EKD Peace Workshop: New paths for a just peace!

EKD Peace Workshop: New paths for a just peace!

On July 4, 2025, the fundamentals of peacekeeping will be discussed again. A central message emerging from recent statements by the Council Chairmen of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) is the view that deterrence is not necessarily outdated. As long as this strategy serves to prevent violence, it obviously remains relevant. According to the Council President, protection against violence is a crucial aspect of a “just peace” reports the EKKW.

This position is part of an ongoing debate within the EKD, which goes back to the peace memorial of 2007. This memorandum, published at the time and written under the direction of Wolfgang Huber, stated that non-violent conflict resolution should have priority, while the use of military means as a “last resort” was considered ethically justifiable. However, the changed geopolitical framework led to the church parliament deciding in November 2022 to review the memorandum adds the EKD.

Revision of the peace memorandum

In order to adapt the memorandum to the current challenges, a peace workshop was launched. The aim is to develop a revised version of the memorandum, which will be presented at the EKD Synod in Dresden in November 2025. The 2007 memorandum was originally formulated as a response to the changing global political situation, particularly the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 notes the EKD.

In the current discussion, four central chapters of the memorandum are highlighted. These deal with the analysis of current threats to peace, the contribution of Christians to building peace, the requirements for a global peace order and Europe's political peace tasks. A central element of the memorandum is the call for prevention and non-violent conflict resolution as a central means of building peace.

Criteria for a just peace

The guiding principle of the memorandum is “just peace,” which encompasses four dimensions. These include protection against violence, the promotion of freedom, the reduction of hardship as well as the promotion of social justice and the recognition of cultural differences. The memorandum is based on an international peace order based on legal principles. Instead of “just war” it formulates criteria for “law-preserving violence” according to the EKD.

Overall, the memorandum is aimed at a broad audience, including pastors, educational institutions, interested laypeople and political decision-makers, in order to create a common basis for peace. In view of the developments described, it is clear that questions surrounding peacekeeping and the use of military means will remain central issues for the Protestant Church in the future.