A living community

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick is part of a Germany-wide and global community of churches. Many of these church alliances were formed in 1948 after the Second World War. At a time when there was a growing desire for community, unity and reliable cooperation.

In Germany the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick belongs to the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) based in Hanover. Bavaria, Hanover, Mecklenburg, Nordelbien, Saxony, Schaumburg-Lippe and Thuringia are also members. The aim of this alliance in 1948 was to strengthen the joint action by these churches on the basis of a shared confession.

Together with what are known as the United churches - which came into existence in the former Prussian countries - and the Reformed churches - which were shaped by the Swiss reformation (Zwingli and Calvin) - the Lutheran churches form the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD). They represent almost 23 million Protestant Christians in approximately 14,000 parishes in the east and west.

The decision-making bodies of the EKD are the synod, the council and the church conference. The synod, the church parliament, is the legislative decision-making body.