Community of Protestant Churches in Europe
The Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE ) (English: "Community of Protestant Churches in Europe" ( CPCE ), French: " Communion d' Eglises protest antes en Europe " (CEPE ) ) is a fellowship of churches, almost all Lutheran, reformed and Methodist churches of Europe including.
The member churches have committed themselves in 1973 in Leuenberg near Basel with the Leuenberg to mutual pulpit and altar fellowship. The name of the church community was therefore initially Leuenberger church community. At their meeting in late October / early November 2003, the community changed its name accordingly.
Basis and target
The Agreement of Reformation Churches in Europe, short Leuenberger Agreement, is the founding document of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe, formerly Leuenberger church community. It came after talks between the Church's teaching in 1973 at the Swiss conference center Leuenberg in Hölstein near Basel. She ended the schism between the Reformed and the Lutheran churches and church turned community among the evangelical churches in the Lutheran and Reformed character in Europe fro.
In the Leuenberg the participating Lutheran, Reformed, United and pre-Reformation churches found a principle common understanding of baptism, communion, and gospel, and declared the mutual condemnations of the Reformation no longer than it is today applicable. They recognize the ordinations at each other, declare pulpit and altar fellowship and commit themselves to the achievement of the Church community in witness and service.
The Methodist churches in Europe occurred in 1997 based on a " Joint Declaration on the Church community" at. The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church is the Agreement of Reformation Churches in Europe did not join because of their perception just the Lutheran doctrine was abandoned by the Holy Supper. Criticism also came from Lutheran theologians within the country's churches, as the dogmatists Ernst Sommerlath and Jörg Baur. Also, most evangelical free churches such as the Adventists, Baptists, and the resulting during the Reformation Mennonites who practice believer's baptism, are not involved. Between 2002 and 2004, however, a number of official consultations between the European Baptist Federation and the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe took place. 2010, a cooperation agreement was signed. Appropriate consultations with Mennonites or Adventists did not take place.
In ongoing doctrinal discussions theological and treated questions of faith and Reformed positions on spiritual and social challenges are formulated. The results of these doctrinal discussions are published in the book series Leuenberger texts and can be downloaded from the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe website.
Similarly, the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe maintains ecumenical contacts with the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the Anglican Communion and the European Baptist Federation.
Since 2001, the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe is trying to combine the positions of their member churches to socio-political issues and engage in dialogue with the European institutions. This work is done in close cooperation with the Conference of European Churches.
Seat of the CPCE is since 2007 the Church Office of the Evangelical Church in Austria in Vienna. Executive President is the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick Frederick Weber, General Secretary of the Lutheran bishop of the Evangelical Church in Austria Michael Bünker.
Member churches
To date include 105 churches from virtually all countries of Europe to the community, including:
- The German state churches
- The Swiss Evangelical Reformed Churches
- The Eastern Catholic Protestant Church in Belgium
- The Protestant Church in the Netherlands
- The Alliance of Protestant Churches in Luxembourg
- The Remonstrantse Broederschap
- The Reformed and Lutheran churches of France and Alsace -Lorraine
- The Protestant churches in Romania
- The Czechoslovak Hussite Church
- The Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
- The Church of Scotland
- The Presbyterian churches in Ireland and Wales
- Chiesa Evangelica Valdese the ( Waldenses ) in Italy
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy
- The United Methodist Church (European part )
- The Methodist churches in the UK ( Methodist Church of Great Britain ) and Ireland
- The Church of Norway
- The Danish People's Church
- The Moravian Church in Europe ( British, European- continental and the Czech province of the Brethren )
The following churches participate in the work of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe without having to have the Leuenberger Agreement signed
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
- Church of Sweden
- The Icelandic State Church