Abstract
In 2024, the synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg/Germany adopted a document describing its understanding of mission, entitled “Mission verstehen und als Kirche leben.” The document can be read as a description of the current situation of the Protestant church in south-west Germany, a region with a long Christian tradition. It shows the present conflict between liberal and conservative theologies in the Württemberg Church. Beginning with some historical background, this article examines the document from a missiological perspective comparing the current document with a previous one from 1975. It concludes with critical questions from a missiological perspective.
How do we think about mission in the twenty-first century? This question does not only concern theologians and mission scholars. At the grassroots level, churches in Europe with a long tradition of sending missionaries to the ends of the earth also need to find their place in a changing world. Mission needs to be rethought, especially by the “old” churches, to remain vital in their ministries or to regain spiritual power in the secularizing atmosphere of post-modern Europe.
In June 2024, the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg adopted a paper on the church’s understanding of mission. Its translated title is “Understanding Mission and Living as Church - Aspects of the Current Discussion.” 1 As one of the most recent documents on mission from a church with a Pietist tradition in the southern part of Germany, it witnesses to current missionary and ecclesiological trends in Germany and is thus worthy of attention. The last comparable document of the Württemberg Church was published in 1975: “A word to the churches about Mission and Ecumenism.” 2 This essay offers a critical engagement with the document from the perspective of mission theology.
Beginning with an overview of the Württemberg regional church, this paper discusses the four main aspects of mission thinking in the Württemberg Church’s document: “We understand mission as worldwide, respectful, holistic and in solidarity.” 3 The study concludes with an evaluation and some critical questions developed through a comparison with the previous document from fifty years ago.
The Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Württemberg (Evangelische Landeskirche Württemberg)
Württemberg is one of the two main parts of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, whose capital is Stuttgart. In the past, this was a region strongly influenced by the Protestant Church, especially the Pietist movement. 4 Württemberg experienced several waves of revival, mainly through the ministry of Pietist pastors such as Johann Albrecht Bengel (1687-1752), Ludwig Hofacker (1798-1828), and Johann Christoph Blumhardt (1805-1880). The common characteristic of the ministry of these formative figures was their Christ-centered preaching.
The Church of Württemberg is geographically located on the territory of the former Kingdom of Württemberg, one of the smaller states of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation. After the Reformation, Württemberg was one of the states in which the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches shared territory. The Protestant Church of Württemberg had been the state church. This situation changed after the First World War, when William II of Württemberg, the head of the church, was forced to resign in 1918. A church constitution came into force in 1924. During the Nazi regime, the Württemberg Protestant Church remained intact, resisting incorporation into the German Reichskirche. 5 Nevertheless, tensions and compromises during the Nazi regime led the church to issue the “Stuttgart Confession of Guilt” in October 1945.
The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg is part of the EKD (Evangelical Church in Germany), the umbrella organization of all German Protestant state churches. 6 Lutheran theology has characterized the Württemberg Church since the time of the Reformation. According to the church’s website, currently around 1.8 million members belong to its 1,200 parishes. 7 The Church of Württemberg receives church tax from its members, which is used to fund pastors, buildings, diaconal services and other specific ministries. In Württemberg, the Church is also responsible for religious education in public schools. With a presence in almost every village, town and city, the Württemberg Church is undoubtedly one of the most influential institutions in the south-west of Germany. For centuries, it has played a significant role in the lives of the people, providing support and guidance from the cradle to the grave.
However, the Württemberg Church is experiencing a decline in membership and societal relevance. On one hand, the number of Muslims has significantly increased, mainly due to immigration since the 1970s. On the other, there is a break with the Christian tradition in Württemberg among the people, a tradition that has shaped both the church and society for centuries. In the German context, it is important to understand that it does not proceed from membership in a German regional church that one is a regular churchgoer or even a committed Christian. That is to say, membership in either the Roman Catholic or the Protestant church was considered normal. However, this long-standing status quo has undergone rapid changes: today it is increasingly common not to be a church member and those who opt to retain the membership they received through infant baptism need clear reasons for this choice. The question is how the church will respond to this new situation.
The church’s legislative body is the synod, which consists of 91 members, both pastors and lay people, elected for a period of six years. They meet three times a year for a few days at the church’s headquarters in Stuttgart. Each representative belongs to a faction or party, a so-called Gesprächskreis (discussion group), which reflects the theological and ecclesiological perspective of its members. In the 2024 synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Württemberg, there are four factions, and thus four different theological and ecclesiological viewpoints. The largest, with 32 seats, is Lebendige Gemeinde (Living Church), which focuses on a Christ-centered ministry based on a conservative interpretation of Scripture. The Lebendige Gemeinde wants to continue in the Pietist tradition of the church, with preaching that leads people to repentance and the renewal of the whole person through Jesus Christ.
The second largest group is Offene Kirche (Open Church) with 31 representatives. Offene Kirche fights for same-sex marriages and for respectful dialogue with other religions, based on a scientific and historical-critical interpretation of the Bible. It engages in political activities such as peace work, supports the LGBTQ movement and emphasizes a clear stance against antisemitism and racism. These two dominant factions have left their mark on the church’s mission document, giving it, in light of their diametrically opposed theological positions, an intrinsic tension.
The two remaining factions are rather small. Evangelium und Kirche (Gospel and Church) is the third largest group with 15 seats. They aim to be a group for the whole church, preferring balanced theological judgements to extreme positions. The fourth group is called Kirche für Morgen (Church for Tomorrow) and occupies 12 seats. They see themselves as a progressive group, actively promoting a reform in worship style and theological positions within the church. 8
The diversity of the synod is crucial for the following discussion on the document on the Church’s understanding of mission. Although it might sound stereotypical, two “camps” can be observed in the synod: the conservative (Lebendige Gemeinde) and the liberal (Offene Kirche), a dynamic that explains why it took the working group of the synod four years to agree on such a hotly debated topic as the understanding and practice of mission. The working group consulted experts from various mission organizations as well as members from the Württembergischer Arbeitskreis für Weltmission, a group of practitioners that wants to further world mission in the church. Seforosa Carroll from the Fiji Islands who leads the program “Mission from the Margins” in the World Council of Churches became an advisor from an indigenized and Pacific perspective from the Global South. 9
“Understanding Mission and Living as Church”: The Document
The document is divided into five main parts: an introduction followed by a discussion of the four aspects of mission mentioned above (worldwide, respectful, holistic and in solidarity).
The introduction gives a rather pessimistic explanation of the current situation, stating that “The numbers of members in the established churches in Germany and Europe are declining.” 10 It is an undeniable fact that in 2022, the sum of church members in both the Roman Catholic and Protestant state church fell below 50% of the total German population. 11 This illustrates the current trend of secularization in the land of the Reformation. While the document recognizes that the number of Christian migrants is increasing, these migrants, rather than finding their way into the churches, form their own Christian communities instead. 12 The church, the introduction explains, struggles to “attract new members and open itself to people from different backgrounds or languages.” 13
The document continues with some theological statements on mission as the essential task of the church. There is a reflection on the concept of missio Dei: God turning to humanity in creation through the sending of the Son and the work of the Spirit in the world.
Mission is always God’s mission. God’s work always goes ahead of human work. The church participates in this movement. She participates in the missio dei (John 20, 21) and thus, is part of God’s turning towards the world.
14
This concludes the theological foundation of the document.
The introduction continues with what could be understood as an apology. It claims that many people today have negative associations with the word “mission,” which conjures colonial structures, racism, exploitation, and asymmetrical power relations. According to the authors, these critical questions led them to rethink their understanding of mission. 15
Two other features of the introduction are worth noting. First, the authors state that their reflections are based on an ecumenical document called “Mission Respekt” published in 2011. 16 In “Mission Respekt”, 12 principles for Christian witness are stated to comprise common ground in an ecumenical fellowship of the World Council of Churches, the World Evangelical Alliance, and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. 17
Second, the introduction ends with a call to partnership. Mission, according to the paper, is not a one-way street, but takes place in a “mutual collaboration and therefore everywhere.” 18 Here the document is in line with current trends in global mission, as evidenced by the name of the most recent Lausanne Movement Congress in Seoul in September 2024: “Let the Church Together Proclaim and Display Christ.” 19 In the same spirit, the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Württemberg sees itself working together with others in partnership and on eye-level. What the authors mean by this is explained in the document using the four aspects of mission as worldwide, respectful, holistic and in solidarity.
Mission: Worldwide
A short passage explains that the church in Württemberg knows no ethnic or geographical boundaries but has a long tradition of world mission in other countries beyond Germany. The passage emphasizes the connection of the local church with projects around the world. The paper sees this connection of the church (debatably, the Württemberg Church) with the worldwide church of Jesus Christ as a field of learning and expansion or its faith. Partnership is taken for granted. 20
The focus of this part of the document is clearly geographical. To say that there are no boundaries is to be understood in the sense that no people in the world is excluded. One might ask, however, whether there are other boundaries that are not mentioned. In the following passage, while the document speaks of a respectful encounter with other religious convictions, it remains silent on whether members of other religious traditions should be invited to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Should members of other religions be reached with the gospel? The document suggests that mission is limited to intercultural partnership between churches from different cultural backgrounds. Whether or not this understanding of mission is too narrow is subject to criticism. Mission involves the invitation of grace to all people. 21 This is particularly important for churches that are in a minority situation. However, for Christians who live among adherents of other religions, the document simply advises them to be respectful.
Mission: Respectful
“Understanding Mission” encourages the mission of the church to include a respectful encounter, such that “Other religious beliefs are respected.” 22 It even goes a step further, challenging the reader to test one’s own self-understanding and truth claims. This, according to the authors, is to enforce equal structures for dialogue in which both parties give and receive, and to reduce power imbalances. 23
Dialogue plays a crucial role in the document. But how can true dialogue take place when one must constantly put one’s truth claims to the test? Having a conviction does not mean that one cannot engage respectfully with others. Without conviction about the enduring matters of life and death, the question is how to dialogue with other religions. Meeting each other as equals is a matter of etiquette and manners, not of constantly asking oneself whether one’s convictions are true or not. The German mission theologian Henning Wrogemann argues that Christians who hold fast to the New Testament witness of Jesus Christ are even more interesting to followers of other faiths. 24
The document does indeed call for a critical examination of the colonial past and the further decolonization of false structures. But the church ceases to be church when it ceases to uphold the New Testament truth claims of Jesus Christ and its religious convictions to maintain harmony and mutual understanding. However, a respectful way of sharing the Gospel, especially with the adherents of other faiths, is vital. Here it is worth listening to a statement about the relationship between dialogue and mission from the 1975 document: “Mission does not happen without dialogue, but dialogue does not replace mission.” 25
The passage goes on to describe the authors’ understanding of partnership with churches, both local and international, in Württemberg. They see themselves as a “learning community” (Lerngemeinschaft) that includes mission in the context of the local church. Remarkably, the document continues to assert that the mission of the church is to inspire faith, especially among young people. This is the first expression in the document that hints at the importance of evangelization. In the same line, however, it is stated that this is done through international exchange programs. 26 One may question the Württemberg Church for this statement: Do the authors of the document regard international exchange programs as instruments to educate their young people? Educating for what? “Understanding Mission” is silent about these questions. What is the goal of international exchange programs? While churches in the majority world ask for “people who experience the power of Christ in their weakness [to] become a powerful witness to others” as their partners, 27 surely, they want partners who are willing to learn, but also contribute by being witnesses of the Gospel. Partnership is about give and take.
The discussion of the next aspect of mission begins with theological statements.
Mission: Holistic
This short passage 28 focuses on mission as God’s activity, “showing God’s loving care for all of his creation and the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed, and to profess one’s own faith.” 29 The authors, furthermore, explain that this “good news” contains God’s saving and liberating power through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, which is “the life-changing power that works in the world and opens the horizon of eternity.” 30 In this way, the document takes a fresh look at the soteriological significance of the life of the historical Jesus of Nazareth. Witnessing to the “good news” takes place in a holistic way, involving the whole person in all aspects of life. Therefore, mission is said to take place through evangelism as well as through counseling, education, medical care, and social service. 31 This holistic view of mission also has a political dimension in advocacy for the disenfranchised, alongside a commitment to peace, justice, and the care of creation. Holistic therefore means that mission must address all the needs of the world: the spiritual as well as the physical.
This holistic approach in the mission document of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg is similar to the document “Together for Life” by the World Council of Churches from 2012. Paragraph 4 states: God did not send the Son for the salvation of humanity alone or give us a partial salvation. Rather, the gospel is the good news for every part of creation and every aspect of our life and society. It is therefore vital to recognize God’s mission in a cosmic sense and to affirm all life, the whole oikoumene, as being interconnected in God’s web of life. As threats to the future of our planet are evident, what are their implications for our participation in God’s mission?
32
Unlike these documents, the Lausanne Covenant makes a clear distinction between evangelism and social action. It points out that there is a big difference between reconciliation among people and reconciliation with God: Although reconciliation with other people is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nor is political liberation salvation, nevertheless we affirm that evangelism and socio-political involvement are both part of our Christian duty.
33
If the church does not address basic physical needs, then the spiritual part will not be heard. No doubt, people with empty bellies would rather not listen to sermons on matters of eternal life. But there is a certain urgency to evangelization, to spreading the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. This is also what distinguishes the church from all other religious and secular institutions. 34 Other religions are also involved in social welfare, but sharing the hope and love of God through Jesus Christ is limited to the ministry of the church. Here, it is important to listen to the voice of churches which are in the minority. After the tsunami in 2011, Buddhist, Shintoist and secular agents were very active in disaster relief work. But what distinguishes the church from the others is, that the church can speak the word of salvation, as one pastor active in disaster relief ministries pointed out, it is Christ’s “coming close to humans as the foundation of salvation.” 35 Similar statements can be made about the final aspect of the document, which treats the issue of solidarity in mission.
Mission: In solidarity
In the final paragraph, the document points out that mission includes giving a voice to those who are disadvantaged, discriminated against, and marginalized in society. 36 A change of perspective is needed, the document says, so that those on the margins of society are recognized and taken seriously. Moreover, they should see themselves as missionaries with gifts and talents. In this way, one will be surprised, because God will meet people in places where they do not expect him. The document concludes: “We are committed to an equal community of all people.” 37 The church is not about itself, but about the arrival of God’s kingdom and the accomplishment of God’s will (Matthew 6:10).” 38
The Württemberg Church therefore sees mission as a means to create a just society. The ultimate goal of the church’s mission is not church growth or gaining new members, it is the righteous renewal of society. Participation in God’s mission aims to bring about the kingdom of God. It is worth noting that the authors refer to a request from the Lord’s Prayer. This could be seen as a contradiction, in that while they emphasize human commitment and involvement in the coming of the kingdom, they use a reference to prayer to support this. In other words, the document seems to overestimate the power of the church. The late British missiologist Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998) writes of this self-misunderstanding of the church as the agent of the truth and righteousness of the kingdom as “an ancient temptation to identify the church with the kingdom of God.” 39 A focus on the kingdom of God creates an important framework for understanding mission: it corrects individualistic mistakes and misunderstandings, as if getting individual souls to heaven were the only goal of mission. A theology of the kingdom also calls the church to live out what it might look like when Jesus reigns. In doing so, the church can only be “a sign, instrument, and foretaste of this sovereignty of the true and living God.” 40
In addition, to overestimate the power of the Church is to underestimate the sinfulness of all human beings. Those on the margins are as sinful as those in the powerful center of societies. No social order, however just, can ever remove the radical sinfulness of the human heart. This human condition was revealed on the cross of Jesus Christ. Therefore, “an equal community of all people” without the reign of Christ may be judged as mere illusion. 41
The document “Understanding Mission - Living as Church” reflects the current situation of the synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg and thus one of the major Protestant churches in Germany. While there are still conservative forces that argue for a focus on evangelism, there are groups inside the church who may be criticized for regarding mission as basically a social enterprise. The question is whether this document can overcome this existing conflict inside the church. Moreover, it is easy to see the handwriting of the more conservative Lebendige Gemeinde as well as the liberal Offene Kirche. There are passages that emphasize the need to witness to the good news of God’s saving power as seen in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, 42 which, traditionally, is a fundamental concern of the Württemberg Pietism in which Lebendige Gemeinde has its roots. On the other hand, the call for the decolonization of power structures and the creation of a just society as goals of mission can be traced back to the goals of Offene Kirche. In conclusion, the document can be seen as a compromise between these two strongest groups of the synod. Looking at the current situation of society in Germany and the great challenges of the German church, one can critically ask whether a compromise like this document is helpful in responding to the current challenges of the church in Germany.
After this reflection on the four aspects of mission, this study continues with some critical questions about what remains unanswered. The questions are developed from a comparison between the current “Understanding Mission” and the mission document of the Protestant church in Württemberg from 1975. 43 This is not to underscore a sense of nostalgia, but to highlight the current trends described above.
Some Critical Questions from the Perspective of Missiology
A closer look reveals that the document omits some important theological issues that are clearly developed in the document from 1975. This may be because the document itself is the result of the compromise mentioned above. The answers to the following questions may be too controversial for the two parties of the Lebendige Gemeinde and the Offene Kirche.
What is Christ’s role in mission?
Though God’s love is without barriers, at the same time there is a clear particularity as it can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ. Reading the document, one notices that the paper speaks of the saving role of Jesus Christ with reference to John 3:16, but without quoting the passage. Jesus Christ is seen as the savior who “opens the horizon of eternity.”
44
But what does this mean? The context implies that Jesus can be regarded as one savior among others. Here, the document from 1975 is clear: There is no revelation of salvation outside of Jesus Christ. Adherents of other religions may impress us deeply through their faith and live, but they cannot tell us the word of salvation. Thus, we must not cease to witness God`s salvation in Jesus Christ to them.
45
This unique position that Jesus Christ holds according to the New Testament is not found in the document from 2024. According to the document, God turns to his creation: the definition of mission. But if all creation experiences the same saving power, this implies a universalism in which Jesus Christ is one savior among others, contrary to what the New Testament states: that Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-4). “Understanding Mission” then speaks of a “life-changing power at work in the world.” 46 While this phrase may refer to the “good news,” it would not be clear even to a native German speaker. To compromise on the uniqueness of Jesus Christ is to leave the ground of New Testament theology.
Why is there no mention about conversion or invitation to faith?
Without an emphasis on the unique position of Jesus Christ in God’s plan of salvation, it is not surprising that the document lacks a single explicit reference to conversion. Even though the term “conversion” is not used, the document from 1975 states: “Christians are bound by the Great Commission to lead people to faith in Jesus Christ.” 47 “Understanding Mission,” however, says, “It is the task of mission to inspire young people for faith.” 48 This is a vague expression that can be understood in a variety of ways. Contrary to “Understanding Mission - Living as Church,” the document “Mission Respekt” explicitly mentions the missionary aspect of conversion. It argues that while it is the responsibility of the church to witness to the gospel, it is the Holy Spirit at work in people experiencing conversion. 49 It seems that the authors of “Understanding Mission” were afraid of imposing a negative form of Christianity on non-believers; an example is how the document calls on the church to “decolonize” rather than to evangelize. One could understand that the authors try to avoid the term “conversion” (or Bekehrung in German) because of its historical negative connotations and experiences. However, it is noticeable that they also do not write about the fact that people are invited to a new life with their Creator through the power of Jesus Christ. From the perspective of the New Testament, conversion to faith in Jesus Christ is the best thing a person can ever experience. In Luke’s Gospel, especially in the parables of chapter 15, conversion is associated with joy.
The two previous questions have highlighted some aspects that can be excused because of existing theological differences among the several authors of the document. Still, the last question refers to an issue that runs through the whole document.
What is understood using the term “mission”?
The Scottish Anglican Bishop Stephen Neill (1900-1984) famously wrote, “If everything is mission, then nothing is mission.” 50 Unlike its predecessor from 1975, “Understanding Mission - Living as Church” does not provide a clear definition of what mission is. The 1975 document states the clear goal of mission: “Mission wants people to come to faith in Jesus Christ, to have fellowship with him, and to be members in his body.” 51 That is to say, everything else must submit to this goal. There are several sentences that begin with “Mission means. . .”, “Mission involves. . .” or “Mission happens through. . .”. And yet, these statements leave the reader wondering what mission is not and where the boundaries are. For example, if any form of dialogue with followers of other religious traditions can be considered mission, then even interreligious worship can be considered mission. What would this mean to a minority church in Islamic countries such as Pakistan where Christians face severe persecution?
The document is clear on the theological concept of mission as missio Dei. On the other hand, from a church facing so many social, theological and financial challenges, one would expect a mission statement to respond to the ongoing decline. Germany, like most parts of Western Europe, is facing increasing secularization, yet one traditional Christian institution, the Württemberg Church, seems to be more concerned about the negative connotations of the term “mission” than about how to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ.
How can we think about mission in 21st century Europe? The mission document of the church in Württemberg speaks about partnership and learning communities with other churches. It would indeed be important for the Württemberg Church to learn from growing churches worldwide, as well as from churches in a minority situation. Ideally, the passages in “Understanding Mission” that emphasize the importance of evangelization and sharing the good news will have some influence in the ministry of the church. It is to be hoped that the Holy Spirit will then bring about new awakenings and expressions such that the church in Württemberg will reach out and continue to fulfill its missionary mandate as it has been doing for five centuries since the Reformation.
Footnotes
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Declaration of conflicting interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.