Protestant church: Fehrs wants to restore trust
Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, acting Chair of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), wants to regain lost trust when it comes to dealing with and preventing sexualized violence. "Initially, it can only be about restoring lost trust," the Bishop of Hamburg and Lübeck told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper (Wednesday). "This will require many discussions." With the results of the independent so-called Forum Study announced for January, the EKD will certainly be shown many structural problems that still need to be addressed. "We still have a long way to go."
One thing is clear: "We will consistently continue on the path of coming to terms with sexualized violence in the church and diaconia," Fehrs told the newspaper. "We will continue to ensure that the people affected are systematically involved in the decision-making process." Fehrs explained that, in accordance with the statutes, she will take on the role of acting Council Chairperson until the next Synod in 2024, when a new Chairperson will be officially elected.
Accusations against the predecessor
Fehrs took over the office on an interim basis following the resignation of Annette Kurschus. Fehrs is a member of the EKD's Sexualized Violence Participation Forum. Those affected in this committee had recently distanced themselves from Kurschus.
Kurschus had resigned both as Chair of the EKD Council and as President of the Regional Church of Westphalia. Prior to this, the pressure on the theologian had grown enormously. Accusations had been made against her that she had known many years ago of suspected sexually abusive behavior by a former church employee. The EKD Council Chairwoman represents around 19.2 million Protestant Christians in Germany.
In response to past accusations, the EKD, led by Acting Chair Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, is committed to addressing structural issues surrounding sexualized violence within the church and diaconia. The results of the independent Forum Study, set to be announced in January, are expected to reveal numerous areas for improvement.
Even with Fehrs leading the EKD on an interim basis following Annette Kurschus' resignation, the church will continue to prioritize involving those affected by sexualized violence in decision-making processes. Kurschus left her roles as EKD Council Chair and President of the Regional Church of Westphalia due to accusations that she had knowledge of sexually abusive behavior by a former church employee.
Source: www.dpa.com
