Ecumenism in Graz: Church representatives advocate together together

Ecumenism in Graz: Church representatives advocate together together

On December 7, 2024, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Austria took place in the Graz minority hall, to which Catholic Bishop Wilhelm Krautwaschl had invited. The leaders of the Christian churches met in Styria with delegates in order to appreciate the long -term and successfully functioning ecumenism. Krautwaschl emphasized that a common path is "possible from each other to each other to the coexistence", despite all the differences. He pointed out the essential role of the churches, which took care of the preservation of Free Society in the middle of political upheavals, as the report of the Evangelical Press Service EPD documents.

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The synod also praised the long tradition of ecumenism in Styria, whose roots go back to the 19th century when the writer Peter Rosegger founded a denominational family. Michael Chalupka, Lutheran bishop, mentioned an "ecumenical Styrian climate", which was shaped by previous personalities such as Bishop Johann Weber, who died in 2020 and the former superintendent Dieter Bang. This tradition is still evident in the current solidarity of Krautwaschls, especially for Good Friday, for which a resolution was required. The Graz cathedral and other historical churches in Graz, such as the Antonius Church or the Trinity Church, are witnesses of this extensive church heritage.

Before reception in the minority hall, the Styrian Landtag President Manuela Khom in the Graz country house emphasized the urgency to take responsibility for people together. This interaction of politics and church is crucial to address social challenges. The event in the country house, a historical place that has a long history of the Evangelical Community in the region, showed how important the "sustainable coexistence" is today. These valuable public appearances and dialogues between the different denominations are not only historically significant, but also a sign of constant engagement for a common, peaceful coexistence.