The Council of the German Evangelical Church in Germany at its session in Stuttgart, on 18th October 1945, greets the representatives of the World Council of Churches.

We are more thankful for this visit, because we know ourselves to be joined together with our people, not only in a solidarity of suffering, but also in a solidarity of guilt. With great pain do we say: through us endless suffering has been brought upon many peoples and lands. What we have often witnessed to in our congregations, we speak now in the name of the whole Church. We have indeed through long years fought in the name of Jesus Christ against that spirit which found its fearful expression in the Nazi tyranny: but we accuse ourselves that we did not confess more boldly, did not pray more truly, did not believe more joyfully and have not loved more ardently.

Now in faith a new beginning must be made in our Churches. Grounded on Holy Scripture, with all earnestness looking to the only Lord of the Church we go about to cleanse the Church from strange influences and to set our house in order. We hope that the God of grace and mercy may use our Churches as His instrument and will give them authority to preach His Word and to create obedience to His will among us and in our whole nation.

It fills us with deep joy that in the new beginning we may know ourselves to be bound in solidarity with the ecumenical movement.

We hope to God that through this common service of the Churches, the spirit of violence and of revenge, which is once again active in our midst, may be abated in the whole world and the spirit of peace and love may come to triumph in which alone tormented mankind can find healing.

So, we pray God in an hour when the whole world needs a new beginning: Veni Creator Spiritus.

Stuttgart, 18 October 1945.