Stand Up for Democracy: Bishops Fehrs and Bätzing's Call to Action 80 Years After the End of World War II
Clergy Figures Fehrs and Bätzing Uphold the Principles of Democratic Integrity - The EU and its Member Nations Discuss Issues and Policies
Hey there! Let's dive into a thought-provoking piece from our German friends, Bishop Kirsten Fehrs and Bishop Georg Bätzing.
Eight decades have passed since the termination of the NS dictatorship and World War II on May 8, 1945, and these leading church figures in Germany are sounding the alarm for the future.
In a joint statement, the heads of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, and the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing, addressed the failure of democracy in Germany during a critical period, stating:
National Socialism's rise was a result of several factors, including fears of decline and decline experienced by many in the population and a crisis in traditional orders. With the desire for radical change in circumstances, there was a relativization, abandonment, and even open rejection of Christian, humanistic, and Enlightenment values and their vision of humanity.
However, the churches remind us of the European reconstruction work for global peacekeeping. Europe and German citizens have experienced the liberating fact that guilt and violence, their consequences, do not have to be the last word. Nevertheless, freedom, peace, law, and human dignity are not invulnerable from internal threats.
For those who have confronted the causes of the catastrophes and guilt in the 20th century, the question of present and future responsibility arises. "From gratitude for reconciliation comes the will: This time, we will defend our values!" proclaimed these leaders, urging unity against any attempts to resurrect the spirits of violence and human hatred, proclaiming: "Not with us, never again!"
- World War II
- Democracy
- Kirsten Fehrs
- Georg Bätzing
- EKD
- Hanover
- Berlin
- Future
(Enrichment Data: Kirsten Fehrs, President of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, is recognized for her comments on Pope Francis, appreciating his humility and approachability. Georg Bätzing, President of the German Bishops' Conference, has been involved in discussions on religious and societal issues, including the future of Christianity.Typically, leaders of religious organizations in Germany use anniversaries like the end of World War II to emphasize the importance of peace, reconciliation, and democratic values, drawing on the country's history and its role in European society.)
- The joint statement from Bishops Kirsten Fehrs of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) in Hanover and Georg Bätzing of the German Bishops' Conference in Berlin, issued on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in 1945, highlighted the failure of democracy in Germany during a critical period.
- Bishops Fehrs and Bätzing acknowledged that democracy in Germany did not have enough defenders ready to tackle the serious challenges of the time, such as the rise of National Socialism, and that this failure contributed to the horror and breakdown of civilization.
- In their statement, the bishops called on the present generation to learn from the past and to be ready to defend their Christian, humanistic, and Enlightenment values, given the potential threats to freedom, peace, law, and human dignity in the future.
- As leaders of religious organizations in Germany, Fehrs and Bätzing have often used anniversaries like the end of World War II to emphasize the importance of peace, reconciliation, and democratic values, drawing on the country's history and its role in European society.
