Carsten Rentzing

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Bishop Carsten Rentzing on June 11, 2017 in St. Marien Cathedral in Wurzen

Carsten Uwe Rentzing (born September 27, 1967 in Berlin-Spandau ) is a German Evangelical Lutheran theologian . From 2015 he was regional bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony (EvLKS). After the church leadership became aware of nationalist and anti- democratic texts from his student days, he offered his resignation on October 11, 2019. This took place by mutual agreement on October 31, 2019.

Education

Berlin (1987 to 1992)

From 1987 Rentzing studied law and philosophy at the Free University of Berlin . According to his own account, he knew little about Christianity until then . The biography of Augustine of Hippo and a Lutheran mass would have inspired him, so that he attended an introductory course for the New Testament at the church college (which existed until 1992) . It had become clear to him that the Christian faith was the theme of his life. From 1989 onwards he also studied Protestant theology in Berlin “after his decision to believe” .

"Fragments" texts (1989–1992)

As media reported from October 12, 2019, Rentzing was editor and co-editor of the magazine Fragmente - the conservative culture magazine from 1989 to 1992 . It only existed for these four years and had a small circulation of around 100 per issue. Texts published in it represented historical revisionism for the Second World War . Advertisements from right-wing extremist groups such as the Reich Citizens' Movement stood next to advertisements from the Coburg Convent . The magazine is assigned to the "politically and ideologically right wing". Its founder and editor was the theology student Wolfgang Fenske, born in 1969, a member of the partly right-wing extremist party The Republicans and representative of the so-called Conservative Revolution . He later became head of the Conservatism Library .

Rentzing wrote historical-philosophical essays as well as comments in the "Glossary" section for the magazine. As a Lutheran, he criticized democracy , liberalism and the modern autonomy of the individual. As this elevates itself to the ultimate authority, the abolition of a divine order occurs with disastrous consequences. He described the French Revolution of 1789 as the historical reason for this in the text “Die profane Gesellschaft” (Fragments 1/1989) : It replaced the Christian God with secular civil rights , so that the state was robbed of its “ metaphysical foundation and degraded to a utilitarian phenomenon, how human well-being could not tolerate anything higher at all. ”As a result of this“ God-forgetfulness ”, secularization and individualization,“ the ratio to the highest guideline for an interpretation of the 'new basic values ' ”was raised. The legitimacy of "rational reasons" terror domination of the Jacobins have this supposedly objective evaluation criterion "as influenced proved in the highest degree by the passions of the individual". The terms of freedom, equality and fraternity were "almost idealized delusional" have been and would have a "tremendous potential for discrimination developed": "Off tolerance is intolerance of freedom of all freedom of like-minded people from fraternity among themselves hatred against all dissenters." Although I Enlightenment to People given individual human rights , but with the “overestimation of the ' rationalistic method '” in the social sciences, the “key to degeneration is also provided”.

In the text "Liberalism as raison d'état" (Fragments 3/1989) Rentzing described "freedom, dignity and [...] family " as the three "foundations" of every state. These would be "touched by" enlightened spirits "and" mixed up "down to the liberal bourgeoisie. “The formerly normal was and is stamped as abnormal and vice versa.” The former German “ state people ” will be transformed into a multicultural society with foreign citizens, state power will be gained through the admission of foreigners to the executive, the boundaries of the nation states will be in the United States redefined by Europe . “ Housewives ' service to the family ” and marriage are no longer valid. The " divorce rates that have grown like an avalanche due to the emancipatory spirit " and the falling birth rate would have destructive consequences for the German state. The discussion about the multicultural society also provides “social explosives”. The redefinition of the three foundations leads the Federal Republic into the "worst social crisis since its foundation". Anyone who thinks logically must be clear that it is not the "resurrected national-conservative right" but the "left that reinterprets progressive values" that is to blame for this crisis.

In the comment “The age of nation states is over” in the same issue, Rentzing called the multicultural society a “utopia of all democrats” and a “dream of a state”: “All people become brothers. Nothing applies anymore, the distinction between cultures, nations or even peoples. Only the individual still counts. You think this uniformity could get a bit monotonous? With this view you will incur the displeasure of all humanistically thinking people! "

In another text from 1989 Rentzing described the principle of equality of representative democracy as the cause of its decline: With universal and equal suffrage, the voter entrusts his trust to certain qualified persons. However, he lacks “any standard” to decide the issues for which the elected representatives stand. That is why he “inevitably [...] geared his voting behavior to larger opinion groups”. Individuality as “inner demarcation from the fellow human beings” thus endangers the finding of democratic majorities: “Clinging to fundamental truths is therefore immediately described as stubborn and undemocratic. Majority equals truth ... ”. This resulted in the "prevention of personalities and immersion in the crowd". Thus: “An understanding of politics that sees politicians solely responsible for the people bears the seeds of ruin.” Rentzing concluded: “Anyone who devotes himself to the creation of a multicultural society is doing away with the most essential consensus Components guilty. He is responsible for polarization and growing dissent in the state. "

Rentzing countered this in his article "Between Decision and Ideal" (Fragments 4/1989) with an authoritarian image of the state based on Martin Luther . Although liberalism has experienced a further boost since the fall of Marxism-Leninism , it will probably also go under in the medium term: "The author sees a free future for Europe guaranteed only through obedience and reinstatement of the old revelation and judges."

In the essay “State and Democracy - an untimely consideration” (Fragments 6/1989) Rentzing called it “absurd to follow today's equation of democracy and freedom and, together with the liberal state doctrine, a discussion about the best form of government for 50 years that has been going on for thousands of years to be declared finished and resolved. ”There should be no taboos on this. Democracy in particular has no right to “see itself as the climax of a development” because every form of government is historically conditioned and therefore transitory. Everyone with the claim to "intellectual capacity" must take this into account; “Everyone else may continue to follow folk pedagogical doctrines.” “The once awakened individual will not allow himself to be brought back into immaturity, and that can hardly matter. The only thing that remains decisive is that the view of the inadequacy and fundamental weakness of the unbound individual, obscured by the Renaissance and much more by the Enlightenment, is exposed again. "A" mixed constitution "is best suited to" all the ups and downs of human nature To be taken into account ”.

In a comment entitled “Phoenix” (Fragments 9/1991) Rentzing referred to Oswald Spengler's work The Decline of the Occident and named as a sign of this downfall: In Germany, the 15-year-old military dictatorship in Chile with several thousand victims is called “inhuman” and condemned far more “than 10,000 (!) abortions per week in their own country; In which billions of contributions from the cultural budget are spent on the systematic destruction of cultural substance, in which education is degenerating into a mass good confused with school leaving certificate, in which the moloch of shallowness, of repulsive drifting in the stream of prosperity has become the principle of existence, in which cowardice before bravery, self-realization before freedom, life before honor ”. He concluded: "To hasten the fall of the phoenix is ​​certainly not our destiny, on the other hand it is very much to save the eternal, the timeless-everlasting through the flame into the time of its re-ascent." The observed "decay" could be a " The process of degeneration of a culture ”,“ which stumbles towards the powerless end, robbed of its nutrient sources ”. The question is whether we have to "submit to inevitable fate" or "Resistance against the worming of the human being, the former creator who has sunk to the grimace of himself and writhing in the dust" is meaningful and possible.

Democratic majority decisions instead of “releasing great personalities” promoted “ultimately the leveling of minds”. The democratic system mixes "the respective classic forms of degeneration". The "modern question of human rights" is "unprotestant". If foreigners came into the executive, then this would “meet with the resistance of those who hold on to ethnic and religious traditions - despite all hostility and slander!” Rentzing showed sympathy for “voters who were fed up with the usual political pulp and loved them last elections in clearer tones ”: Meant were the electoral successes of the“ Republicans ”at the time.

In 1991 Rentzing wrote in a review: The Christian truth proclaimed by the church exists independently of it and can only be appropriated by it, but not determined. After work meals on Protestant church days are signs of the approaching end of the world and heresy . In a gloss on "Advertising, Language, Zeitgeist", he said that the pluralism of society was created "by the lack of or consciously destroyed spiritual and moral authorities". “Cultural hegemony is not created through advertising, it has to come about at the grassroots level in the battle of the spirits for the truth. To wage this fight, however, requires more than despair over the world from the living room. A new ' deus lo volt ' will be needed to bring conservatism out of the niche for exotic minorities in this country. ”He was quoting the call with which a crowd responded to Pope Urban II's call for the First Crusade .

Frankfurt am Main and Oberursel (1992 to 1997)

Rentzing moved to the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main in 1992 and then studied at the Lutheran Theological University of Oberursel of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church . In 1997 he completed his studies with the First Theological Examination .

In 1992 in Frankfurt am Main, Rentzing joined the Old Prague Landsmannschaft Hercynia , an obligatory student association of the Coburg Convent. He still belongs to this association today.

Vicariate and parish office

After the first theological exam, Rentzing applied for a vicariate in the Saxon regional church. His wife, later pastor Maria Rentzing, belonged to this regional church. The couple have four children together. From 1997 to 1999 Carsten Rentzing completed the preparatory period with a community internship in the parishes of Oelsnitz / Vogtl. and Zwota in Saxony.

In 1999 he passed the Second Theological Examination in Dresden and was ordained a pastor in Annaberg-Buchholz ( Erzgebirge ) . There he took up his first pastorate.

In 2003 Rentzing received his doctorate from the University of Leipzig on the subject of The Speech of Evil in Karl Barth and Martin Luther - a systematic-historical comparison with special consideration of Barth's Church Dogmatics III, 3 and Luther's Genesis Lecture 1535–1545.

Rentzing stayed in Annaberg-Buchholz until 2010. In August 2010 the family moved to the Musikwinkel in Vogtland . Rentzing shared one and a half pastoral positions with his wife in Markneukirchen and Landwüst . As chairman of the Association for Community Diaconia in Markneukirchen, Rentzing was honorary managing director of various institutions there.

Supraregional church offices

Rentzing was a member of the 26th and 27th regional synods , was the Saxon representative in the 11th and 12th synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany and was Vice President of the 11th General Synod of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (VELKD) from 2009 to 2014 .

In 2004 Rentzing was a co-founder of the Martin Luther Association in Saxony. He has been its President since January 1, 2016. According to the German Evangelical Alliance , Rentzing became a member of the board of trustees of the ProChrist evangelization association in December 2016 .

On November 9, 2018 Rentzing was elected Deputy Leading Bishop of the VELKD.

Regional bishop

On May 31, 2015, 79 synodals elected a successor to Regional Bishop Jochen Bohl at a special meeting of the 27th regional synod of the EvLKS, who was to resign from his office at the end of August 2015 for reasons of age. The election lasted unusually long with six ballots, two of which were runoff elections, as none of the initial four candidates achieved the necessary two-thirds majority and some voters abstained in the first runoff election. Only in the last ballot did all the synodians decide between the two remaining candidates, the Saxon youth pastor Tobias Bilz and Rentzing. He won the election with 40 to 38 votes (one vote was invalid). He then emphasized that he did not see himself as a representative of a conservative part of the regional church, but would be open to every member.

The leading bishop of the VELKD, Gerhard Ulrich , introduced Rentzing into his office on August 29, 2015. The term of office has been limited to twelve years since 2007 by an amendment to the relevant church law.

Positions

Theological self-image

Rentzing describes himself as a “conservative Lutheran” and is considered a “sharp critic of majority Protestantism”. He criticizes the position that “all people are okay” and do not need salvation through the grace of God . Evangelical theologians who advocate this would " darken Jesus Christ as the Bringer of salvation" and give up a core of faith.

Lecture in the library of conservatism

On December 11, 2013, Rentzing, as Vice President of the VELKD General Synod, gave a lecture in the “Library of Conservatism” on the subject of “Church in crisis - where is the EKD going?” Caspar von Schrenck-Notzing and Dieter Stein founded the library, the sponsor is the Foundation for Conservative Education and Research (FKBF). Both institutions belong to the network of the new right . The evangelical news agency idea reported that Rentzing had found significant theological deficiencies in the EKD's guide " Between Autonomy and Dependency " in the lecture . The EKD had left the theological consensus with Catholicism and Orthodoxy . Deep differences of opinion in the EKD called their cohesion into question. According to Rentzing's own statement in 2019, as a “conservative theologian” he should “speak about the alleged left-leaning of the EKD”, but never shared this one-sided EKD image and presented it there. He did not find out about the organizer beforehand. He would not appear again as bishop there. His alleged ignorance of the organizer became questionable because his former co-editor Wolfgang Fenske had invited him to the lecture.

Against homosexual equality in the church

Rentzing rejects same-sex marriage and the coexistence of homosexual pastors with their partners in accordance with the civil partnership law in the rectory. In doing so, he became the spokesman for the Saxon Confession Initiative , which from 2011 opposed homosexual coexistence in the parsonage in Saxony. The group contradicted a resolution of the EKD Synod of 2010, which had allowed this coexistence, and a compromise of the Saxon State Synod of 2012 to allow single homosexual couples to live together in the rectory. With this resolution, the Saxon regional church upheld an EKD resolution from 2001, according to which “a homosexual relationship must not be lived in the rectory and cannot be made part of the preaching”. An opening of the rectory for homosexual partnerships is only possible in exceptional cases and after an express parish resolution. Rentzing announced that it would support this decision. He also rejected a church wedding for homosexual couples, which is possible in some Protestant regional churches. But he considered a blessing of such couples to be debatable.

In 2014 Rentzing was one of the initiators of the DEA's call for “Time to get up”. With the claim to renew the EKD, the appeal called for a "strengthening of marriage and against its devaluation": Man was created as man and woman, and this opposite is God's good gift of creation. This biblically conservative rejection of equal treatment of homosexual partnerships in the church contradicted the consensus of the other regional churches and the EKD orientation guide " Between Autonomy and Dependency " from 2013. In Saxony Rentzing distinguished himself as a "biblical fighter against the zeitgeist" and at the same time as a bridge builder who wanted to bring church liberals and conservatives together in the conflict over homosexual partnerships. This had contributed to his narrow election as regional bishop. Shortly afterwards Rentzing declared that the issue of sexual ethics was of secondary importance and praised the compromise of the regional synod, which was rejected by the confessional initiative, as a diplomatic solution.

Shortly after his election as bishop Rentzing emphasized again: “The Bible says that the homosexual way of life does not correspond to the will of God. These statements in the Bible make it difficult for me personally to advise someone to live their homosexuality. We Christians have to reserve the right to address this. ”Nonetheless, he“ does not want to exclude anyone. Nobody. ”A discussion process he initiated in 2012 did not lead to any rapprochement between the warring groups. The Saxon Confession Initiative continued to reject the compromise resolution and increased its resistance to it. Homosexual pastors, whose congregations had accepted their partnerships, were exposed to strong attacks from church opponents and lacked the support of the church leadership. That is why several pastors left the Saxon regional church in the following years; some homosexual workers have been fired. In 2016 Rentzing legalized the blessings of legally married homosexual couples in church services and thus drew heavy criticism of the Saxon Confession Initiative.

In November 2015 Rentzing campaigned for the resolution to give one another “protection and space” in the church to the regional synod: on the one hand for those who “cannot say 'yes' to a homosexual way of life in their preaching”, on the other hand for “homosexuals Siblings".

Against abortion

In 2018, Rentzing criticized the facilitation of abortion , euthanasia and German arms exports as an expression of the increasing coldness of society. He supported the annual Berlin March for Life 2018 with a greeting.

Dealing with refugees and migrants

In 2015, Rentzing said in an interview: "Xenophobia, human contempt, the humiliation of people, hatred and rejection of others, especially those people who seek help and protection, are things that are incompatible with our Christian faith." Rentzing declared in November 2015: “The Christian ethos requires refugees not to be seen and treated as a problem, but as human beings, as beloved creatures of God.” The church could not relieve politics from making decisions like those caused by migration Problems have to be solved, but help to ensure that human dignity is preserved in the discussion of these questions . He spoke out in favor of inviting Christian migrants to the communities; Reports made him concerned that these Christians were being pressured in the reception facilities.

Relationship with neo-Nazis, Pegida and AfD

In January 2016 Rentzing wanted to take part in a “ fairy lights for humanity” against the racist alliance Pegida and its offshoot “Legida” in Leipzig . Although he was unable to attend due to illness, he condemned Legida and Pegida afterwards in an interview. In November 2018 he held an evening prayer at a peace festival against a parallel neo-Nazi meeting in Ostritz .

In an interview in December 2018, Rentzing rejected an election recommendation in the upcoming state elections in Saxony in 2019 . As with all parties, one has “one or the other demand” for the AfD. It remains to be seen who represents the AfD, what it is demanding and how it is doing it. During the riots in Chemnitz in 2018 , the city had largely become “a venue for bad pictures” due to groups from outside. The Leipzig pastor Christian Wolff criticized: Rentzing avoids any substantive statement and belittles the AfD as if he had not noticed their alliance with Pegida and neo-Nazis. He said he never had the backing of pastors who oppose “open racism” in the name of the gospel every day. This attitude is "absurd and dangerous". A “clear dividing line” between Pegida and AfD is necessary.

For freedom of religion

In his report to the regional synod in November 2015, Bishop Rentzing made it clear that the church stands up for religious freedom. This also means “protecting and helping those who want to follow the practice of their religion.” He is concerned not about the religion practiced by Muslims, but about the lukewarmness of many Christians. The clarity of faith also means that interreligious prayers and services are not possible because they blur the lines between religions.

For climate protection

In March 2019, Rentzing welcomed the Fridays for Future protests on climate protection. In May 2019 he met with Dresden students from the movement to discuss their goals.

resignation

After the state elections in Saxony in 2019 , in which the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) received 27.5 percent of the vote, many Christians in the regional church of Saxony called for a clear demarcation of the bishop from the AfD. On September 14, 2019, the Sächsische Zeitung announced its membership in the striking student association Old Prager Landsmannschaft Hercynia . When asked why he had not mentioned this membership when he was elected bishop, Rentzing said: He had not been active in the association for a long time and “I deliberately did not carry this part of my biography openly”, but had remained a formally paying member. For him, fencing with sharp weapons was a sporting adventure as a young student. He refused to leave because he wanted to maintain friendships with other liaison members; this is his personal matter. In response to criticism of his 2013 lecture in the Library of Conservatism , he replied that he had accepted an invitation from its director, whom he had known from his studies. He knows nothing of connections to the New Right.

On September 27, 2019, a church ruler and three pastors from the regional church initiated the petition “ Charity demands clarity”. This called on the bishop to end his membership in the beating association, to explain his appearance in the “library of conservatism” and to publicly and clearly distance himself “from all national, anti-democratic and misanthropic ideologies”. The fact that he has so far “relied on conversation, understanding and joint shaping of the future” with the AfD suggests a similarity in content: “The office of unity does not release you from the word of clarity”. There is concern that the regional church "is increasingly marginalized" due to the unclear positioning of the bishop in Saxony and in the EKD. Membership in an effective association is incompatible with the office of bishop, among other things, because the association does not separate itself from the crimes of the Wehrmacht and the Christian belief contradicts the nationalism cultivated there .

In an interview on October 6, 2019, Rentzing did not want to comment on the petition; he had invited the first signatories to an interview. The library founder Caspar von Schrenck-Notzing and his publications, for example for the Junge Freiheit and the national newspaper , were not known to him. Nationalist, anti-democratic and extremist thinking has always remained alien to him. He did not find himself in any political camp, but had repeatedly stated that the church had to stand by the side of the weak and those in need of protection.

On October 8, 2019, the Leipzig pastor Frank Martin, an initiator of the petition, received extensive material on Rentzing's earlier texts from an unknown source. Martin sent this to Rentzing on October 10th so that he could be the first to react. In the regional church office of Saxony some already knew the texts. On October 11, 2019, the church leadership asked Rentzing about these texts. Shortly afterwards he announced that he would resign as soon as possible in order to avert damage to the Saxon regional church. The discussion about his person harms their unity. He did not give any substantive reasons and did not mention his membership in the student union, but only stated generally that he no longer represents positions from 30 years ago today. He stands for "conservative positions and values", which he recognized as right for himself. Nor did he mention the texts written for “Fragments”. On October 12, the media made these texts known for the first time. According to Arnd Henze (ARD), they show a continuous disdain for liberal democracy , an authoritarian-elitist and ethnic understanding of the state.

On October 20, Rentzing publicly announced: He had made his office available on his own initiative. The church leadership seeks to restore the unity of the regional church; he wants to get involved in this process according to their specifications. Over 25 years ago he had distanced himself from his confessor from everything that "contradicted the spirit of the Gospel of peace, reconciliation and God's love for all people". Attempts "from the left and above all from the right" to use his persona politically, he rejected, because they harm the gospel.

After his release from the office of bishop on November 15, 2019, Rentzing declared before the EvLKS Synod: “Every national spirit that overcomes itself and despises and rejects other people, other nations, other peoples and cultures, contradicts the spirit of my Lord Jesus Christ. “Because he saw the old as past, he never mentioned his earlier anti-democratic texts, but did not hide them and thus did not want to destroy them, but rather improve them. You have been looking for a "fish hook" in your life for a long time and finally found it. His daughter called this "character assassination and defamation"; he calls it disrespectful. He emphasized again that he had decided to resign alone and informally in order to spare his church further discussions about himself.

Reactions and consequences

Church bodies

On October 13, 2019, the President of the Regional Church Office, Hans-Peter Vollbach, declared : It was true that Rentzing had published the magazine “Fragments” as a student. The entire church leadership first received knowledge of Rentzing's texts on October 11, 2019. These are "elitist, in parts nationalistic and anti-democratic" and "unacceptable from then and from today's point of view". Rentzing was "on the lookout" at that time and only aspired to become a pastor years later. From his time as pastor and bishop no such statements are known from him. Rentzing had told the church leadership that he had suppressed the earlier texts and expressed "great lack of understanding and shame" about them. His distancing is believed to be credible. Nevertheless, the past that has now become public affects his actions as a regional bishop. Loyalty to him was made more difficult for the church leadership because of the facts and Rentzing's personal handling of his biography. Therefore, respect his resignation. Formally, he remains in office until the church leadership has decided on the date and conditions of his resignation. The concern expressed in the petition that "the church does not separate itself enough from right-wing extremist, anti-human and anti-democratic tendencies" must be heard. A state church spokesman added on October 14th that in the 2015 bishopric election, Rentzing's past was not checked, as was that of his competitors, because his theology studies and many years of pastoral activity gave no reason to do so.

Vollbach emphasized on October 16 that the current problem was due to Rentzing's hesitant handling of the allegations and his leaving questions open. To the knowledge of the church leadership, he is still in contact with Wolfgang Fenske, the head of the new right “Library of Conservatism”; Fenske took part as a personal guest at Rentzings inauguration as bishop (2015). In future, the past of bishop candidates in Saxony, such as memberships in clubs, parties, fraternities or other organizations, will be examined more closely.

The EKD council chairman Heinrich Bedford-Strohm initially expressed "great regret" about Rentzing's decision to resign. After his earlier texts became known, he demanded quick clarification in the EvLKS and urged Rentzing to contribute: "As a Protestant church we have to position ourselves clearly and loudly against right-wing extremist attitudes." Conservatives would have a place in the church, but against anti-Semitism and racism , ethnic thinking and xenophobia are fighting the EKD together.

On October 21, Rentzing reaffirmed his offer of resignation to the management of the EvLKS. This accepted it after detailed consultation and thanked him for his services to the unity of the regional church. All members should stick to this unit "without evading the necessary content-related disputes". Rentzing's service as regional bishop ended on October 31, 2019.

Rentzing's case intensified the debate in the EKD about the demarcation from right-wing extremism. A special synod of the EvLKS on November 2, 2019 wanted to clarify what was right-wing extremist and what was still “a conservative Christian”. Unlike other regional churches, the EvLKS has not generally ruled out membership of Saxon Christians in right-wing extremist groups. Whether AfD members are allowed to receive church offices should be checked on the basis of specific individual behavior. The anti-Semitism representative of the EKD Christian Staffa pleaded for a more thorough theological examination of the theses of the right-wing scene.

When Rentzing's release on November 15, 2019, Bishop Ralf Meister, who was in charge of the VELKD, called for reconciliation as the patient building of something new. Petitions to people are "merciless poison". Synodal President Otto Guse appealed to pay attention to Rentzing's service and to pray for him.

Resignation opponent

The AfD member of the state parliament Roland Ulbrich , a representative of the right-wing extremist "wing" , and Jörg Kühne opposed the petition "Charity demands clarity" on October 2, 2019 with a declaration. They defended the student scale as an “excellent educational tool” and as “courage” in order to “defend themselves against excessive ' political correctness ' in civil society .” It promotes the readiness of academics and Christians to defend themselves against “totalitarian tendencies”. The AfD celebrated Rentzing on October 14th as normal conservatives and heroes in a “poisoned climate”. The EvLKS had "made itself the vicarious agent of left and left-wing extremist opinion guidelines".

Helmut Matthies (Idea eV) judged Rentzing's earlier texts as sins of youth and saw his resignation as a result of left-wing bullying in the EKD and parts of the EvLKS. The conservative Protestant working group Confessing Christians in Bavaria (ABC) regretted Rentzing's resignation. His opponents tried everything to "wear down" him.

As of October 16, an anonymously written petition on the CitizenGo platform called for Rentzings to remain in office, claimed a "smear campaign" against him and called the allegations baseless. The platform was founded by evangelicals with the stated aim of agitating against homosexuals, same-sex marriages, abortions and sex education. It allows unlimited anonymous signing of the petition with made-up email addresses, so that the number of actual signers cannot be verified. Your numerical data should invalidate the petition of the Rentzing critics, whose authors and signatories can be verified.

The "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Weltanschauungsfragen eV" in North Rhine-Westphalia, which agitates against refugees, Muslims, building mosques and denies the human contribution to climate change , published an open letter: In it a Christian from the Ore Mountains missed support from Rentzings and announced that he would be leaving the Leaving the church in order to “give all glory to Jesus Christ” with other Christians in house churches and to follow the “ infallible word of God in the Holy Scriptures ”. This is seen as a sign of polarization in the EvLKS.

The " Christians in the AfD " showed their solidarity with Rentzing. Many Saxon parishes, especially in the Ore Mountains and Vogtland, put out signature lists for him. Parishioners from Rentzings former parish in Markneukirchen asked the EvLKS Synod in an open letter to express their confidence in him and spoke of a character assassination campaign. The Saxon Confession Initiative and Christoph von Mohl (Christians in the AfD) called for a vigil in front of the regional church office. On October 21, 2019, around 150 people demonstrated for Rentzing to remain in office.

critic

The initiators of the petition “Charity demands clarity” rejected the fact that Rentzing's resignation was caused by the petition. Their supporter Christian Wolff called Rentzings move overdue: He was trapped in his right-wing past and steered the Saxon regional church into a crisis of confidence instead of bringing them together. Frank Martin rejected comparisons Rentzing with Paulus von Tarsus , since this apostle, unlike Rentzing, had detached himself from his past. Martin called for an intensive processing and clearer positioning of the EvLKS in view of "the right-wing national tendencies in the Saxon state parliament".

The theologian Rochus Leonhardt did not see any charity in Rentzings' critics, but instead followed a "denunciating dominant culture in which small-minded block housingism pretends to be democratic convictions based on faith".

The church journalist Philipp Greifenstein criticized that the comparison with block waiting (“Nazikeule”) could only end a meaningful discussion about the critics' petition. The fact that Rentzing resigned not because of the petition, but because his earlier texts became known, got out of sight. He had concealed, shortened and concealed this past for weeks, probably also lied internally and publicly, and told staff of the church leadership nothing about questions from journalists. So it is essentially about "sincerity and the hurt that occurs when it is lacking". Evangelical culture fighters like Helmut Matthies and Ulrich Parzany as well as AfD and CDU politicians who were not interested in the EvLKS believed Rentzing to be victims of “political correctness” and fueled indignation. Conservative Christians in Saxony slip with him a "symbolic figure for the fight against the blessing of same-sex partnerships in particular and 'the zeitgeist' in general". The thesis that Rentzing is a secret AfD supporter who was exposed by an anonymous informant is amusing because right-wing Christians are publicly active throughout the German-speaking area and the EKD has partly promoted its media. That is why the future dealings with the “ideologues on the right edge of their own organizations” in the EKD should be clarified. Rentzing's case is an occasion to "work through the long-silent continuities", also with the help of theology.

Reinhard Mawick ( Zeitzeichen ) criticized Rentzing's declaration of November 15, 2019: Contrary to his claim not to seek guilt in others first, he stylized himself as a “victim of long-planned machinations”. He only admitted mistakes in his communication, not in the content of his texts. Instead, he explained this in detail as a mere criticism of democracy in view of the lack of German unity, traced it back to the reading by Alexis de Tocqueville and Edmund Burke and relativized it with allusions to the past of Winfried Kretschmann and Joschka Fischer . He still denies today that he wanted to destroy democracy 30 years ago. He distances himself from any “national spirit”, but at the same time asserts that he has been doing this for 25 years and therefore does not have to regret his earlier texts. His wish to treat these historically and critically is doubtful, since he had rather rejected this for biblical texts on homosexuality . Rentzing falsified the fact that the daily news report of October 12, 2019 called his texts, not his person, "right-wing extremists". He's sending his own children over on this matter. At least he had emphasized the voluntary nature of his resignation and thus "undermined many legends".

media

Several media comments criticized Rentzing for not announcing his previous position either before or after his election as bishop. That is why the comparison with the apostle Paul does not fit. Matthias Dobrinski emphasized: Christians, especially church representatives, have to deal openly with missteps. The EvLKS in particular needs a bishop who can deal with right ways of thinking and differentiate Christian conservatism from it. Rentzing now no longer has any credibility for this. The EKD will intensify the conflict with right-wing populists in its own ranks and have to draw clear lines: "The devaluation of people because of their origin, skin color, gender or sexual orientation contradicts the message of Jesus ."

Philipp Greifenstein emphasized: Rentzing already saw himself as a Christian in a new right sense in his “fragments” texts. He left open when he broke away from new right thinking and how he felt about actors like Wolfgang Fenske today. This prevents a real reappraisal and endangers the church unity that he himself emphasized. Newly right Christians took advantage of his silence "to use him as a martyr for their agenda" and thus to promote the division of the church.

According to Greifenstein, the fragment texts are "in astonishing continuity with the positions that he also took as bishop". As early as 1990, as later in the dispute over homosexual couples in the rectory, he argued with an eternal truth of the church that does not depend on the “general consensus of the community”. He also maintained the appeal to the dramatically excessive abortion rates. Like the New Right around Götz Kubitschek and the Institute for State Policy in Schnellroda , which early on invoked “mass immigration” and “pluralism” as dangers, he praised thinkers of the “conservative revolution”. However, he assumed that the democratic system would have to collapse before a “conservative” new beginning was conceivable. At the time, he actively participated in this “crusade” of the New Right. In 2015 he publicly distanced himself from this contempt for democracy and the xenophobia associated with it. But his assertion that his whole life “nationalist, anti-democratic and extremist thinking has always remained alien” remains in need of explanation.

According to Markus Springer ( Sonntagsblatt ), what was decisive for Rentzing's withdrawal was that he was later in right-wing networks. Anyone who wants to have a future in the EKD should not hide their own past.

According to the weekly newspaper Die Zeit , Rentzing fled the episcopate and remained unreachable when he had to face the allegations. This has increased the uncertainty about his attitude towards misanthropy after he was criticized for lack of demarcation from the AfD. Most church representatives assessed him not as a secret AfD supporter, but as a weak leader. He was unable to brand the AfD voters from the East Saxon Bible Belt as right-wing radicals, but repeatedly spoke out against hatred of refugees. At the same time, he insisted on dialogue with AfD supporters, but did not make it clear enough which parts of the AfD were right-wing extremists and should not be incorporated. He shied away from conflicts and “a no of confession” to AfD supporters, but he also sought dialogue with his opponents. Although he rejected the blessing of homosexual couples, he supported the compromise resolution of the EvLKS from 2012 and talked to homosexual pastors. Ultimately he failed because of the polarization in his regional church and in Saxony.

literature

  • Thomas Mayer: Late starter of faith: Carsten Rentzing is Saxony's Evangelical Lutheran Regional Bishop and the youngest of his office in Germany. In: Thomas Mayer: Here I stand ... 30 life pictures of people with attitude. Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, Leipzig 2016, ISBN 978-3-374-04261-6 , pp. 150–157, urn : nbn: de: 101: 1-201605281471 .

Web links

Commons : Carsten Rentzing  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Saxony: Regional Bishop Dr. Carsten Rentzing - about the person. In: evlks.de.
  2. ↑ a b c d e Hannes Leitlein: Homosexuality: Without his blessing. In: Zeit online , September 3, 2015.
  3. ↑ a b c d Arnd Henze: Evangelical Church: Bishop concealed right-wing extremist texts. Tagesschau.de, October 12, 2019.
  4. ↑ Erich Straßner : Basics of media communication. Volume 3: Journal. (1997) De Gruyter, Berlin 2014, ISBN 978-3-484-37103-3 , p. 84.
  5. ↑ Helmut Kellershohn : The self-appointed elite. Origin and self-image of the staff of the Junge Freiheit. In: Helmut Kellershohn (ed.): The plagiarism. The Völkisch Nationalism of the Young Freedom. Duisburg Institute for Language and Social Research , Duisburg 1994, ISBN 3-927388-44-0 , pp. 51–116, here p. 95.
  6. ↑ a b Olaf Majer: Bishop Rentzing's controversial texts: What he wrote as a student and why. In: Dresdner Latest News (DNN), October 23, 2019.
  7. ↑ a b c Olaf Majer: Rentzings controversial texts: Why is the voter overwhelmed and multicultural bad? In: DNN, October 24, 2019.
  8. ^ A b c Philipp Greifenstein: Carsten Rentzing: That is in the "fragments" texts. The Owl, October 16, 2019.
  9. ↑ Evangelical bishop was a fraternity member. Sächsische Zeitung, September 14, 2019 (fee required); Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Saxony: Regional Bishop Dr. Rentzing comments on his membership in a student association. September 14, 2019.
  10. ^ Carsten Rentzing: The speech of evil in Karl Barth and Martin Luther: a systematic-historical comparison; with special consideration of Barth's Church Dogmatics III, 3 and Luther's Genesis Lecture 1535–1545. (Dissertation), Leipzig 2003, DNB 968726437 .
  11. ^ Adina Rieckmann: Portrait of Carsten Rentzing. ( Memento of October 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) MDR , May 29, 2015; R. Meinel: Markneukirchen has a new pastor couple. In: Vogtland-Anzeiger , June 1, 2011.
  12. ↑ a b VELKD: Dr. Carsten Rentzing, Deputy Chief Bishop of the VELKD. In: velkd.de (PDF, 134 kB).
  13. ↑ Saxon regional bishop Rentzing is the new president of the Martin Luther Association. ekd.de, November 21, 2016.
  14. ↑ Pro Christ Board of Trustees expanded. EEAS, December 16, 2016.
  15. ↑ Andreas Roth: Carsten Rentzing just elected regional bishop. Sunday , May 31, 2015, accessed on March 2, 2020.
  16. ^ Bishop introduction on August 29th in the Dresden Kreuzkirche ( Memento from September 25th, 2015 in the Internet Archive ).
  17. ↑ Annette Binninger: Electoral drama with the blessing of the Lord. Saxon Newspaper, May 31, 2015.
  18. ↑ a b Katharina Rögner, Thomas Schiller: “We have to talk to each other, even if it hurts”. Evangelisch.de, 23 August 2016.
  19. ↑ Matthias Kamann: Opponents of gay marriage are getting stronger. Welt Online, October 16, 2015.
  20. ↑ a b Matthias Kamann: "The Bible does not see homosexuality as God's will". Welt Online, August 22, 2015.
  21. ↑ a b Michael Freitag: Interview with Regional Bishop Carsten Rentzing: “The Church of Jesus Christ on the side of the weak and needy”. Leipziger Internet-Zeitung, October 6, 2019.
  22. ↑ Christian Fuchs, Paul Middelhoff: The Network of the New Right: Who directs it, who finances it and how it changes society. Rowohlt, Reinbek 2019, ISBN 978-3-644-40637-7 , p. 104
  23. ↑ Lutherans: The EKD is in a crisis. Idea.de, December 12, 2013.
  24. ↑ Uwe Naumann: The controversial conservative. Sunday, October 13, 2019.
  25. ^ Debate about the resignation of Carsten Rentzing. MDR, October 16, 2019.
  26. ↑ Wolfram Nagel: Homosexuality and Church: Pious and Free in Luthers Land? DLF, January 25, 2017.
  27. ↑ a b c Submission No. 15 to the 27th Regional Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Saxony: Report of the Regional Bishop. (PDF; 82 kB) EvLKS, November 14, 2015, pp. 6–8.
  28. ^ Regional Bishop Rentzing criticizes the cold in society. Welt online, April 1, 2018.
  29. ↑ Thousands of anti-abortion opponents demonstrate in Berlin. epd, September 23, 2018.
  30. ↑ Anne Françoise Weber: An interview with Saxony's regional bishop: “Not the path that a Christian takes”. DLF, August 30, 2015.
  31. ↑ Ernst-Ulrich Kneitschel: Legida and chain of lights: Regional Bishop Carsten Rentzing in the long L-IZ interview (2). Leipziger Internet newspaper, January 30, 2016.
  32. ^ Peace festival in Ostritz - chain of lights against neo-Nazi festival. ZDF, November 3, 2018.
  33. ↑ "We do not give any election recommendations from the pulpits". Sunday December 27, 2018.
  34. ↑ Guest commentary by Christian Wolff: Outlandish and dangerous - an interview with Regional Bishop Rentzing. Leipziger Internet newspaper, December 29, 2018.
  35. ↑ Saxony's regional bishop supports climate protests. Neues Deutschland (ND), March 14, 2019.
  36. ↑ Katharina Rögner: Students discuss climate protection with the bishop. epd, May 24, 2019.
  37. ^ A b Jennifer Stange: Evangelical Church of Saxony: The bishop from the fraternity. DLF, October 9, 2019.
  38. ↑ a b fraternity members and regional bishop: Petition puts Rentzing under pressure. epd / Leipziger Volkszeitung, September 27, 2019.
  39. ↑ Reinhard Bingener: Saxon regional bishop: A silence before the Lord. FAZ, October 13, 2019.
  40. ^ A b Philipp Greifenstein: Carsten Rentzing: Why the bishop resigns. The Owl, October 12, 2019.
  41. ↑ a b Saxony's Protestant regional bishop Rentzing resigns. MDR, October 11, 2019; Regional Bishop Rentzing comments on the discussion about his person. Sunday 11 October 2019.
  42. ↑ Saxony's regional bishop withheld right-wing extremist texts. MDR, October 12, 2019.
  43. ↑ a b Declaration by the church leadership: Thanks for Dr. Rentzings service in the leadership of the regional church. EvLKS, October 21, 2019.
  44. ↑ a b Saxon ex-bishop distances himself from the past. epd / Evangelische Zeitung, November 15, 2019.
  45. ^ Declaration by the regional church. EvLKS, October 13, 2019.
  46. ↑ a b Processing in the Saxon regional church required. epd, October 14, 2019.
  47. ↑ Reinhard Bingener: Controversial regional bishop. Saxon church leadership accepts Rentzing's resignation. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), October 22, 2019.
  48. ↑ Johannes Süßmann: The President of the Church Office of Saxony sees “open questions” in the Rentzing case. epd, October 16, 2019.
  49. ↑ EKD on Rentzing's resignation: Regret turns into distancing. Tagesschau.de, October 13, 2019.
  50. ↑ Rentzing case triggers debate: Church is not completely sealed to the right. Lausitzer Rundschau, October 22, 2019.
  51. ↑ a b c Michael Freitag: When the bishop is silent. Leipziger Internet newspaper, October 19, 2019.
  52. ↑ Michael Bartsch: Carsten Rentzings resignation: A bishop with a boy band. taz, October 14, 2019.
  53. ↑ a b Markus Springer: Faith is political - on the resignation of the Saxon regional bishop. Sunday paper, October 16, 2019.
  54. ↑ Conservative working group regrets resignation of the Saxon bishop. epd, October 14, 2019.
  55. ^ Former Saxon regional bishop: Petition calls for Bishop Rentzing to remain in office. DLF, October 16, 2019; New petition supports Bishop Rentzing. Saxon newspaper, October 16, 2019.
  56. ↑ The Rentzing affair turns into a conflict of opinions. Saxon Newspaper, October 17, 2019.
  57. ^ Wolfram Nagel: Support for and criticism of Regional Bishop Rentzing. MDR, October 20, 2019.
  58. ^ Saxon regional church accepts the resignation of Bishop Rentzing. Katholisch.de, October 21, 2019.
  59. ↑ Small-minded block guardianship. The petition against the Saxon regional bishop is an expression of religious exaggeration. Zeitzeichen , October 18, 2019.
  60. ↑ Philipp Greifenstein: Do you need it? Zeitzeichen, October 18, 2019.
  61. ↑ Reinhard Mawick: Conditionally forgiving: The revelation speech Carsten Rentzings contains explosive. Zeitzeichen, November 1, 2019.
  62. ^ Matthias Drobinski: Evangelical Church: The speechless bishop. SZ, October 14, 2019.
  63. ↑ Philipp Greifenstein: The silence of the bishop and the division of the church. epd, October 15, 2019.
  64. ↑ Evelyn Finger, Wolfgang Thielmann: Carsten Rentzing: A bishop flees from office. The time. No. 43, October 17, 2019 (subject to registration).
personal data
SURNAME Rentzing, Carsten
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Rentzing, Carsten Uwe (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Lutheran theologian
DATE OF BIRTH September 27, 1967
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin-Spandau