The Council

The EKD Council, whose term of office is six years, is made up of 15 lay people and clergy. 14 of the members are elected jointly by the Synod and the Church Conference; the President of the Synod is the 15th member ex officio. The Synod and the Church Conference select the Chairperson of the Council and his/her deputy jointly from amongst the council members.

The Council governs the EKD as regards all issues not expressly reserved for other organs. It is particularly responsible for ensuring co-operation between the church agencies and associations in all areas, for representing Protestant Christianity in the public sphere and commenting on issues of religious and social life. This is generally done either by making statements on current concerns at short notice or by having memoranda, studies, contributions to public debates and position papers drawn up. Where issues of mutual interest (such as the protection of life or the permissibility of organ transplants) are concerned, joint statements are published with the German Catholic Bishops' Conference. The Council has ten to eleven meetings a year.

In line with its Constitution, the EKD Council has to submit a report on its work to the Synod at each of its sessions, an this "has to be discussed". In addition to this the Synod receives a detailed report in book form twice during its term of office. Each of these covers a period of three years and contains reports not only on the work of the EKD's bodies but also on that of the agencies, organisations and other institutions working under the umbrella of the EKD.

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