The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) is set to digitally resume its interrupted Synod meeting in Ulm, originally halted due to Deutsche Bahn's announced warning strike, on Tuesday at 4 p.m. During the conference, the former Chair of the EKD Council, Annette Kurschus, faced criticism for allegedly knowing of sexual assault against a church employee years ago, as reported in a newspaper.
Kurschus vehemently denies the accusations but chose to step down as EKD Council Chairwoman and President of the Regional Church of Westphalia on November 20. This move was intended to spare those affected further distress from headlines related to her ongoing involvement in the role. The President of the Synod, Anna-Nicole Heinrich, and the acting EKD chairwoman Kirsten Fehrs are expected to comment on Kurschus's resignation during the digital continuation of the meeting.
The EKD is a communion of 20 Lutheran, Reformed, and united regional churches, with 19.2 million Protestant Christians within its 12,700 church congregations in Germany.
While researching relevant enrichment data, it was found that Annette Kurschus has been involved in various church-related activities beyond the allegations brought against her. For instance, she collaborated with Cardinal Marx on a joint Christmas Eve message condemning war and violence while acknowledging Ukraine's right to defend itself against Russian aggression in 2022. Moreover, the EKD has been actively addressing the issue of sexual misconduct within the church, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability.
In a related context, Germany's Lower Saxony region has been grappling with a german railroad employee on trial for sexual assault. The regional Church of Lower Saxony issued a warning that similar incidents could occur within their Church, prompting heightened vigilance and protection for church members. Currently, representatives from Baden-Württemberg and other German regions are discussing ways to improve church policies on sexual misconduct in an effort to prevent such incidents in the future.
