German Protestant Body Elects First Female Head

• E-mail
• Print
• RSS
• digg Facebook Twitter Stumble Reddit del.ico.us Buzz Share
• Text

The Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD) elected its first female head Wednesday during a meeting of the Protestant body’s council in Ulm.

Close

• 
  (Photo: ALC / File)

  Hannover Bishop Margot Kaessmann, chairperson of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, EKD, was elected during the 11th synod of the EKD in Ulm, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009.

Bishop Margot Kaessmann, 51, won the election in a landslide victory, receiving 132 out of the 142 votes cast.

“With trust in God’s help I accept the vote,” the chairman-elect commented after the votes were tallied.

Kaessmann is slated for a six-year term as the top representative of the EKD, an umbrella group representing nearly 25 million German Protestants from Lutheran, Reformed and United Churches. She previously served for 10 years as the bishop of Hanover, the largest regional church in the EKD.

With her election, Kaessman becomes the third female to take the helm of a major Christian church body, joining the ranks of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of the Episcopal Church in the United States and National Bishop Susan Johnson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

"The election sends a signal to the Church worldwide that God calls us to leadership without consideration of gender, color or descent," the Rev. Ishmael Noko, general-secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, told Ecumenical News International.

Known as an outspoken and charismatic leader, Kaessmann has already proposed a radical course of reform for the EKD, which has seen declining membership and revenue in past years. Her plans include streamlining the church’s clergy, increasing its profile and improving strained relations with the Catholic Church.

A mother of four, Kaessmann made headlines in 2007 after she divorced her husband of 26 years. Despite harsh criticism from some, Kaessmann’s divorce did not seem to play a role in the election.

Kaessmann succeeds previous EKD head 67-year-old Wolfgang Huber, who is going into retirement.

• Darwin Was Wrong, Scientists Argue

• Iran Frees Two Women Converts

• Ministry Distributes 'Origin of Species' with Intelligent Design Intro

• Pastors Test Expanded Hate Crimes Law

• U.S. Christian Leaders to Issue Call to Defend Truth

• Boys Wearing Skirts to School? What's Going On?

• Christian Blogger Raises $30K in 18 Hours

• Gay Marriage Supporters Threaten to Strip Churches of Tax Exemption 678

• Pastors Test Expanded Hate Crimes Law 326

• Darwin Was Wrong, Scientists Argue 186

• D.C. Board Rejects Ballot Initiative on Gay Marriage 170

• Ministry Distributes 'Origin of Species' with Intelligent Design Intro 51

• On Faith: Religious Belief and the Military 40

• ELCA Head Reports 'Painful Days' 37

• Living Faith Out Loud: Capturing Authentic Christians on Film in THE BLIND SIDE

• Putting Real Christians on the Screen: An Interview with THE BLIND SIDE director John Lee Hancock

• Will disapproval of homosexuality lead to jail today in Washington, DC?

• Cinema in Focus - 2012 - 3 Stars

• Hate Crimes Legislation Sign of Defeat for Christian Worldview

• Why Moses did break the tablets of stone? - Part 3

• Urban Legends in the Pulpit