Evangelical Church of Germany Rejects Creationism

From Germany, the biggest religious news this week comes from the "Evangelical Church of Germany" (die evangelische Kirche in Deutschland or EKD). This name is the umbrella organization for the "state" churches of the Lutheran or Reformed tradition. In other words, this is the church that Martin Luther gave birth to. (This is not to be confused with the term "evangelical" as we know it in the USA by which many Pentecostals and Baptists describe themselves. )

The headlines read, "The EKD rejects creationism due of theological reasons." Essentially, they contend that any teaching of "intelligent design" is bad science. At the same time, the EKD rejected the "new atheism" which battles against the teaching of the biblical creation accounts. Since the EKD has the right to teach religion in public schools, this debate takes on more meaning.

Presiding Bishop Wolfgang Huber noted that the current debate tends to place one view above the other. However, this "is not in agreement with neiter the knowledge of natural science and theology nor with the 'Evangelical' faith."

So where does the EKD stand? For everything, yet nothing.