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Election of woman as head of Germany’s largest Church can make Lutherans convert to Orthodoxy and Catholicism – expert

Moscow, December 17, Interfax – Discontent the Lutherans feel about election of Margot Kaessmann head of the Evangelical Church in Germany can result in outflow of their parishioners to more traditional Christian Churches, the Association of Orthodox Experts believes.

“Degradation of Protestant communities expressed in women bishops is a chance for Orthodox witness in Europe. All clearheaded Lutherans will turn to Orthodoxy as a leader of the World Council of Churches former pastor Karl Felmy did. He became an Orthodox Christian and theologian,” the Association said in its statement conveyed to Interfax-Religion on Thursday.

According to experts, Protestants are more likely to turn to Orthodoxy than to Catholicism, as “the stumbling block between Lutherans and Catholics is a dogma of papal impeccability.”

“It is unlikely that Lutherans will return to their origins, so Catholics should be sympathetic about Orthodox-Lutheran dialogue as for Lutherans it is better to choose traditional Church than final degradation and secularization,” authors of the document believe.

According to the statement, Russian state is also interested in Orthodox mission in Europe, as “people converted to the Russian Church will become Russophiles.”

The authors suggest conducting a church-public-state Congress of traditional values advocates in Moscow that will attract all Christian conservatives of Europe and confirm role of Russia as protector of traditional values.

“Therefore, here and now we need to launch a theological dialogue with Lutherans discontented with women bishop phenomenon and to translate Orthodox texts into German and other European languages,” Orthodox experts believe.

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