Angela Merkel is a well-renowned German politician who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021.
Merkel is considered to be one of the most influential politicians in Europe, and has been credited with leading Germany through the European financial crisis – in the process helping the nation to continue as an economic powerhouse.
Many people have questioned whether Angela Merkel is religious. Moreover, if Angela Merkel is a Christian. This article explores her faith.
Background
Angela Merkel was born in 1954 in Hamburg, a German city. She spent the first few years of her life in West Germany, before moving to East Germany.
After a strong academic career, Merkel moved into politics. She served in a few different roles in the government, before becoming the first female leader of the Christian Democratic Union – one of Germany’s leading political parties – in the year 2000.
In the aftermath of the 2005 German federal election, Merkel became Chancellor of Germany – a position that she would hold for almost two decades.
In this time, Merkel was a key figure as Germany enjoyed strong international relations, strong employment rates, military spending, and an economy that bounced back quickly following the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009.
Is Angela Merkel a Christian?
The truth is that Angela Merkel is indeed a Christian, and her faith has had a significant impact on her political career.
Faith was an important part of her upbringing, with Merkel’s father being a Pastor at the nearby Lutheran Church. Subsequently, Merkel was raised as a Lutheran.
This is significant because Lutheranism is one of the main branches of Christianity in Germany, and it has had a strong influence on German culture and politics.
In fact, her party is the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) – which continues to have strong Christian values in its philosophy. It ruled in a coalition with the Christian Social Union (CSU) for many years.
What has Angela Merkel said about Christianity?
Merkel has been open about her faith in the past, and she has used it to shape her views on certain topics. For example, Merkel has been a strong advocate for religious freedoms, and she has spoken out in favor of allowing refugees to practice their own faith.
Merkel’s faith has also had an impact on her economic policies. She has been a strong proponent of fiscal responsibility, and she has implemented a number of austerity measures during her time as Chancellor in an effort to reduce government spending and debt.
In an interview in 2012, Merkel said that she was “a member of the evangelical church. I believe in God and religion is also my constant companion, and has been for the whole of my life” – highlighting her strong views.
Continuing, Merkel said that “we as Christians should above all not be afraid of standing up for our beliefs”. These are very true words, and act as a rallying call for those in government positions with a Christian faith.
The Takeaway
Overall, Angela Merkel is a Christian, and her faith has had a significant impact on her political career. She has used her faith to shape her views on certain topics, and her economic policies have been informed by her Christian beliefs.
Merkel is a very influential Christian, and is an example of the success that state leaders can have when adopting Christian principles in their decision making.
