Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria
| Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria | |
|---|---|
| Evangelische Kirche Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses in Österreich | |
.JPG/1280px-Wien_-_Lutherische_Stadtkirche_(1).JPG) The Lutheran Church in Vienna | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Lutheran |
| Polity | presbyteral-synodal[1] |
| Bishop | Michael Chalupka |
| Associations | Lutheran World Federation, World Council of Churches, Conference of European Churches, Community of Protestant Churches in Europe |
| Region | Austria |
| Headquarters | Vienna, Austria |
| Origin | 16th century |
| Separated from | Roman Catholic Church |
| Congregations | 191 [2] |
| Members | 265,049 (2020)[2] |
| Official website | https://evang.at/ |
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The Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria (Evangelische Kirche Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses in Österreich) is a Lutheran denomination in Austria. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, which it joined in 1947. It is also a member of the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches and the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe as well as the Conference of Churches on the Rhine.
Structure
The Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria is headed by a bishop – currently Michael Chalupka. The church consists of seven dioceses, each headed by a superintendent. These superintendencies are broadly aligned territorially with the federal states of the Republic of Austria.
| Diocese | Founded | Cathedral | Superintendent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Burgenland | 1924 | Resurrection Church (Eisenstadt) | Robert Jonischkeit (2021– ) |
| Diocese of Carinthia and East Tyrol | 1947 | Church in Stadtpark (Villach) | Manfred Sauer (2002– ) |
| Diocese of Lower Austria | 1947 | St Pölten Parish church (Sankt Pölten) | Lars Müller-Marienburg (2016– ) |
| Diocese of Upper Austria | 1783 | Martin Luther Church (Linz) | Gerold Lehner (2005– ) |
| Diocese of Salzburg and Tyrol | 1966 | Christchurch (Innsbruck) | Olivier Dantine (2012– ) |
| Diocese of Styria | 1947 | Heilandskirche (Graz) | Wolfgang Rehner (2018– ) |
| Diocese of Vienna | 1783 | Lutheran City Church (Vienna) | Matthias Geist (2018– ) |
Social issues
Since 2009, the Protestant Church in Austria has been an advocate of gay rights and endorsed the introduction of civil partnerships for same-sex couples.[3] Additionally, the church permits and supports blessing services for same-sex couples to celebrate their civil union.[4]
References
- ^ "Protestants in Austria". evang.at. Protestant Church in Austria. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ a b "Facts & Figures". evang.at. Protestant Church in Austria. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ "Resolution betreffend gleichgeschlechtlicher Partnerschaften" (PDF). evang.at. Evangelical Church in Austria. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
- ^ "Segnung von homosexuellen Paaren" (PDF). evang.at. Evangelical Church in Austria. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
External links
- Official website
- Lutheran World Federation listing
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