Ihr macht uns die Kirche kaputt

No consequences from the abuse scandal, outdated church structures, celibacy, power dynamics within the church, lack of lay participation, and the ongoing question of women's roles. For far too long, bishops, cardinals, and the pope have preached about change without any actions following their words. Daniel Bogner analyzes the reasons for this and the devastating consequences. He demonstrates how the church can regain lost trust and connect with modernity without betraying itself. This is not just another typical critique of the church or self-pitying calls for reform; it poses and answers the crucial question: Who actually owns the church? Here, someone is not just talking but is initiating the urgently needed renewal of the church. It is time for believers to reclaim the church. Central to Daniel Bogner are the questions: What impact does the current situation have on those affected, especially on those who genuinely want to be part of the church? What options remain for them in light of the increasingly dire situation? And how should all of this be evaluated against the backdrop of the church's fundamentally decisive biblical mission? "You are destroying the church!" – with this, the theologian takes a clear stance: the perspective of those who truly have something to lose in the current crisis, the church members. For far too long, people in the church have placed blanket trust in their leadership, believing they were doing the right thing. "Now, more than ever, believers must admit that this trust was often unjustified. We have remained silent for too long, meekly accepted things, and allowed ourselves to be lulled when the prevailing conditions were declared right in piously sounding language from above." It is time for believers to shed this attitude and hold church leadership accountable.