Germany's Catholic Church concluded the Synodal Way over the weekend, a process addressing the abuse crisis. Reform proposals on separation of powers and gender equality faced opposition from conservative bishops. Conference chairman Georg Bätzing stressed it was not mere internal navel-gazing.
Germany's Catholic Church recently ended the Synodal Way, a dialogue between clergy and laity aimed at addressing the abuse crisis. Reformers sought proposals on separation of powers and gender equality, while conservative bishops aimed to block them. Georg Bätzing, chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, stated: "The goal was not an inner-church navel-gazing."
This process highlights the churches' waning societal influence. Church membership stands at just 45 percent of the population, affecting both Catholic and Evangelical churches alike. Politically, their clout has diminished: Until Helmut Kohl's CDU chancellorship ended in 1998, churches held veto power in relevant decisions. Today, their stances meet indifference, as shown by Union politician Steffen Bilger's early 2025 tweet: "Not surprised, not interested." This referred to church criticism of the Union's refugee policy.
The AfD sharply attacks the churches in its program for the Saxony-Anhalt state election, labeling them "church tax churches." Historically, theologians like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemöller resisted Nazism, and churches played a role in the GDR's peaceful revolution. Yet, missed reforms, especially in the Catholic Church, enabled abuse and led to the loss of millions of believers. Suppression of sexuality and clerical power are cited as causes.
Deeper forces drive the decline through Europe's secularization, seen as irreversible. Parents no longer pass faith to children, breaking traditions. Still, churches could foster social and spiritual cohesion, as the New Testament suggests: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."
