A Landesbischof () is the head of some
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
regional churches in Germany.
Based on the principle of ''
summus episcopus'' (), after the
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
each
Lutheran
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
assumed the position of supreme governor of the
state church in his territory. After the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, all the
German monarchies were abolished and in some regional churches a member of the clergy was elected as ''Landesbischof''.
Regional churches not using the term Landesbischof for their chairpersons, and often also allowing laypersons to take that office, use titles such as bishop (Bischof, only clergy), church president (Kirchenpräsident),
praeses
''Praeses'' (Latin ''praesides'') is a Latin word meaning "placed before" or "at the head". In antiquity, notably under the Roman Dominate, it was used to refer to Roman governors; it continues to see some use for various modern positions.
...
(Präses), state
superintendent (Landessuperintendent, only clergy) or secretary (Schriftführer).
Churches with chairpersons titled
*
Protestant Church in Baden, title used since 1933
*
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria () is a Lutheran member church of the Protestant Church in Germany in the German state of Bavaria.
The seat of the church is in Munich. The '' Landesbischof'' (bishop) of the church is Heinrich Bedford ...
, title used since 1933
*
Evangelical Lutheran State Church in Brunswick, title used since 1923
* Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Eutin (1921–1976, merged in the
NEK), title used since 1961
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Hamburg State (1529–1976, merged in the NEK), title used since 1933
*
Evangelical-Lutheran State Church of Hanover, title used since 1925
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Lübeck State (merged in the NEK in 1976), title used since 1934
*
Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Mecklenburg (ELLM) (1933–2012, merged in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany), title used since 1933
* Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1850–1933, merged in the ELLM), title used since 1921
* Mecklenburg-Strelitz State Church (merged in the ELLM in 1933), title used since 1921
* Evangelical State Church in Nassau (1817–1934/1947, merged in the
Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau), title used from 1827 to 1882, and again from 1922 to 1934
*
Evangelical Church in Middle Germany (EKM), title used since 2009
*
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany, Landesbischof since 2013
*
Evangelical Church of the (old-Prussian) Union (1817–2003), title used between 1933 and 1935
*
Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Saxony, title used since 1922
*
Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Schaumburg-Lippe, title used since 1949
* Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Schleswig-Holstein (1866–1976; merged in the NEK), title used between 1933 and 1945
*
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thuringia (1920–2008; merged in the EKM), title used since 1933
*
Evangelical State Church in Württemberg, title used since 1934
Churches with chairpersons titled
*
Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia
*
Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck
*
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg
Churches with chairpersons titled church president ()
*
Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau
*
Protestant Church of Anhalt
*
Protestant Church of Palatinate
*
Evangelical Reformed Church in Germany
Churches with chairpersons titled
*
Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
*
Evangelical Church of Westphalia
Churches with chairpersons titled
*
Evangelical Church of Bremen
Churches with chairpersons titled
*
Church of Lippe
References
{{Reflist
Protestantism in Germany