Journal: Eikon
Volume: EIKON 04:2 (Fall 2022)
Article: The Nashville Statement In German
Author: Ron Kubsch

Eikon 4.2 (Fall 2022) p. 58

The Nashville Statement In German

Ron Kubsch

Ron Kubsch serves as Editor in Chief at Evangelium21

I can still remember the day when I first saw the Nashville Statement. It was at the end of August in 2017. After reading it for the first time, I thought: this statement pretty much addresses the questions we are currently discussing in German-speaking communities. It creates the transparency and clarity we need to face the challenges that anti-essentialist schools of thought and the LGBTQ+ movement have brought to our society and the church. The chosen form, with its affirmations and denials, helps avoid misunderstandings and ambiguities.

Eikon 4.2 (Fall 2022) p. 59

As editor of Evangelium21, I promptly contacted our chairman, Pastor Matthias Lohmann. He gave a similarly positive assessment of the document, and within just a few days the leadership of our reformed-oriented network got behind the statement. We wanted to make it known not only in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but we also wanted to provide an accurate German language translation as soon as possible.

We are grateful that Colin Smothers of CBMW granted us the translation rights. As early as mid-September, we were able to make a digital edition of the Nashville Statement available for free download. On September 21, 2017, we issued the following press release:

Based on the observation that Western culture in the 21st century has become increasingly post-Christian and has begun to “redefine entirely what it means to be a human being,” the Nashville Statement calls on the church to gratefully affirm God’s beautiful, created order as set forth in Scripture and evident in nature. “We do not belong to ourselves. Our true identity as male and female has been given to us by God. To try to make something of ourselves other than what God created us to be is not only foolish but doomed to failure,” the declaration says. It urges recognition of the equality of men and women and at the same time affirmation of the differences between the sexes.1

A few days later, we were also able to hand out a print edition free of charge. The interest was enormous. Since then, the third edition of the booklet has been published. We have sent out several thousand copies or distributed them at conferences. Like-minded networks have drawn attention to the document and soon other organizations requested reprint permissions.

Within confessional Christian circles, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Many brothers and sisters were pleased to finally have a document that could serve as a basis for bringing clarity to heated discussions. What is more, m...