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Berlin Protestant Church Disavows Pastor’s ‘Poly Wedding’ as Not a Church Marriage

Leaders stress that evangelical weddings are limited to two civilly married people under German law.

Overview

  • EKBO and Bishop Christian Stäblein said a summer ceremony blessing four men in Berlin-Kreuzberg was not a church wedding.
  • The event occurred during an EKBO pop-up wedding festival with a Pride focus, where participants could seek blessings without appointments.
  • Church officials reiterated that evangelical marriages bless only pairs who have a prior civil marriage, rejecting polygamy claims as baseless.
  • Pastor Lena Müller described the gathering as a symbolic act of blessing for a polyamorous relationship and expressed belief the men married before God.
  • No entry was made in church registers; the men received a commemorative certificate and chose the verse “Love never ends” from 1 Corinthians, while polygamy remains illegal in Germany.