Protestant church must save money - fight against anti-Semitism
The Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN) is taking a stand against anti-Semitism. At its autumn synod in Frankfurt, the delegates and church leadership unanimously adopted a declaration of solidarity to standing applause, as the EKHN reported on Friday. The church parliament is still meeting until Saturday. Painful decisions on finances and savings are then pending.
The declaration states, among other things: "We do not accept that Jews can no longer feel safe in Germany. As the Protestant Church, we stand unequivocally by their side and reaffirm our solidarity with the Jewish communities and institutions." In the declaration, the Protestant Church reaffirms Israel's right to exist, while also advocating the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people.
The Hesse-Nassau church synod represents around 1.4 million Protestants in an area stretching from Biedenkopf to Mainz and Neckarsteinach. Budget discussions are on the agenda on Friday and Saturday. The EKHN anticipates expenditure of around 740 million euros in 2024 and 2025. Income from church taxes is estimated at around 540 million euros per year. So far, the deficit has been made up from reserves, "but there is no way around making savings", said Head of Finance Thorsten Hinte.
The synod of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck (EKKW) decided on Wednesday to reduce the financial allocation to Diakonie Hessen. This is to be done gradually by a total of 30 percent from 2025 to 2030. The synod of the EKHN is to decide on the bill with the same wording. The planned cuts would hurt, said church president Volker Jung on Friday, "but we have to see what work we can still do."
The Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN) is also responsible for managing its finances, with budget discussions expected during the synod. Despite the need to save money, the church continues to show support for Jewish communities, as indicated by their unanimous adoption of a solidarity declaration against anti-Semitism.
Source: www.dpa.com
