This is a massive tragedy. Margot Käßmann resigned earlier today both as Bishop of the Hannover Landeskirche and as Chair of the EKD Council (Ratsvorsitzende).
Following the incident a few days ago when she drove through a red light, was stopped by the police and found to be well over the alcohol limit, she resigned all her posts. The Council had a teleconference last night and gave her unanimous support – and I gather support has come in from just about everywhere. She made no excuses and made no attempt to duck her responsibility. So, her resignation press conference demonstrated just what the EKD and Germany have lost: a woman of stature, humility, dignity, clarity and courage. She is the best communicator the EKD has and is by far the best media operator in the Church.
When she finished her statement and rose to leave the press conference, the journalists applauded her.
It is too early to say why she resigned so quickly and against the will of so many in and outside of the church. She said that her ability to offer a prophetic critique had been compromised, but I am not sure that is true. I think many people are more ready to listen to the challenging voice of one who has ‘fallen’ and speaks with humility from a place of realism (and not from a pedestal of righteousness). Her departure is a tragedy and I have emailed her personally to assure her of my personal support, prayer and love.
Her statement ended with this affirmation:
Zuletzt: Ich weiß aus vorangegangenen Krisen: Du kannst nie tiefer fallen als in Gottes Hand. Für diese Glaubensüberzeugung bin ich auch heute dankbar.
‘You can never fall deeper than the hands of God.’ James Jones once wrote a Lent book called Falling into Grace. In it he makes the point that whenever we fall into sin we then fall further into the grace of God. Clearly that is what Margot is saying. That same grace must lead her through this trauma and then restore her gifts and experience to the service of the world through her service of the Church. She must be encouraged to speak, to preach and to write – she is brilliant. That’s what I am praying for her on a very sad day.
February 24, 2010 at 7:52 pm
I have just been watching on north German TV (NDR) a special extra following the national news programme Later it will be a main part of a weekly magazine programme ” People and headlines.
A heading to a programme note is: Eine Hoffnungsträgerin gibt auf: Käßmann erklärt ihren Rücktritt. A bearer of hope resigns and explains.
That is what she has been to many – a bearer of hope. On the special extra Berlin based politicians, including the Vice President of parliament (Bundestag), were declaring their sadness that church and nation were losing great leadership.
Many of us may not have been aware of her recovery from her breast cancer experience. I was reminded of this by Nick’s reference to James Jones whose book on suffering has meant much to me.
Yes a tragic loss.
February 24, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Nick thanks for writing this I was only able to cry when I got home this evening and read to the end of the statement – our live feed kept breaking up at work today – I agree I do hope she continues to write and preach and speak – I really hope she will be at the Kirchentag still. Let’s hope so …
A real tragedy …
February 24, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Yes, it is sad that she’s resigned – but does this perhaps mean there is a deeper problem than one drink/driving charge?
Anne.
February 24, 2010 at 9:57 pm
I find this so sad and wonder what the media would have made of it had it been an English bishop. Am I right in understanding that if clergy in the C of E get a crinimal record they have to resign?
February 24, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Really desperately sorry to hear the news; and hoping we may see more of her over here…? The irony is she would have been almost if not actually below the UK legal limit (I think).
February 24, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Thank you for your comment, Nick! It is really, really sad…. I just think about all the public persons/politicians who have gone through such unlucky affairs… but decided not to give up but just wait until the “talking” was over! I would have wished that Margot Kässmann would have taken this decision as well! It made me so proud that a woman like her was at the head of one of the biggest churches in Europe! I was also hoping very much that she would bring a new spirit to ecumenical movement…
Hope to see you soon in London! Have you got my mail?
February 25, 2010 at 12:42 am
Thank you Nick for your both straight and understanding comment – I was really touched by your point of view and think, that sometimes it may be a good idea to let oneself fall into the loving hands of God instead of struggling through…..
February 25, 2010 at 11:07 am
This is obviously a sad story; but, +Alan, if wikipedia is right, she was legally drunk in either country. It says she had 1.54, which is nearly twice the British (0.8) limit and more than three times the German one.
Thanks for writing this, though Nick. She looks like a really interesting woman.
February 26, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Thank you very much for this, Nick. Very well put. Such a sad, sad loss to the leadership of the church.
February 26, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Danke, Nick, für die sorgfältige und einfühlsame Beschreibung der Situation hier in Deutschland. Irgendwie lässt mich das ganze noch ratlos zurück.
How did you say during our meeting in the London “Christuskirche”: It’s just a blip. Even this might be one. But honestly – I feel as if some blips seem to last longer and weigh heavier than others.
Schade, wirklich schade.
February 27, 2010 at 5:51 pm
[...] nickbaines under Ethics | Tags: church, EKD, Germany, Margot Kaessmann | Leave a Comment The resignation of Margot Käßmann as Bishop of Hannover and Chair of the Council of the EKD earlier this week has made me think about [...]
February 27, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Markus, Some ‘blips’ go deeper than others. But, take a longer-term view of this. MK will be back and her gifts will not be lost. In the meantime, we pray for her and for the EKD as they go through this period of sadness and uncertainty. God has the final word and it sounds something like ‘resurrection’…
February 28, 2010 at 9:45 am
“Du kannst nie tiefer fallen als in Gottes Hand.”
Trost oder Manhung? Hebr. 10:31.
February 28, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Petermaier, warum nicht beide?
February 28, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Weil die moderne liberale Kirche universalistisch ist. Sie hat den See von Feuer aufgehoben.
March 1, 2010 at 11:26 am
I feel that someone that has broken the law who is a bishop, although what they have done is not acceptable in the eyes of law, it enforces the point that no one is perfect, so to have a bishop who has been found to be over the legal limit who is reasonably repentant about the incident would if anything draw me nearer to the church. Once the Disciplinary proceedings had taken place (if any were to) the Subject SHOULD THEN BE LAID TO REST.
Many Thanks
Anthony
May 29, 2010 at 7:25 pm
[...] Käßmann) today regarding the former Bishop of Hannover in Germany. Margot Käßmann resigned in February after being stopped for crossing a red light while well over the drink-drive limit. [...]