Donation of the church with map instead of change – Panorama

The Protestant Church of Berlin applies for a patent for the Digital Bell Bag developed by it. The real, jingling money is becoming more and more of a burden on the churches.

It is not true that nothing has developed in the Church in the last 2000 years. Until the 17th century, the faithful were encouraged to donate to the altar during the "sacrificial march" during Holy Mbad. Today, ministrants or other badistants discreetly distribute the bag in the rows of banks or wait for the final blessing at the exit. Time is being collected for a new organ, sometimes for missionaries in Bolivia, sometimes for a translation of the Bible in China. Rascheln makes more impression than jingles. But in the future, the faithful who hold the wireless chip from their credit or debit card to the new "digital bell wallet" will likely be particularly noticed. The Protestant Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesia-Upper Lusatia has just filed a patent for the almskate that she developed in Europe

"Convincing, Friendly and Secure" is what the Evangelische Bank calls its combination of bags and card terminals, A pin is not necessary, turning a ring on the bag-bag up to 25 € debit possible. A donation app as well as (in some places of worship already common) magnetic tape reading sticks should complement the offer additionally. But why the effort? Is less and less money being collected? The German Episcopal Conference states that it does not know the exact numbers. And at the Evangelical Church in Germany there are collections on so many different subjects that we lose sight of the whole

The collections are not a Christian invention. Already in the ninth century BC, as the Second Book of Kings testified, visitors to Solomon's temple in Jerusalem were forced to throw money into a box. Annoying was the collection always: not only because scratching is a "devotional disorder", as recognized by the Prague City Council in 1873 – and banned the collection. Also because it confronts the believer very directly to the crucial question: "And what do you do for others?" This can be embarrbading, especially in the service of the church.

On the other hand, many believers are already wondering if the church in Germany – despite the generous support of the state and billions of goods – really needs its small change now . "Often, we do not know if it will only buy church kitsch or support the poor," says Hubertus Halbfas, Catholic theologian and author ("Loss of Faith").

But churches will also receive money from the Klingelbeutel (first in the more often and more to the burden: "Often, community representatives have to travel long distances to find someone." who accepts money for free, "says Heike Krohn-Bräuer, spokesman for the Berlin State Church.In autumn, the state synod will decide on the introduction Generalized digital sac sacrificial Hubertus Halbfas, meanwhile, is tormented by other worries: "What will become of our society as the church becomes more and more important?"