“Deafening silence of theologians” vs. creative local parishes during the Corona pandemic?

A case study of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD)

Abstract

21 million Germans belong to the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). This report will highlight initial official theological reactions of the EKD to the Corona pandemic. The Protestant Church faced widespread criticism from prominent figures for its handling of the pandemic. This papers gives an overview of the major objections and it looks at how the EKD and its representatives reacted to it. Yet this report also looks at the numerous resourceful initiatives of churches to react in creative formats to social distancing measures issued by the German Länder and/or the federal government. In sum, Covid-19 has had a huge impact on each congregation – as a community and for individual believers but also on the self-perception of the Protestant Church and its social relevance in an increasingly secularised society.