Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland

Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland ( _pl. Kościół Ewangelicko-Augsburski w Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) the largest Protestant body in Poland, is rooted in the Reformation. The first Lutheran sermons were held in 1518, and in 1523 the first Lutheran dean, Johann Heß, was called to Wrocław (then Breslau, Holy Roman Empire).

The church's six dioceses form a wide swath from north to south down the middle of Poland -- from Warmia-Masuria and Gdańsk in the north, near the Baltic, to the region west and southwest of Kraków in the south, toward the Czech Republic border. Direct descendants of Reformation forebears live in the south, around Silesia.

The church gathers in over 130 congregations and over 300 preaching places, and is served by over 150 pastors and other church workers. Many pastors serve multiple preaching points and are challenged by diverse demands as well as the need for innovation in a rapidly changing society. The congregations are self-governing, and each has its own parish council.

For the Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland, the pressures of coexisting in a country that is nearly 90 percent Roman Catholic have intensified the continuing need for resourcefulness in keeping the Evangelical faith. This is especially evident in the challenge of Christian education at various levels, whether in Sunday Schools, catechetical instruction, or in connection with the public schools, where religion is part of the curriculum. The main priorities of the church are in diaconic work among single, old, and disabled persons; women's and youth work; and in evangelism.

The Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland suffered a great deal during and after World War II. The ranks of pastors, teachers and other church leadership were severely diminished by persecution, imprisonment, and death. During the early postwar years, a staggering number of church properties were taken over for other purposes. By slow and painful steps, the Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland has been reshaped into an active body, demonstrating the tenacity and strength of its people's faith.

See also

* Juliusz Bursche, first Bishop of Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland

External links

* [http://www.luteranie.pl/ Official website of the Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland]
* [http://www.eemn.org/content.cfm?id=2069 Brief information about ECACP by EEMN]
* [http://www.kalme.net/kurzgeschichte-pl.html?L=1 Brief information about ECACP by KALME]