Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick

The Church of Brunswick originated as the state church (German: Landeskirche) of the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, where the Protestant Reformation was ultimately introduced in 1568. The ruling duke acted as bishop of the church. In 1704, Wolfenbüttel introduced religious tolerance, so that parishes not belonging to the state church could be founded. After the monarchy was abolished in 1918, the Church of Brunswick became an independent organization, but retained — like all former state churches — certain privileges. In 1922, the Brunswickian church counted 464,000 parishioners. == Practices ==

Ordination of women and blesssing of same-sex marriages are allowed. == Bishops ==

• 1923–1933 • 1933–1934 Wilhelm Beye (1903–1975) • 1934 Oskar Evers (1889–1961) • 1934–1947 • 1947–1965 • 1965–1982 • 1982–1994 Gerhard Müller • 1994–2002 • 2002–May 2014 • 2014-May 2026 • since May 2026 == Mission ==

The Evangelical-Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM), which was founded in 1977 as a common organisation for the Evangelical Lutheran State Churches of Brunswick, Hanover and Schaumburg-Lippe, looks after relationships with the overseas partner churches of the Brunswick State Church. The headquarters of the ELM is in Hermannsburg in the Südheide. Since 2003, Pastor Martina Helmer-Pham Xuan has been the director of the mission. ==Notes==