Anna Vasa Prize-giving ceremony with the Presiding Bishop of the ECACP, Jerzy Samiec, the recipient of the prize, former GNC/LWF General Secretary Norbert Denecke (center), and the President of the ECACP synod, Rev. Dr. Adam Malina. Photo: ECACP
Polish church honors German leader for fostering relations and “building bridges of dialog across divides”
(LWI) – The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland (ECACP) has awarded the Anna Vasa Prize to Oberkirchenrat Norbert Denecke, former General Secretary of the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (GNC/LWF), for “his work and service for reconciliation and dialogue”.
For both the German Lutheran community and globally among LWF member churches, Denecke has always had “the good of the church and unity” at heart, said Jerzy Samiec, Presiding Bishop of the ECACP, on 18 October in Wroclaw, Poland. He also expressed appreciation for Denecke’s “understanding of the situation of minority churches.”
He added that the support of the GNC/LWF and Denecke’s commitment have made possible projects such as the expansion of the Lutheran Center in Warsaw, the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the establishment of the Center for Diaconia and Dialogue in Stolp. The GNC/LWF also provides scholarships for Polish Lutheran students and supported preparations for the LWF’s Thirteenth Assembly, which took place in Krakow in 2023.
Our common path is not measured in kilometers but in terms of understanding, unity and dialogue.
Jerzy Samiec, ECACP Presiding Bishop
Denecke also built “bridges of dialogue across divisions,” including co-founding the Council of Christian Churches of Milan, Itlay. The establishment of the LWF Center Wittenberg, Germany, created the venue for international conferences with different target groups at the historical heart of Martin Luther’s Reformation. Denecke also initiated the global ecumenical Reformation project, “Luthergarten” in Wittenberg, furthering recognition and connection among churches through a tangible monument.
“Our common path is not measured in kilometers but in terms of understanding, unity and dialogue,” said Samiec.
Norbert Denecke was General Secretary of the GNC/LWF from 2004 to 2024. He was responsible for the GNC/LWF’s collaboration with the LWF Commuion Office in Geneva, the coordination of international relations, and, in particular, maintaining ties with Lutheran churches in Europe. The GNC/LWF represents the eleven German LWF member churches, comprising over 10 million members.
The Anna Vasa Prize, established in 2017, commemorates Polish-Swedish Princess Anna Vasa (1568-1625). It is awarded by the ECACP to individuals or organizations that have made significant contribution to reconciliation between Germans and Poles.
