Stuttgart (dpa/lsw) – The Evangelical Church of Württemberg wants to do something about the hardship in times of inflation and the energy crisis and is waiving part of the church tax. “We don’t want any of the money that the state is currently distributing in aid,” said Bishop Ernst-Wilhelm Gohl of the “Stuttgarter Zeitung” and the “Stuttgarter Nachrichten” (Wednesday). The share of the church tax that is due on the energy price flat rate goes into an energy fund. It is about five million euros. In this way, hardship can be alleviated in a very concrete and local way.
In general, it needs to be explained better what is happening with the church tax. “Nothing can be taken for granted anymore,” said Gohl in view of the decline in membership in the major churches. Processes of change in society must lead to a change in attitude in the church. “We must not glorify the past.”
