Bekenntnis und Bekennen

Abstract

The dimension of a consciously practised "faith" that precedes all knowledge has the character of a self-confession. In such a life situation we speak of confession. Therefore confessions are answers to the questions and challenges arising from the process of life, which have been searched for and formulated in the light of God's promises and his works. For this reason they do not originate from human subjectivity but develop through the controversial process of theological forming of opinions based on the Biblical texts which bear witness to God's deeds. The confessions of the evangelical churches which are based on Luther adhere that the church - through word and sacrament - directs away from herself towards the working of God. This remains the criteria by which the existence and bearing of evangelical-Lutheran churches has to be measured. The confessions are foundational for the forming of theological opinions and describe the profile of an evangelical-Lutheran church. They contain the criteria for additional processes of decision making and may lead to new findings of consensus which enable the confraternity of churches. Against this background we ask if the Barmen Theological Declaration is not also to be considered as a confession of the Lutheran churches. Equally necessary is the answering of the question if the CA (Confessio Augustana) could not also be the united confession for the member churches of the EKD (Evangelical Church in Germany).