North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church

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The North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church (German: Nordelbische Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche) is a Protestant church in Northern Germany, which largely covers the area of the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg where it is the most important Protestant denomination. It has 2.1 million members (as of 2006) in 595 parishes, constituting 46% of the population of its district.

It is a full member of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany, and the Lutheran World Federation (joined 1977)^[1]]. The church is also a member of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe.

History

The North Elbian Church was founded in 1977 by the merger of four former state churches:

• the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the State of Hamburg (German: Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche im Hamburgischen Staate);
• the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the State of Lübeck (German: Evangelisch-lutherische Kirche im Lübeckischen Staate);
• the Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Schleswig-Holstein; (German: Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Schleswig-Holsteins)
• the Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Eutin (German: Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Eutin), which had been split off from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg and represented the former Prince-Bishopric of Lübeck.

It is named after its location north of the River Elbe.

Prominent buildings

The most prominent church buildings are Schleswig Cathedral, Lübeck Cathedral and St. Michaelis in Hamburg.

Practices

Ordination of women and blessing of same-sex unions are allowed.^{[citation needed]}

Future

The North Elbian Church is planning to merge with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg and the Pomeranian Evangelical Church in 2012. The merged church will be called the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany.

List of bishops

Bishops of the Hamburg district (Sprengel Hamburg; 1977–2008)

The preaching venue of the bishop was the St. Michaelis Church, Hamburg.

• 1977 - 1983: Hans-Otto Wölber
• 1983 - 1992: Peter Krusche
• 1992 - 2008: Maria Jepsen^[2]

Bishops of the Holstein-Lübeck district (Sprengel Holstein-Lübeck; 1977–2008)

The preaching venue of the bishop was the Lübeck Cathedral.

• 1964 - 1981: Friedrich Hübner, until 1977 bishop of Holstein in Kiel
• 1981 - 1991: Ulrich Wilckens
• 1991 - 2001: Karl Ludwig Kohlwage
• 2001 - 2008: Bärbel Wartenberg-Potter

Bishops of the Schleswig district (Sprengel Schleswig; 1977–2008)

The preaching venue of the bishop was the Schleswig Cathedral.

• 1967 - 1978: Alfred Petersen
• 1979 - 1990: Karlheinz Stoll
• 1991 - 2008: Hans-Christian Knuth
• 2008 : Gerhard Ulrich^[1]

Bishops of the Hamburg-Lübeck district (Sprengel Hamburg-Lübeck; since 2008)

The preaching venue of the bishop is the St. Michaelis Church, Hamburg.)

• 2008 - 2010: Maria Jepsen^[2]
• 2011 - today: Kirsten Fehrs

Bishops of the Schleswig and Holstein district (Sprengel Schleswig und Holstein; since 2008)

The preaching venue of the bishop is the Schleswig Cathedral.

• 2008 - today: Gerhard Ulrich^[1]

References

External links

• North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church (English)
• Evangelical Church in Germany (English)

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