Delegates to the electoral synod of Germany’s Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) appointed Rev. Hans-Joerg Voigt as the new bishop of the 37,000-member confessional Lutheran church. During the second round of voting, the 43 year-old theologian received 42 votes against 40 cast for Rev. Hinrich Mueller (Cottbus, Germany).
Voigt’s term of office is 12 years. He will be installed on 24 June in Hanover, Germany, succeeding incumbent SELK Bishop Dr Diethardt Roth, who will be retiring.
After his studies and practical training, Voigt worked as a trainee pastor in the Greifswald district (Germany), the same region where he was installed as a pastor in 1993. From 2000 until 2003, he was church superintendent for the Berlin-Brandenburg district before taking up responsibility for the training of assistant pastors at SELK’s theological seminary.
Rev. Hans-Joerg Voigt and his wife have four children.
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