Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony
Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens
TypeLandeskirche, member of the Protestant Church in Germany
ClassificationProtestant
LandesbischofHans-Peter Vollbach
Associations
Region14.900 km² in Saxony
HeadquartersDresden
Congregations319
Members610.503
17,4% of total population (2020)
Official websitehttps://www.evlks.de/

The Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony (Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens) is one of 20 member Churches of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), covering most of the state of Saxony. Its headquarters are in Dresden, and the seat of the bishop (styled Bishop of Saxony)[1] is at Meissen Cathedral. Prior to the propagation of state atheism in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), it was the largest Evangelical Lutheran church in Germany.[2]

The church has 610,503 parishioners in 319 parishes (as of December 31, 2022).[3]

History

Historically, the church's organisation became an example for other Protestant churches to be founded throughout Europe, the so-called "Saxon model" of a church as introduced by Martin Luther. It was closely tied to the state, whereby the Elector of Saxony protected the evangelical faith in his jurisdiction. Since the Reformation, the Lutheran orthodoxy (the "purest form" of Lutheranism) prevailed among the general population in Saxony and was secured first by its Ernestine and later Albertine Wettin rulers. Beginning in the 17th century, Pietism also gained a significant following, especially among the working class.

In 2019, Carsten Rentzing, bishop of the church since 2015, resigned his position after controversy arose about his connections to far-right parties and groups.[4]

Bishops

  • 1922–1933: Ludwig Heinrich Ihmels
  • 1933–1945: Friedrich Otto Coch
  • 1945–1947: Franz Lau
  • 1947–1953: Hugo Hahn
  • 1953–1971: Gottfried Noth
  • 1971–1994: Johannes Hempel
  • 1994–2004: Volker Kreß
  • 2004–2015: Jochen Bohl
  • 2015–2019: Carsten Rentzing

Parishioners

  • 1922: 4,509,000,[5] the largest Lutheran church in Germany at that time
  • 2012: 764,000
  • 2013: 754,451[6]
  • 2015: 713,648[7]
  • 2017: 689,858[8]
  • 2018: 677,064[9]
  • 2019: 663,525[10]
  • 2020: 647,238[11]

Practices

Ordination of women and blessing of same-sex unions were allowed.[12]

Notes

  1. ↑ The Bishop's title on his/her own home page Archived 2016-12-20 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ Sebastian Müller-Rolli in collaboration with Reiner Anselm: Evangelische Schulpolitik in Deutschland 1918–1958: Dokumente und Darstellung (Eine Veröffentlichung des Comenius-Instituts Münster). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1999, ISBN 3-525-61362-8, S. 29.
  3. ↑ "Statistik: Fakten und Zahlen". Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens. Archived from the original on 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  4. ↑ Greifenstein, Philipp (12 October 2019). "Carsten Rentzing: Warum der Bischof zurücktritt". Die Eule (in German). Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  5. ↑ Sebastian Müller-Rolli in collaboration with Reiner Anselm, Evangelische Schulpolitik in Deutschland 1918–1958: Dokumente und Darstellung, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1999, (=Eine Veröffentlichung des Comenius-Instituts Münster), p. 29. ISBN 3-525-61362-8.
  6. ↑ The Lutheran World Federation – 2013 Membership Figures Archived 2014-04-07 at the Wayback Machine Lutheran World
  7. ↑ Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland - Kirchemitgliederzahlen Stand 31.12.2015 Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine EKD Januar 2017
  8. ↑ Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland - Kirchemitgliederzahlen Stand 31.12.2017 Archived 2019-01-13 at the Wayback Machine ekd.de
  9. ↑ Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland – Kirchemitgliederzahlen Stand 31. Dezember 2018 Archived 2020-02-19 at the Wayback Machine EKD, January 2020
  10. ↑ Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland – Kirchemitgliederzahlen Stand 31. Dezember 2019 Archived 2020-12-07 at the Wayback Machine EKD, October 2020
  11. ↑ Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland – Kirchemitgliederzahlen Stand 31. Dezember 2020 Archived 2021-12-21 at the Wayback Machine EKD, November 2021
  12. ↑ Evlks.de:„Segnung von Paaren in Eingetragener Lebenspartnerschaft“ in Sachsen möglich (German) Archived 2016-10-19 at the Wayback Machine, 18 October 2016

51°09′58″N 13°28′17″E / 51.16611°N 13.47139°E / 51.16611; 13.47139


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