The Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine (french: Union des Églises protestantes d'Alsace et de Lorraine, UEPAL; german: Die Union der Protestantischen Kirchen von Elsass und Lothringen; gsw-FR, D' Union vu da Protäschtàntischa Kìrcha vum Elsàss ùn Lothringa) was created in 2006 by bringing together the
(EPCAAL) and the
Protestant Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine
The Protestant Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine (french: Église protestante réformée d'Alsace et de Lorraine (EPRAL); german: Reformierte Kirche von Elsass und Lothringen; gsw-FR, d'Reformierta Kìrch vum Elsàss ùn Lothringa) is a Cal ...
(EPRAL).
While the new body is not a united church, it provides a common decision-making structure and a single body of pastors.
Overview
The Union was established by virtue of a decree of 18 April 2006. It was celebrated on 7 May 2006 with a special service at
St. Thomas Church in
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
.
It has the responsibility for organizing joint activities and strengthening relations between the two constitutive churches in
Alsace
Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
and the department of
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it jo ...
in
Lorraine
Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...
.
UEPAL totals some 250,000 church members, served by 250 pastors. About 80% belong to EPCAAL, with the remaining 20% belonging to EPRAL. The two churches keep their own structures and retain separate membership in international organizations. Both are members of the
Protestant Federation of France
The Protestant Federation of France (''Fédération protestante de France'') is a religious organisation created on 25 October 1905, which united the main Protestant Christians, Christian groupings in France. The current president is Christian K ...
(FPF).
UEPAL normally holds two assemblies each year, in June and November. At the first assembly in 2006, the former Dean of the Faculty of Protestant Theology of the
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg (french: Université de Strasbourg, Unistra) is a public research university located in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, with over 52,000 students and 3,300 researchers.
The French university traces its history to the ea ...
and President of EPCAAL,
Jean-François Collange
Jean-François Collange (born Le Puy-en-Velay, 1944) is a French Lutheran pastor and professor of theology.
He served as Lutheran pastor in Alsace and New Caledonia, before turning to exegetical studies, taking up a post of practical theology a ...
, was elected president. The term of office is three years. In 2009 Collange was elected for a second term. In 2012 he announced that he would be standing down at the end of 2013.
In June 2013, the UEPAL announced that it was studying the issue of
blessings for unions of same-sex couples. The churches decided to consider the study, which would last for three years, and the issue at the assembly in 2017. In November 2019, UEPAL allowed the blessing of the same sex marriages.
Saarbrücker Zeitung: Segnung von Homo-Ehen im Elsass erlaubt (german)
/ref>
References
External links
Union of Protestant Churches Alsace and Lorraine
{{Authority control
Protestantism in France