| Ambit of the Church of Lippe among the ambits of other Protestant regional churches in Germany | |
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| Basic data | |
| Ambit area: | 1,157.74 km2 (447.01 sq mi) |
| Spiritual leader: | Landessuperintendent Dietmar Arends |
| Memberships: | RB (as of 1884), EKD (as of 1945), UEK (as of 2004), WCRC (as of 2010), Reformed Alliance as of 2010 |
| Classes: | 7 |
| Parishes: | 69 |
| Number of parishioners: | 148,749 (2020)[1] |
| Share of parishioners in the overall population in the ambit: |
43.2% (2020)[1] |
| Website: | www.lippische-landeskirche.de |
The Church of Lippe (German: Lippische Landeskirche) is a Reformed (Calvinist) member church of the Protestant Church in Germany that covers what used to be the Principality of Lippe.
The seat of the church administration is Detmold. The preaching venue of the spiritual leader (Landessuperintendent) of the Church of Lippe is the Redeemer Church in Detmold. The Church of Lippe comprises 69 congregations and 148,749 members. The Church of Lippe is mostly Reformed with a Lutheran minority (c. 30,000), 80% of the members belonging to one of the 59 Reformed parishes.
Its official Creeds are the Athanasian Creed, Nicene Creed, Apostles Creed, Belhar Confession, Heidelberg Catechism. Barmen Declaration along with Luther's Small Catechism.[2] The denomination is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches,[3] of the Union of Evangelical Churches and of the Protestant Church in Germany, also the Reformed Alliance.[4] The Lutheran classis, comprising the Lutheran parishes within the Lippe church, is member in the Lutheran World Federation.
Lutheran worship started in Lemgo in 1522 and by 1533 all the County of Lippe adopted Lutheranism. In 1538 the Lippe Diet adopted a Church Order (constitution), which was adapted in 1571. Simon VI, Count of Lippe adopted the Reformed Faith in 1605 and promoted its spreading within his county, using his monarchic privilege of cuius regio, eius religio. He prevailed, with his faith mostly superseding the previously dominant Lutheran faith. A minority, mostly in the city of Lemgo, remained Lutheran and in 1617 the city was granted the right to determine its faith independently of the ruling counts. The Church of Lippe was the state church of the County and Principality of Lippe (elevated in 1789) until the end of the monarchy in 1918.
In 1854 the foundation of Roman Catholic parishes was allowed in Lippe and Reformed, Lutheran and Catholic Christians were granted equal rights. In 1877 the separation of church and state started by establishing church-wide bodies independent of the Lippe state government, such as the synod. In 1882 the delegates of the Lutheran parishes joined the synod, the Lutheran parishes form within the Church of Lippe their own classis since 1888. As spiritual leader the Lutheran classis is headed by a superintendent. The Reformed parishes are organised in six classes. After Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe abdicated on 12 November 1918 his role as supreme governor (summepiscopate; cf. Supreme Governor of the Church of England) of the Lippe church ended. The synod (church parliament) then gained full independence.
During Nazi period the church accepted into its ministry many pastors persecuted by the government.
Ordination of women and blessing of same-sex marriages are allowed.[5][6][7]
The Lippe Church comprises 69 parishes within the territory of the former Free State of Lippe, the republic established after the end of Lippe's monarchy, in its then borders.
The spiritual leaders of the Church of Lippe were titled general superintendent, in 1936 the title changed to state superintendent (Landessuperintendent). According to the church order of 1931 the Landessuperintendent is to be elected by the synod (i.e. general assembly). Before turning sixty-six years old the incumbent is supposed to retire. The Landessuperintendent represents the Church of Lippe to the outside and leads the church in times the synod does not hold its regular conventions. As to the Reformed members of the church the Landessuperintendent functions as the spiritual leader. As to the Lutherans in the Church of Lippe this function is fulfilled by the superintendent of the Lutheran classis. Since 1 May 2005 Andreas Lange is the Lutheran superintendent.
The data concerning incumbents until 1881 follow August Dreves.[9]
Media related to Lippische Landeskirche at Wikimedia Commons
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Regional Protestant churches within the German Evangelical Church Confederation (1922–1933)
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