Job sharing bishops.Bielefeld Bielefeld (bē`ləfĕlt), city (1994 pop. 324,670), North Rhine–Westphalia, N central Germany. It has been noted since the 13th cent. for its handmade linens. , Germany Germany (jûr`mənē), Ger. Deutschland, officially Federal Republic of Germany, republic (2005 est. pop. 82,431,000), 137,699 sq mi (356,733 sq km). (ENI)--The Bavarian Lutheran church has for the first time appointed a married couple to share the position of regional bishop. Elisabeth Harm von Weyhern, 43, and Stefan Ark Nitsche, 50, were installed on March 12 to the post of regional bishop for Nuremberg, one of six districts within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria is a Protestant church in the German state of Bavaria. The seat of the church is in Munich. It is a full member of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), and is a Lutheran Church. . "The calling of these two people makes clear that it is not only possible to occupy the post of a parish pastor as a job share but also positions of leadership in the church," said the head of the Bavarian church, Bishop Johannes Friedrich Johannes Friedrich may refer to:
Critics of the job share said it would devalue the office of regional bishop and that it might harm contacts with the Roman Catholic Church Roman Catholic Church, Christian church headed by the pope, the bishop of Rome (see papacy and Peter, Saint). Its commonest title in official use is Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. , something discounted by Lutheran Church spokesperson Susanne Hassen. "There is no need to worry," Ms. Hassen said. "Catholic Archbishop Ludwig Schick from Bamberg has sent his best wishes to the couple saying that he hopes for good relations in the future." She noted that the couple had already shared a position in the administration of the Bavarian church. |
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