individuals from participating in pastoral councils and assemblies.
2. The DKB declared in February that volkisch nationalism, which is prevalent in the Alternative for Germany (AfD), is incompatible with the Christian image of God and man.
3. The presence of extremist views, such as publicly made extremist statements or affiliation with extremist parties or organizations, can lead to exclusion from participation in pastoral councils.
4. The Bishop of Dresden-Meissen firmly stands against any form of extremism, as such attitudes aim to exclude and marginalize people, potentially threatening human dignity and solidarity.
5. In their joint declaration, the German Bishops noted that the propagation of right-wing extremist slogans, including racism and antisemitism, is incompatible with any form of service in the church.
6. The AfD's attitude, generally categorized as volkisch nationalism, is considered incompatible with political engagement within the church, according to the German Bishops' Conference.

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