Christian Catholic Synod elects new bishop
Published: Friday, May 24th 2024, 17:40
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The National Synod of the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland has elected Frank Bangerter as its new bishop in Aarau. It took five rounds of voting for the Zurich priest to be elected. The new bishop will be consecrated on September 14 in Bern.
The lay delegates, the clergy and the synodal council, which is not entitled to vote except for the election of the bishop - the executive - were entitled to vote. A two-thirds majority is required for the election, as the denomination announced on Friday.
This led to a neck-and-neck race between the three nominees Bangerter, Christoph Schuler and Lars Simpson in the first three rounds. Schuler then withdrew and, after the fifth ballot, Simpson too. In the sixth ballot, which was still formally required, Bangerter achieved the necessary majority.
Bangerter promised that he would stand up for a courageous church. The Christian Catholic Church has two characteristics with undisputed potential: the ordination of women and marriage for all. It is a liberal church in the Catholic tradition. The 61-year-old new bishop lives with his partner in Grenchen and is a priest in Zurich.
The bishop's seat had been vacant since the resignation of Harald Rein in November 2023. The then 66-year-old Rein relinquished the office after 14 years. At the end of 2023, the Christian Catholic Church in Switzerland had over 12,000 members in 28 parishes.
©Keystone/SDA
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