A Little History of the Protestant Church in Bavaria

Rooted in Martin Luthers teachings

The Good News of the gospel spread quickly all over the Roman empire. The area of Bavaria of today was located within the borders of the Roman empire. There is evidence that since the 3rd century there were Christian congregations in the Bavarian cities of Augsburg, Kempten und Regensburg. Preaching monks wandered through the villages and helped to establish the Christian faith in many places throughout the Middle Ages. By visiting 700 years old churches we learn about the strong faith of our predecessors.

The doctrine of Martin Luther came early to Bavaria. Augsburg, Nuernberg and Coburg became important places to Martin Luther and the reformation. At that time a person could not choose his or her own denomination - it was the nobility that made the decision if a county was to be roman catholic or protestant.

30 years of war in the 17th century among protestant and catholic nobility brought death and destruction all over Europe in the 17th century.
It was common practice during the 19th century, that the head of state was also head of the protestant church in his reign. This close relationship of state and church played an important role for the protestant church during the “3rd Reich” (1933-1945).  Millions of Germans, Catholics and Protestants alike followed Adolf Hitler enthusiastically. This caused World War II. 50 million people died, most larger cities in Germany were destructed, almost all Jewish citizens in Germany were killed or flew.
After the war the Bavarian Lutheran Church took responsibility for anti-judaism in her teaching and preaching, and consequently for the death of 6 million Jews. Today many members of our church are engaged in projects of reconciliation with Jews and Jewish congregations.

Since World War II until today Bavaria is a place many Christians leaving Rumania, Hungary and Russia choose to live in.

Worships, counselling, teaching and caring for people in need are the main areas of church life. Since 1975 women are ordained as pastors. Today about 30% of all pastors are women.
In 1999 the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church signed the “Gemeinsame Erklärung zur Rechtfertigungslehre” (Common Declaration of Justification by Faith) in Augsburg.

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