Welche Kirchen braucht es noch: Ab 2027 soll Gebäudezahl halbiert werden

According to the Bible, the church should be a house of living stones. However, according to the Evangelical Church in Bavaria, there were just under 2 million Protestants as of December 31, 2024 – 2.8 percent fewer than the previous year. In light of this trend, the question arises: Which churches are still needed? The Evangelical Church of Bavaria has therefore decided to review the need for churches by the end of 2026 – including those in Nuremberg. Which churches are still needed? The Church of the Cross in the Schweinau district of Nuremberg has stood empty for almost 18 years. It has the same construction as the ice rink in Bad Reichenhall, whose roof collapsed in 2006. As a result, the roof in Schweinau has also been at risk of collapse for years. The problem: The church, built in the 1960s, is a listed building. It cannot be demolished. So, nothing has been done about it for two decades. St. Lorenz Church is also a listed building, but it requires renovation. The parish must bear the costs. Funding is scarce. Another problem: Fewer and fewer people are members of the two major Christian denominations. Church services are increasingly poorly attended. With such high costs, the question arises: Is it all worthwhile? The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria is therefore conducting a needs assessment by the end of next year. The goal: to halve the number of church buildings by 2027. This will affect not only places of worship but also the properties owned by the congregations. Pastor Martin Brons and his team are planning a new use for the St. Giles' Church in Nuremberg's Old Town. They envision establishing a choir academy there. In Schweinau, the Church of the Cross will have to remain closed. The congregation there has shrunk by 1,500 members since 2018. Services from several surrounding congregations have been consolidated there. This way, Nuremberg's churches can continue to be vibrant centers of activity.