The reaction of the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD-Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland) to the statements of German President F. Steinmeier yesterday against the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church was intense.

According to information from orthodoxtimes.com, the members of the Evangelical Church are reportedly annoyed by the persistence of the German president regarding the presence of the Russian delegation at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Karlsruhe.

In fact, they believe that it is in complete contradiction with the whole style and mentality of the World Council of Churches as a mediator, a role that the WCC has cultivated in recent decades.

Especially after the speech of the Secretary General of the WCC, who stressed the need that the decision of the Church of Russia to participate in the Assembly was unanimous, stressing that “we have decided that the World Council of Churches is a free space for dialogue, and we must find a way to agree, not disagree.”