U-turn in peace policy: debate on war and peace
About three and a half years after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EKD adopted a new peace ethic at its annual conference in November 2025. Under the title "World in Disorder – Just Peace in Sight. Protestant Peace Ethics in the Face of New Challenges," it presents a remarkable chapter in the internal church and social debate on war and peace – combined with a profound reorientation of its previous peace policy positions:
- Investment in defence is necessary to protect people, rights and public order. • Arms exports should neither be rejected outright nor approved across the board; they require careful decisions on a case-by-case basis. • Victims of violence and attacks must be given help.
- In view of hybrid warfare, a broader understanding of defence is needed that goes beyond military capabilities and also includes education and prevention.
- A year of social service that explicitly includes women can strengthen the resilience of society and the responsibility of individuals for the common good.
- Nuclear weapons must remain outlawed, but their possession may be necessary as a deterrent for security policy reasons – a dilemma that cannot be completely resolved.
Against the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression, which violates international law, targeted attacks on the civilian population and German arms deliveries for Ukraine's defence, the EKD is thus committing itself to realism in security policy.
No departure from pacifist idealism
However, the new memorandum does not represent a complete departure from pacifist idealism. Among the approximately 18 million members of the EKD, there are still prominent voices protesting against the reorientation outlined in the memorandum. Critics include the EKD's peace commissioner, Regional Bishop Friedrich Kramer, the board of the Bonhoeffer-Niemöller Foundation, the Working Group for Peace and the Christian Peace Appeal Initiative.
‘We need the churches’
Ralph Tiesler, President of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, summed up his view at the ceremony marking the re-establishment of the DGAP Centre for Security and Defence on 18 November 2025: ‘We need other civil society actors to get involved in this issue. We need the trade unions, we need the churches, we need associations. Ultimately, everyone must contribute to this society developing a different mindset.’
In accordance with international law
The new EKD memorandum is in line with international law, which allows the support of defending states through arms deliveries, as well as with German law, according to which arms exports are decided on a case-by-case basis. However, it remains worrying that there are voices within the Protestant Church who already see this as militarism and an escalation of the war. Margot Käßmann, former EKD Council Chair and Regional Bishop of Hanover, and Bishop Friedrich Kramer rejected arms deliveries to Ukraine. Shortly after the invasion, Kramer emphasised in the Protestant monthly magazine Zeitzeichen that Russia was ‘not our enemy’.
Social consensus needed
At a time when Germany and its allies are facing hybrid warfare, we need a consensus across society: we are under threat. Only such a consensus can form the legitimate basis in a democracy for further measures to protect against and defend against these threats. Specifically, this involves investing in the defence budget, introducing a new military service to strengthen the armed forces and reserves, and a year of service for both genders. This turning point will only succeed if it is supported by society as a whole – including relevant institutions such as the churches.
Raise awareness of resilience and responsibility
With its new peace ethic, the Evangelical Church in Germany has taken an important step towards bringing about a turning point in social discourse. At the same time, the numerous voices of dissent within the Christian peace movement show that the dramatic security situation needs to be communicated even more clearly in order to further raise awareness of resilience and responsibility.
