Berlin and Brandenburg: Reconstructing Divisions - Members are decreasing in the Protestant church.
The Protestant church in Berlin and Brandenburg is experiencing a decrease in membership. As of December 31st, 2023, the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO) had a total of 804,487 members, a decrease of nearly 30,000 or 3.5%. Their announcement came on Thursday.
The number of Protestants in Berlin dropped by about 18,000 to 468,925. In Brandenburg, the number of members decreased by around 11,000 to 306,046. This total also includes congregations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt. The parish of Görlitz in Saxony, another part of the EKBO, experienced a decline of 300 members, now standing at 29,516.
18,452 individuals departed the EKBO in the prior year, with 12,593 leaving in Berlin and 5526 bidding farewell in Brandenburg. This figure remained consistent with 2022's numbers, but there were 595 new members and 4968 baptisms (+360).
The church attributed this membership decline to economic problems brought on by crises and inflation, demographic shifts, and a general social reluctance to commit to institutions and organizations. "Most significantly, faith is becoming less important in people's lives," said Bishop Christian Stäblein. Therefore, it becomes crucial for the church to emphasize the significance of faith in both a social and individual context.
EKBO Press Release
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Source: www.stern.de
