Johannes Friedrich

This article deals with the Protestant regional bishop Johannes Friedrich, for further persons see Johannes Friedrich (disambiguation) .

Johannes Friedrich (2009)

Johannes Friedrich (2011)

Johannes Friedrich (born June 20, 1948 in Bielefeld-Gadderbaum ) is a German Evangelical Lutheran theologian who was, among other things, regional bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and the leading bishop of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (VELKD).

Life

Johannes Friedrich, son of the Evangelical Lutheran theologian of the Confessing Church and professor of New Testament Gerhard Friedrich and his wife, grew up in Erlangen . In 1967 he passed the Abitur at the Gymnasium Fridericianum .

First work experience

After studying Protestant theology at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and the University of Tübingen , Friedrich worked from 1972 to 1976 as a research assistant to Peter Stuhlmacher in Tübingen . Walter Klaiber was his predecessor at Ernst Käsemann as an assistant .

Friedrich did his doctorate on the subject of God in the Brother. A method-critical examination of the editing, tradition and traditions in Mt 25, 31-46 LUT , published as Calwer Theologische Monographien , Volume 7. This shows his theological basic position from political theology to ecumenism to pastoral closeness to people, especially in People who are in existential need. It is important to him to strengthen people, a theology that is essentially dialogical. Friedrich tries to prove that Mt 25, 31-46 goes back to Jesus: To love God in your brother means not to let God die.

Friedrich was ordained on November 13, 1977 . From 1979 he was pastor in Nuremberg at St. Egidien and at the same time student pastor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and the universities of applied sciences in Nuremberg.

Provost in Jerusalem and Dean in Nuremberg

In 1985 Friedrich was appointed provost to the Evangelical German Language Congregation in Jerusalem . The award of the title "Provost" goes back to Kaiser Wilhelm II on the occasion of the inauguration of the Erlöserkirche in 1898. This is the representative of the EKD in Israel , in the West Bank and in Jordan . His duties are comparable to those of an auxiliary bishop in the Anglican Church or a bishop in Orthodox churches . Provost Johannes Friedrich cultivated the interreligious dialogue with Jews and Muslims as well as the interdenominational dialogue with a large number of Christian religious communities.

From 1991 Friedrich held the office of dean of the Evangelical Lutheran deanery in Nuremberg. From 1996 he was a member of the regional synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and chairman of the synodal committee there.

Regional bishop

On April 24, 1999, Friedrich was elected regional bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, the third largest regional church of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). He took office on November 1, 1999. From 2000 to 2005 he was Catholica representative of the VELKD and from 2002 to 2013 was a member of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany. During the Pope's visit to Germany in 2006, Johannes Friedrich and Benedict XVI celebrated. an ecumenical vespers in Regensburg Cathedral .

After the end of his twelve-year term of office, Friedrich decided against re-election. On October 30, 2011 his successor, the Bamberg theology professor Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, was introduced as regional bishop.

Senior Bishop of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany

On October 17, 2005 Friedrich was elected by the general synod of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (VELKD) as its leading bishop. He thus represented 10.4 million believers. Because of this election, Friedrich was chairman of the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (DNK / LWB), based in Wittenberg . Friedrich saw the work in Wittenberg as a “contribution to community building and reconciliation of the Christian churches [...], to build trustworthy and resilient contacts with Christians all over the world [...] to a strongly ecumenically oriented work, to support the Lutheran churches worldwide and for all other Christians who are interested in the Reformation. "

The successor to Johannes Friedrich as leading bishop of the VELKD was the Schleswig-Holstein bishop Gerhard Ulrich .

Pastor of Bertholdsdorf

From February 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013 Friedrich was pastor in the Franconian town of Bertholdsdorf , where he looked after a total of 720 Evangelicals from other places on a half-time post. The introductory service was celebrated on February 5th. On September 8, 2013, Friedrich was bid farewell to retirement at a festive service in Bertholdsdorf.

Friedrich is married and has two grown daughters.

Act

National commitment

Friedrich is involved in a broad social context as a member of the Rotarians , on the board of trustees of Christival , on the board of trustees of the Eugen Biser Foundation , on the board of trustees of the evangelical association ProChrist , which is related to the YMCA , and on the board of trustees of the interreligious society Freunde Abrahams . He is also on the board of the International Martin Luther Foundation . He was the patron of the Gospel Awards in Munich.

International commitment

Friedrich was Middle East Commissioner for the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). On the 50th anniversary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), Friedrich congratulated on behalf of the EKD: “At first I was of the opinion that the Lutheran Church does not belong in the Holy Land. [...] But then I learned that it is important that the local Lutheran Church exist. "

At the invitation of the Chinese Christian Council, Johannes Friedrich went on a visit to the People's Republic of China in 2007 and visited St. Paul's Church in Nanjing . According to the Chinese Christian Council, the Protestant Church in China is growing rapidly. The chairwoman of the Christian Council, Pastor Cao Shengjie, reported that there are now around 16 million regular visitors to Protestant services among the approximately 1.3 billion Chinese. Around 50 years ago there were only about 700,000 Christians.

With a three-day festival in Sopron, Hungary, the Protestant churches in Europe commemorated the fall of the Iron Curtain and the opening of the borders in 1989. The highlight of the celebrations from July 3rd to 5th, 2009, to which the Community of Evangelical Churches in Europe (CPCE) was a festive service on the Pan-European Picnic Area with a sermon by Johannes Friedrich.

Editing

Johannes Friedrich was co-editor of the magazine zeitzeichen - Evangelical Commentaries on Religion and Society and until 2014 co-editor of chrismon. The Protestant magazine , together with Katrin Göring-Eckardt , Margot Käßmann and Nikolaus Schneider .

Positions

Coexistence between the Christian churches

As regional bishop Friedrich was a member of the board of the 2nd Ecumenical Kirchentag and connects a “Church of the Future” with the Kirchentag : “I hope that during the preparation many new ecumenical connections and projects arise in the local congregations, so that we can during the four days of the Ecumenical Church Congress in May 2010 can celebrate the climax of a long, positive ecumenical process ”, with Friedrich promoting an“ ecumenical movement of small steps ”.

When discussing a common Lord's Supper , the Catholic Church's understanding of ministry is behind the Catholic conception of the Lord's Supper. “That could not be clarified in Munich”, especially since the Lord's Supper is not “suitable for provocation”, according to Friedrich. Theological problems caused by the “different understanding of ministry between pastors and ordained priests” could not be ignored, especially since ecumenism should not be “equalization”. Rather, ecumenism should “enable” to accept the other in one's religious life. The credo of the ecumenical partnership includes respect that “people live their faith differently”.

In 2007, a 20-year church fellowship between Protestant regional churches and the United Methodist Church was celebrated in Stuttgart . "The church fellowship between our churches is part of the ecumenical awakening that we experienced in the 20th century and which we helped to shape ourselves in part," said Friedrich in his welcoming address.

With Luther's songs through the new year

Since the beginning of 2012, the Federal Republic of Germany has been pervaded by a musical band. For the first time parishes of all regional churches are connected with one another and result in a "sounding togetherness", so Johannes Friedrich. The cultural office of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) selected 77 leading songs . "You will be amazed at how many songs Martin Luther wrote and how many were composed during the Reformation," emphasized Friedrich.

Freedom from worry

The word of Jesus “do not worry” does not mean to shirk responsibility. "Wherever worries are not taken seriously, inhuman [...] ideas have an easy time of it", says Friedrich. He knows what pressure is on people. It is true that he does not have a patent solution, but only the promise of Jesus “do not worry”. But freedom from worry can lead to activity. Here Friedrich also refers to Dietrich Bonhoeffers , who also called for trust not only in himself, but in Jesus: “Sermon and hymn need each other and pass on faith in their own way ”.

Freedom in commitment

“Anyone who understands freedom to be unbound will fail on oneself, will be eaten away by their constant concern for themselves,” says Friedrich. Evangelical freedom can only be rooted in a deep bond with God. “The church is the place where we experience that we are not alone with our faith in God, who leads us to freedom. The church is the place where people are strengthened together in their faith. "

Don't write off God

In his Good Friday address in the St. Oswald Church in Regensburg, Friedrich said that the dying Jesus on the cross shows that suffering is “not an industrial accident” but is “part of everyday life”. But it is precisely there that God is present, according to the regional bishop, who named the rampage in Winnenden, the incest case in Amstetten, Austria, and the suicide attacks in Iraq as examples of severe suffering. Friedrich called on people filled with suffering to “call on God”, but not “write off God”. Not even when many in particularly fateful situations asked themselves: “Where have you been, God?” Christians are not prophets of doom, but rather drew courage from their faith in Jesus, who died and rose again. “We never give up on ourselves, other people or this world,” says Johannes Friedrich. And, according to the regional bishop, "you can never fall deeper than into the hands of God."

Mozart as "Praise to God"

In the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) to Reflect the praise of God, John Frederick occasion of the Würzburg Mozart Festival . The awareness of being the people "God's creatures", make them self-confident .

Our daily bread

“I really like going to the bakery across from my apartment because I think it's nice to see the full bread shelves and to smell that the bread is really still being baked here,” says Johannes Friedrich.

“'Give us today our daily bread' - I noticed that this is anything but self-evident on my visits to our Lutheran partner churches in Africa , where I saw how unjust goods are distributed in the world and how people are have to take care of their daily bread there. But basically you don't have to go that far to experience something like this: I recently went to elementary school. In this elementary school, over half of the pupils come to school in the morning without having eaten anything. Without a piece of bread, without breakfast - be it because the parents don't get up at all, be it because there is no money - there are very different reasons [...] 'Give us today our daily bread' - that is what bread also means of the word of God, which is supposed to refresh and strengthen us spiritually ”, emphasizes Bishop Friedrich.

Dealing with death

With death and dying , said Johannes Friedrich, deep are fears connected, a painful farewell . At the same time, they give the chance to “shape life responsibly”, especially since future planning can include the fact that “things can turn out very differently” than initially hoped. In this respect, the following biblical thoughts are of great importance to the regional bishop: "Lord teach us to remember that we must die so that we can become wise."

Evangelical pastoral care for emigrants

According to Friedrich, the integration of Russian-German emigrants into church and society is far from over. On the sidelines of the Bavarian Church Congress 2009, Friedrich presented the brochure ... in the middle ... to the public. It describes the work of the Bavarian emigrant pastoral care that has existed for 20 years. "The Russian-German repatriates are an asset to our Bavarian communities," said Friedrich. There would be ample room in the church for other piety, other traditions, and other life stories. In some communities the Russian Germans make up more than half of the members.

Church and Society

60th anniversary of the end of the war

In Munich, on the 60th anniversary of the end of the war on May 8, 1945, the Protestant regional bishop Johannes Friedrich called for common commemoration and remembrance. The National Socialist regime , the Second World War and the consequences of the war had millions of people become victims of injustice and violence, said Friedrich at a central memorial event of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria in the Herkulessaal of the Munich residence . “It is a permanent obligation for us to preserve the memory of these victims and, wherever possible, to get them out of the namelessness”.

60th anniversary of the Basic Law

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany , an ecumenical festive service was held on May 30, 2009 in Bonn's cathedral . The Christian Churches Working Group (ACK) in North Rhine-Westphalia had invited . It was celebrated by the chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference Robert Zollitsch , Metropolitan Augoustinos of Germany and the Bavarian regional bishop. Friedrich remarked in his sermon: “Sixty years of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany, that is a reason to be proud for our country and a reason for us as Christian churches to be thankful to God. […] Article 1 of the Basic Law, which describes human dignity as inviolable, and the legal provisions that follow from it are not an ideological definition, but a principle that stems from Christian thought, but is valid and understandable for all people in Germany. [...] In our ethical debates about the protection of life at the beginning and at the end we should always refer to this principle of our Basic Law ”.

Diakonia and climate protection

Diakonia with its diaconal work is part of the “basic dimension of the church”, according to Friedrich. Diaconal work is very important both in institutions and in church parishes. Friedrich "pointed out [...] the importance of offers for people with dementia".

Friedrich also urged the church to do more to protect the climate . There are already many good approaches, "but we can do more," said Friedrich. Nonetheless, the implementation “on site” is taken seriously, as the deployment of around 1300 voluntary environmental officers in the Protestant parishes of Bavaria shows.

Human rights and moral courage

In an appeal, Archbishop Reinhard Marx and Regional Bishop Friedrich stated that the code of conduct of the International Toy Association could make an important contribution to the creation of humane working conditions . However, the code must be implemented in a credible manner. Economic interests would have to recede if they came into conflict with human dignity ; they do not justify inhumane working conditions . After all, consumers have to be able to rely on “that human rights are observed in toy production,” says Friedrich.

With regard to their civil rights , three nurses had the courage to address the nursing emergency of their ward in an old people's home . The onerous consequences were being banned from the house and the experience of being constantly avoided. In his Pentecost sermon , however, Friedrich thanked for this moral courage , with which he expresses that the preservation of “human dignity” ( Art. 1 GG) is both an essential basis for human coexistence and for the promotion of the health of the people affected . In the annual journal Das Gedicht , Friedrich makes it clear how difficult it is to “live civil courage”.

Political responsibility

Society is "not an ungodly counterpart to the church, but an area of ​​God alongside the church". Friedrich explained this on April 27 at a state reception in Munich on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria. In Friedrich's opinion, social and political engagement is part of being a Christian . Protestants did not decide according to what the church said, but according to political reason and free conscience .

In his Pentecost sermon in 2009, Friedrich warned that Christians should not withdraw from the world and its political processes; Rather, they should "watch the development of society attentively and with dedication in a" vigilant contemporaneity, (take) them into prayer and speak up courageously ". Friedrich mentions the courageous Barmer Theological Declaration of the Confessing Church from recent church history as an example . The church is not just an event or “emigrate” from society, as the sociology of religion points out, but it is committed to society within the framework of its possibilities.

The nuclear disaster in Japan also posed new challenges for the church and society. The regional bishop emphasizes the importance of trust in God and the power of prayer , especially in difficult life situations.

Social market economy

In a conversation between the regional bishop and the president of the Association of Bavarian Business , Randolf Rodenstock , Johannes Friedrich emphasized the “shared responsibility of social forces”. Economic activity can not only focus on the "return". The connection of economic activity with social responsibility , the basic ideas of the social market economy , are of great importance in the context of the economic and financial crisis . Overlooking bankruptcy proceedings , said Johannes Friedrich, the value of a company not only on its income read, "but also in his dealings with the employees."

Church, family, education and health

Burnout and the importance of Sunday

Friedrich draws attention to the dangers of burnout in modern society . To remain sensitive and perceptive, on the one hand to recognize the danger of “burning”, on the other hand to “stay in balance” as a person, is a pastoral concern for Johannes Friedrich, as in his foreword to stay wild instead of burn out . The non- working Sunday makes an important contribution to maintaining equilibrium, and under no circumstances should it be "given up without necessity", emphasized Friedrich. “After all, this day of rest is a cultural achievement of society that has grown over centuries ”.

Changing family

"Family is wherever people care for their children or their parents," said the bishop: large families with three generations, families without children and families in which 60-year-olds took care of their 80-year-old parents. In general, Friedrich advocates strengthening families in all forms. This includes not only the classic small family , but also single parents and blended families . In this respect, it would have to be accepted even more “that family should not be identified exclusively with a bourgeois family ideal.” The individual forms of the present would have to be taken seriously.

According to Friedrich, the task of the church is to “encourage children” and to strengthen parents so that children can grow up in the best possible way. Johannes Friedrich sees the contribution of the church congregations in “helping parents to convey the Christian faith”. There is still some catching up to do with regard to equality between men and women. Men should be more encouraged to take parental leave. To do this, employers also needed more incentives. Likewise, the social image of men must continue to change. The education should not be left to women alone.

In general, Friedrich demands more understanding for the needs of families. Many families today suffer from a “double burden of work and child-rearing”. Accusations and references to earlier times made no sense. “Here, the families must be offered help that enables them to find their own arrangements,” says Friedrich. The church's day-care centers made a contribution to this . The more difficult it is for families to pass on the faith, the more important it is for religious education .

Risk of poverty and equity in education

Children are the top priority, says Johannes Friedrich. "Children are not only the future, but the present of our church". It is undisputed that the religious socialization of children in families is much less than it was a few decades ago. "There is no prayer in the evening, and church stories are rarely read aloud," Friedrich regretted. It is therefore important to take care of the children and their upbringing, not the spreading administration. Actually, he would have intended day nurseries for single parents. “But that has changed dramatically as a result of the experience in my own family. In kindergarten you learn things that you can not learn even in a sheltered home ”. Friedrich, for example, advocates expanding childcare "so that single parents also have a chance to find a job to free themselves from the risk of poverty ".

Friedrich also warns of increasing child poverty in Germany. "Children must not become the losers of the current crisis if a far worse crisis is not to occur," said the regional bishop. About 144,000 children from Hartz IV were currently living in Bavaria . Friedrich pleaded for more holistic education. It is an important prerequisite for “children to get out of this vicious circle”: “Educational justice is not only a requirement of charity, but also of political reason. The goal of education is more than just suitability for the job market. [...] In view of the looming recession , the question of education is proving to be the key issue of the future. So that there are [...] self-confident, competent and socially open-minded people in Germany in the future, we have to work to strengthen children and their families, especially in times of crisis. "

A publicly discussed tax on speculative financial transactions, so the demand of the globalization-critical network attac , should benefit a global fight against poverty. The introduction of this tax was "sensible and forward-looking", confirmed Friedrich at the New Year's reception of the Evangelical Academy in Tutzing . The regional bishop stands behind demands like those made by other church institutions.

School pastoral care and late abortions

After the rampages in Erfurt and Winnenden and concerns about violence among young people, Friedrich pleaded for religious educators to be promoted as pastors. In extreme psychological situations such as serious accidents , sexual abuse , bullying , suicide attempts and other crisis situations, students should get more help from pastors, especially since such contact points for confidential discussions are also a relief for the whole school .

Friedrich advocated a legal obligation to advise against late abortions and declared that pregnant women should be protected from "having to abort" if their child is likely to be born disabled. Together with the regional synod, he pushed for a legally protected minimum reflection period of at least three days for affected women. The “automatism between diagnosis of a probable disability of the unborn child and the immediately following abortion” is rejected by Friedrich.

Modern elementary catechism and value formation

In communicating the faith , Friedrich admits that there are “deficits in the churches”. Passing on to the next generation is a "big issue". It only works “when those who are supposed to pass something on know what they are passing on. And that's exactly where it lacks ”, said Friedrich before the general synod of the VELKD. The tradition of faith and piety from generation to generation fell by the wayside much earlier. A modern elementary catechism is required. Because educational work is important for the church. "We pay for what is wrong with us in terms of education with alienation , de -churchization and leaving the church", especially since the lack of a home in faith - with its performance in worship and prayer - desocializes, i.e. H. burden personal development.

In terms of educational policy , the regional bishop demands that school lessons not only focus on imparting knowledge, but also on conveying “the development of heart, character and values”. Young people have to learn to deal with knowledge and to use it for their social and their own good. Also in the context of a fireplace chat at the Munich Teachers' Association at the beginning of 2012 - together with Albin Dannhäuser and Jochen Vogel - Friedrich emphasized that taking children seriously is an important prerequisite for education for democracy . But that also means contradicting them. Above all, the teachers would have to remain sensitive to the experiences of injustice and violence of the Third Reich, especially as contemporary witnesses are visibly dying out.

Trivializing sin and biotechnology

Friedrich warned against "playing down, belittling and trivializing" sin . Sin and guilt are not "peripheral issues of life". Only a cleared life will set you free for a new beginning. The bishop has respect for people who admit guilt ; they show that they show responsibility . In the design of interpersonal relationships, according to the Frankfurt sociologist Axel Honneth , morality and recognition are revealed to fellow citizens. "Only those who deal openly and aggressively with their own mistakes, who understand what they have done wrong, can also experience reconciliation, true peace with themselves, with people and with God," said the regional bishop.

Friedrich spoke out against patents on plants and animals . Only God had patent rights on plants and animals . In order to exclude such patents "once and for all", the European Union should fundamentally revise patent law, said Friedrich. He also rejected pre-implantation diagnosis (PGD). With it the "ethically responsible" is exceeded. “God be Lord over life and death. People should never presume to distinguish between worth living and unworthy of living. "Friedrich expects the legislature to an" unmistakable ban "of PGD. After all, “life is a gift”. "Because the Christian image of man knows that not only the strong, healthy and people who conform to the“ norm ”are creatures and images of God."

Embryo protection

Friedrich welcomed the award of the Nobel Prize for Medicine to the stem cell researchers Shinya Yamanaka (Japan) and John Gurdon (Great Britain) as a signal for the protection of life. The prizewinners have succeeded in turning adult cells back into stem cell-like cells. With their help, incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's will one day be treated. An ethically harmless route to stem cell therapy has been opened. Human embryos - that is, people in their earliest stages - no longer have to be “consumed” and killed in order to heal the sick. Friedrich turns against such consuming embryo research. He is pleased that the two researchers have been honored because they make it clear that “research on adult stem cells can bring something”. For a long time the impression was given that progress in the treatment of serious diseases could only be achieved with the help of research on embryonic stem cells.

Appreciations

For the two large Christian churches in Germany, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Munich Reinhard Marx emphasized Friedrich's “advocacy of ecumenical partnership”. According to Friedrich, Catholics and Protestants have come closer in faith. The differences are "no longer church-dividing". Ten years after the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification , with which the trenches from the Reformation were overcome, it is time for Protestant Christians to renounce the “traditional anti-Catholic resentment”. Instead, they should face the challenges of modern society together. Friedrich called for acceptance of the various forms of expression of Christian faith. This diversity is not a “danger or dilution of our beliefs”, but a wealth. The “journey is the goal”, said Friedrich about the ecumenical situation. The President of the Landtag, Alois Glück, praised the Bishop's commitment to ecumenism: “Ecumenism is of central importance for people to live together and for the credibility of the Christian churches. You, Mr. Regional Bishop, are one of the great bridge builders between Protestant and Catholic Christians and their churches. You combine your own convictions with empathy for the position and the situation of the other. "

On the occasion of his 60th birthday, representatives from politics and the church paid tribute to his ability to “build bridges” and “convey the faith”. The Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Wolfgang Huber , emphasized Johannes Friedrich's “great steadfastness” and “ to testify to the vitality of the Lutheran tradition for Christian existence in the 21st century” as a pastoral concern of Johannes Friedrich . In the letter of congratulations from the President of the Bavarian State Parliament , it says: “You not only give Protestant Christians, but also everyone who is looking for orientation and points of view, impulses and assistance through your own clear positions. You are not afraid of controversy, but you have grown more and more trust because the statement and the person agree and the statements are well-founded. "

Honors (selection)

• Bavarian Order of Merit , 2003
• Bavarian Constitutional Medal in Gold, 2004
• Wilhelm Löhe Medal, 2008
• Rabbi Spiro Prize , 2009
• Tutzinger Lion, 2011
• Ecumenical Prize, 2011

Works

• Entrusted talents. 2008
• Responsibility close to the community and on a global horizon. 2008
• The leadership of the Church in our time. 2008
• Witnesses to the truth of God. 2006
• To continue on the path that has already started with a fixed focus on the goal. 2005
• The Confessio Augustana and Christianity. 2005
• Act in an ecumenical spirit. 2004
• Shaping the future. 2004
• Confidence despite intermediate low. 2003
• Building trust in the ecumenical community. 2002
• Ecumenism in Germany - look ahead. 2002
• Called to share witness. 2001
• On the way to the community. 2000
• Show profile. 2000
• God in Brother ?. 1977
• God in the other? A method-critical investigation of the redaction, tradition and tradition in Matthew 25: 31-46. 1976 (diss.)
• Justification . 1976

Web links

Commons : Johannes Friedrich  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Literature by and about Johannes Friedrich in the catalog of the German National Library
• CV at the Evangelical Church of Bavaria ( Memento from October 13, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
• chrismon. The Evangelical Magazine (May 2, 2009) ( Memento from December 31, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
• Reports on Regional Bishop Dr. Johannes Friedrich (July 24, 2010)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Klaus Bürger: Friedrich, Gerhard . In: Ostdeutsche Biografie (Kulturportal West-Ost), accessed on August 5, 2010
2. ↑ Johannes Friedrich: God in Brother (= Calwer Theological Monographs , Series A: Biblical Studies. Vol. 7). Calwer Verlag Stuttgart 1977; ISBN 3-7668-0537-1
3. ↑ Evangelical in Jerusalem: History of the German-speaking Evangelical Institutions in Jerusalem ( Memento from November 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ); (January 31, 2012).
4. ↑ On the way to the Bible: Former Bavarian State Bishop Friedrich is 70 years old. In: Idea Pressedienst, June 12, 2018, No. 136.
5. ↑ zeitzeichen , accessed on January 29, 2012
6. ↑ Katja Auer: New Protestant regional bishop - church celebrities have come ; Article on sueddeutsche.de from October 30, 2011; Retrieved October 30, 2011
7. ↑ Lutheran World Federation (June 11, 2009)
8. ^ Eberhard Blanke: Gerhard Ulrich officially introduced as the new leading bishop of the VELKD ; Press releases of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany from November 4, 2011; last accessed on February 1, 2012 ( Memento from January 19, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
9. ^ Jutta Olschewski, Diane Meyer: Bertholdsdorf in excitement: The bishop becomes their pastor ; epd report on evangelisch.de from January 31, 2012
10. ↑ Jutta Olschewski: Friedrich: “Don't be afraid to call me” ; time signs. Ev. Comments on religion and society; Article on evangelisch.de from February 5, 2012
11. ↑ Portrait of Dr. Johannes Friedrich, former regional bishop , accessed on January 29, 2012
12. ↑ Gospel music wants to give impulses for life: Final of the largest German competition on December 16 in Munich. epd Landesdienst Bayern, December 4, 2006, archived from the original on July 14, 2010 ; Retrieved July 14, 2010 . 
13. ↑ Community of Ev. Churches in Europe: Protestant churches commemorate the fall of the Iron Curtain ; Press release from June 30, 2009
14. ↑ 2nd Ecumenical Church Congress Munich 2010 (May 16, 2009)
15. ^ Regional Bishop Friedrich on the 2nd ÖKT , accessed on March 10, 2012
16. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Appeal for solidarity and perseverance at the end of the Kirchentag weekend summary ; Associated Press report of May 24, 2009. )
17. ↑ EKD - Evangelical Church in Germany (May 9, 2009)
18. ^ Alois Knoller: With Luther's songs through the new year. Cantata in St. Anna opens thematic series on the Reformation ; Augsburger Allgemeine, January 2, 2012.
19. ↑ Christl Schemm: Hear what people say ; Frankenpost, January 31, 2012.
20. ↑ “Messengers of Joy” - brilliant examples of musical praise to God ; Roth-Hilpoltsteiner Volkszeitung, February 5, 2009. ( Memento from September 19, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
21. ↑ Jack Hauswald: Regional Bishop Dr. Johannes Friedrich: From the I-AG to the We-AG ( Memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ); handwerkermarkt.de, May 29, 2010
22. ↑ One can never fall deeper than into the hands of God , accessed March 10, 2012
23. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Bayerischer Rundfunk ) (June 7, 2010)
24. ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives: dealing with death - Erich Lejeune in conversation with regional bishop Dr. Johannes Friedrich ); bayern-evangelisch.de
25. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: 20 years of evangelical repatriate pastoral care ) (June 5, 2009)
26. ↑ May 8, 1945 - Against forgetting ; Süddeutsche Zeitung of May 8, 2005
27. ↑ Working group of Christian churches in North Rhine-Westphalia: 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the Basic Law Ecumenical Festival Service (August 6, 2010)
28. ↑ Udo Hahn: Grateful for the state of the Basic Law: Leading Bishop of the VELKD preached in the ecumenical festival service of the ACK in Bonn Minster ; Press release of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) from May 30, 2009 ( Memento from February 12, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
29. ↑ Diakonie Neuendettelsau: ( page no longer available , search in web archives: Löhe Medal, award 2008: Regional Bishop Dr. Johannes Friedrich )
30. ↑ European Commission and Climate Protection ( Memento of May 22, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (June 13, 2009)
31. ^ Herbert Hahner: Evangelical Congregation in Motion ; merkur-online.de, April 23, 2009
32. ↑ Uwe Kleinert (Aktion fair plays, Werkstatt Ökonomie): Decidedly for human rights! Press release from June 5, 2009
33. ↑ "Kaktus" for moral courage  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Augsburger Allgemeine, June 15, 2009.  
34. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Idea.de - Das christliche Nachrichtenportal ) (April 28, 2009)
35. ↑ Johannes Friedrich: Pentecost sermon on John 14: 23-27 as part of the 100th anniversary of the Hensoldshöhe Community Deaconess Mother House in Gunzenhausen by the leading bishop of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (VELKD) ; ekd.de, May 31, 2009.
36. ↑ Fears of new nuclear fission in Fukushima. Süddeutsche.de , accessed on February 7, 2012.
37. ↑ Ev. Church in Bavaria , accessed on February 7, 2012
38. ↑ Words of the Regional Bishop on the situation in Japan , accessed on March 10, 2012
39. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Economy and social responsibility ) (June 13, 2009)
40. ↑ Source: “It’s amazing what’s going on” ; Nürnberger Nachrichten, June 27, 2009 ( Memento from July 22, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
41. ↑ Susanne Breit-Keßler, Norbert Dennerlein (ed.): Stay Wild instead of Burn Out. Life in balance ; Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2009; ISBN 978-3-579-05908-2 ; Pp. 7–8 (pdf; 998 kB)
42. ^ Church - Bavaria's churches strictly against the relaxation of Sunday protection ; ddp report in Ad-Hoc-News, December 16, 2009 ( Memento from July 18, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
43. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Strengthening families in all forms ) (May 12, 2007)
44. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Make parents strong - Leading bishop on the change in the image of the family ; press release of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) of March 9, 2009 )
45. ↑ Family in Society ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (May 1, 2009)  
46. ↑ Peggy Biczysko: Children are the top priority ; Frankenpost, April 29, 2009
47. ↑ Bavarian regional bishop supports attac  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Church and the world. Evangelische Zeitung, January 21, 2010  
48. ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives: Evangelischer Pressedienst ) (July 27, 2009)
49. ↑ Press release of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD): General Synod Ulm - Report of the Leading Bishop ; October 23, 2009
50. ↑ Provincial Bishop Friedrich urges “value building” in schools ; ddp report on Ad-Hoc-News.de from July 29, 2010 ( Memento from August 2, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
51. ↑ What can a society do to make its children want democracy? Critical school policy statement of the MLLV at the traditional start of the year ; Münchner Wochenanzeiger, January 24, 2012
52. ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives: sin is not a side issue ); Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, February 28, 2010
53. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Süddeutsche Zeitung (23 November 2010) )
54. ↑ Johannes Friedrich: Bishop Friedrich: "Life is a gift" ; Time signal; On: evangelisch.de, article from October 25, 2010.
55. ↑ EKD council member welcomes Signal by awarding the Nobel Prize (October 10, 2012)
56. ^ Regional Bishop Friedrich on the situation of ecumenism ; Interview with Domradio on March 19, 2010 (Flash)
57. ↑ ^{a b} Bavarian State Parliament  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (June 10, 2009)  
58. ↑ Wilhelm Löhe Medal ( Memento from September 21, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (June 16, 2009; PDF; 65 kB)
59. ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Bavarian State Government ) (December 17, 2009)
60. ^ Tutzinger lion for outgoing regional bishop. Bild.de , accessed on March 10, 2012
61. ^ Catholic Academy Bavaria , accessed on January 16, 2011

predecessor	Office	successor
Jürgen Wehrmann	Evangelical Lutheran Provost of Jerusalem 1985–1991	Karl-Heinz Ronecker