Weimar (epd). The Protestant theologian Margot Käßmann (64) canceled her participation in the Protestant Church Congress in Nuremberg in June. She has no plans to go to Nuremberg, the former chairwoman of the council of the Evangelical Church in Germany told the Weimar-based Central German church newspaper “Glaube+Heimat” (March 19 issue). She didn’t give any reasons.
Already at the beginning of March there was irritation about the participation of the theologian in the Church Congress. The occasion was a planned concert reading by Käßmann with the singer-songwriter Konstantin Wecker under the motto “Be indignant! – About the enduring power of pacifism”. Käßmann had told the Berlin monthly “Zeitzeichen” that the Kirchentag had rejected the concert reading, the Kirchentag had denied it and instead said there had been no official application.
When asked by the church newspaper, the Kirchentag has now confirmed Käßmann’s cancellation as a participant in one of the main panels and in a political night prayer. A church day spokeswoman said that the cancellation was made without giving a reason. The cancellation was surprising, but took place before the program was presented.
Käßmann, who was Bishop of Hanover from 1999 to 2010, says she has been taking part in the Christian lay meeting, which takes place every two years, since 1979. She does not rule out participation in the Church Congress in Hanover in 2025, she said. The 38th German Evangelical Church Congress will take place from June 7th to 11th in Nuremberg.