Overview

• Deloitte’s independent report, released on May 6, 2025, details procedural failures and a lack of transparency in the church’s response to abuse allegations dating back to the 1980s.
• Seven former organ students accused a church musician of sexual misconduct; the musician admitted to sexual contact with two individuals, though their ages at the time remain unclear.
• The report criticizes the Evangelical Church of Westphalia (EKvW) leadership’s passive communication strategy, which led to internal trust breakdowns and public pressure.
• Former EKD head Annette Kurschus, who resigned in November 2023 citing public trust loss, is scrutinized for her handling of early warnings about potential abuse in 2022.
• The church acknowledges its failures, commits to legal reviews of possible misconduct by officials, and vows to strengthen prevention and intervention protocols moving forward.