Concordat on the Joint Training of Evangelical-Reformed Pastors and their Admission to Church Service

1. The Protestant Reformed regional churches involved in this Concordat, which are members of the Swiss Protestant Churches Federation (SEK) (Concordat Churches), affirm their endeavor with this agreement to

a) promote an equivalent education for clergy in the Swiss Protestant churches,

b) ensure a provision for ecclesiastical education that meets the needs,

c) uniformly regulate the prerequisites for admission to church service,

d) establish the foundations for continuing education accompanying the inauguration of office during the first years of service.

1. The Concordat Churches are obligated to recognize the certificate of competence issued in accordance with the principles of this concordat for the exercise of an Evangelical Reformed pastoral office (eligibility certificate).

1. Bodies of the Concordat are

a) the Concordat Conference,

b) the Office of the Concordat Conference,

c) the permanent commissions of the Concordat Conference,

d) the non-permanent commissions of the Concordat Conference.

1. The Concordat Conference is the highest concordat authority. It is composed of one authorized representative each from the church councils or synodal councils of the concordat churches. The appointment and compensation of the representative is the responsibility of the concordat churches.

2. The President of the Church Council of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zurich presides over the meetings. Otherwise, the Concordat Conference constitutes itself. It has a secretariat.

1. The Concordat Conference has the following duties

a) Adoption of decisions regarding the partial or complete amendment of the Concordat for the Concordat churches,

b) Enactment of a training regulation,

c) * Enactment of an appeal regulation,

d) * Enactment of rules of procedure for the Concordat Conference, the office of the Concordat Conference, and the workplace for church training,

e) * Enactment of further regulations and rules necessary for the implementation of the Concordat,

f) * Election of the first and second Vice-President,

g) * Election of the members of the Training Commission,

h) * Election of the members of the Examination Commission,

i) * Election of the members of the Church Suitability Assessment Commission,

j) * Election of the members of the Appeal Commission,

k) * Establishment of ad-hoc commissions and election of their members,

l) * Determination of the budget,

m) * Acceptance of the annual accounts,

n) * Performing tasks and adopting resolutions on matters not within the competence of another Concordat body.

o) *

p) *

q) *

r) *

1. The Bureau of the Concordat Conference consists of the President and the First and Second Vice Presidents of the Concordat Conference. The Secretary of the Concordat Conference participates in the meetings in an advisory capacity. The term of office for the First and Second Vice Presidents is four years.

1. The Office of the Concordat Conference is responsible for the following tasks

a) Preparation of the affairs of the Concordat Conference,

b) Submission of proposals to the Concordat Conference and implementation of its resolutions,

c) Employment and management of the representative(s) of the workplace for church training,

d) Employment of the secretary or secretaries of the Concordat Conference,

e) Other tasks assigned to it by the Concordat Conference.

1. The Standing Committees of the Concordat Conference are

a) the Training Committee,

b) the Examination Committee,

c) the Committee for the Church Suitability Assessment,

d) the Appeals Committee.

2. The term of office for committee members is four years. The compensation for committee members is charged to the Concordat account.

1. The Training Commission consists of five elected members and one representative each from the theological faculties of the universities of Basel and Zurich. A representative of the Office for Church Training participates in the meetings with an advisory vote and the right to submit proposals.

2. The organization and procedures of the Training Commission are governed by the Training Regulations.

3. The duties of the Training Commission include

a) Issuance of necessary regulations within the framework of the Training Regulations,

b) Further development and continuous adaptation of the training to the needs of church work and submission of related proposals to the Concordat Conference,

c) Ensuring the cooperation of all institutions and bodies involved in church training,

d) General determination of the recognition of theological training and degrees obtained from universities other than the theological faculties of the universities of Basel and Zurich,

e) Fulfillment of further tasks assigned by the Training Regulations or the Concordat Conference.

1. The examination board is composed of twelve members.

2. The training regulations govern the organization and procedures of the examination board as well as the ecclesiastical examinations.

3. The examination board is responsible for verifying the prerequisites for admission to the ecclesiastical examinations and conducting the same, including the imposition of additional academic requirements.

1. The Commission for Church Suitability Assessment is composed of five members.

2. The Training Regulations govern the organization and procedures of the Commission for Church Suitability Assessment.

3. The decision regarding the successful completion of the Church Suitability Assessment before entering the learning vicariate and before its conclusion falls under the responsibility of the Commission for Church Suitability Assessment.

1. The Appeals Commission is composed of five members. It decides on appeals in panels of three.

2. The Appeals Regulation governs the organization and procedures of the Appeals Commission.

1. The concordat churches establish an office for ecclesiastical education.

2. The office for ecclesiastical education conducts professional qualification training sessions for candidates for the pastoral office during their theology studies to complement the academic teaching offerings, and especially before entering church service. It also provides ongoing training accompanying the introduction to the office during the first years of service.

**1. The Office for Church Training is specifically responsible for:**

a) The organization, execution, and evaluation of all church training offerings under the Concordat as part of the training regulations, particularly for the pastoral internship (training vicarage),

b) The accompaniment of candidates for the pastoral office during the training vicarage,

c) Ensuring the provision of an offering for continuing education accompanying the induction in the first years of service.

**2. The rules of procedure specifically regulate the legal status and tasks of the representatives of the Office for Church Training.**

1. Personnel costs for the staff of the Church's Educational Office and its secretariats, as well as the costs for infrastructure and material expenses, are charged to the concordat account.

1. The ecclesiastical education guides theology students in integrating the acquired academic knowledge and practical experiences in such a way that they are equipped to undertake ecclesiastical service in a concordat church.

2. The ecclesiastical education comprises

a) Accompanying internships or courses in ecclesiastical fields of action during studies and ecclesiastical examinations,

b) A training vicarage in a parish including training events and the practical examination according to the training regulations,

c) Training events for continuing education accompanying the ordination in the first years of service.

3. The training regulations govern the admission to ecclesiastical education as well as the content, goals, tasks, and framework conditions of ecclesiastical education.

1. Registration for the Pastoral Internship is conducted through the concordat church to which the candidate for the pastorate belongs. The admission requirements are

a) Recommendation from a concordat church,

b) Legal capacity and possession of the necessary personal qualifications,

c) Completion of a theological master's degree at the Faculties of Theology at the Universities of Basel or Zurich or a master's degree in theology recognized as equivalent by the training commission,

d) Successful completion of the ecclesiastical training events scheduled during the studies,

e) Evidence of successful completion of the Ecclesiastical Suitability Assessment,

f) Not older than 58 years at the time of entry into the pastoral internship,

2. The concordat churches shall communicate legally binding decisions regarding the non-granting of the recommendation according to paragraph 1 lit. a to the presidency of the concordat conference for the attention of the other concordat churches. These churches are entitled to apply such a decision in the same manner within their jurisdiction.

3. If the recommending concordat church assumes the entire costs associated with the pastoral internship and further education during the first years of service, candidates for the pastorate who are 58 years old at the time of entry into the pastoral internship are also admitted.

1. The practical examination includes the competency verifications specified by the training regulations.

2. The internship is considered passed as soon as

a) * the practical examination is successfully completed by fulfilling the competency verifications specified by the training regulations,

b) * the course and practical time required by the training regulations is completed, and

c) * a final qualification within the framework of the Church suitability assessment is successfully completed.

3. The practical examination and the final qualification according to paragraph 2 take place before the completion of the internship.

1. The Concordat Conference issues the certificate of eligibility for election after the practical examination is passed. The competent Concordat Church, based on the certificate of eligibility for election, carries out the ordination.

1. Holders of the Certificate of Eligibility for Election who either leave or are expelled from a member church of the Swiss Evangelical Church Federation or from a Protestant church abroad that is a member of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) or the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) lose their Certificate of Eligibility for Election.

2. The Concordat Conference may, upon request of a concordat church, revoke the Certificate of Eligibility for Election from holders if

a) they have become incapacitated,

b) they have repeatedly or severely neglected their duties in pastoral work,

c) their trustworthiness appears to be severely compromised in another manner, particularly due to a conviction for an offense or crime resulting in a prison or monetary penalty,

d) they no longer, for other reasons, possess the necessary personal qualifications for service in the church.

1. Anyone who has been ordained based on a certificate of eligibility for election issued by the Concordat Conference is admitted to ecclesiastical service in all Concordat Churches. The individual eligibility requirements according to the law of each respective Concordat Church remain reserved.

1. The concordat churches shall immediately communicate final decisions regarding the removal or loss of eligibility to holders of eligibility certificates, as well as rehabilitations, to the presidency of the concordat conference for the attention of the other concordat churches.

2. The concordat churches are entitled to apply final decisions regarding the removal or loss of eligibility, as well as rehabilitations, within their jurisdiction in the same manner.

1. The individual concordat churches are entitled to admit, in addition to the holders of a certificate of eligibility to vote issued by the Concordat Conference, other pastors into their church service. These pastors are eligible to vote only within the area of the respective concordat church.

1. Each concordat church is entitled to request information concerning a person's suitability for church service from another concordat church in the context of a formal report on a case-by-case basis, if

a) this person requests a recommendation according to Article 17 letter a,

b) this person applies for a pastoral position in the requesting concordat church,

c) it is anticipated that a certificate of eligibility for election or eligibility itself may be withdrawn from this person as part of a legal procedure.

2. The person must be notified in advance about the collection of information as per paragraph 1.

3. The concordat church requested according to paragraph 1 discloses the information available to it, particularly personal data and sensitive personal data, concerning a person's suitability for church service. It safeguards the legitimate interests of the person concerned and third parties as well as the ecclesiastical and public interests in such disclosure.

1. Appeals against decisions of the Bureau of the Concordat Conference, the Training Commission, the Commission for Ecclesiastical Suitability Clarification, and the Examination Commission in the context of examination and admission procedures can be lodged with the Appeals Commission. The decision of the Appeals Commission is final.

1. The expenses for church education pursuant to the Concordat and the activities of the Concordat bodies shall be borne proportionately by the Concordat churches.

2. The rules of procedure determine the expenses of the Concordat to be jointly financed and regulate the distribution key, invoicing, accounting, and their review.

1. The Concordat is open to all member churches of the SEK. By joining, they declare their agreement with the obligations arising from the Concordat.

2. Withdrawal from the Concordat is possible at any time, subject to a one-year notice period, effective at the end of a calendar year.

3. Declarations of accession and withdrawal are to be addressed to the Presidium of the Concordat Conference.

1. The partial or complete amendment of the Concordat requires a resolution by the Concordat Conference in accordance with Article 5(a) as well as the approval of the majority of the Concordat churches through a legally binding decision of their competent authorities.

1. This Concordat replaces the Concordat concerning the mutual admission of Evangelical Reformed pastors into church service from March 6, 1967, with subsequent amendments. It enters into force on January 1, 2004, provided that by this time at least five member churches of the SEK have declared their accession through a legally binding decision of their competent bodies.

2. The Concordat lapses if, as a result of withdrawals, it includes fewer than five concordat churches.

1. Until the implementation of the execution orders pursuant to Art. 5 lit. b to lit. f, the following provisions are applicable

a) Training Regulations for the Pastoral Ministry dated 27 November 1981,

b) Regulations for the Commission for Development-Oriented Suitability Assessment (KEA) dated 2 December 1998,

c) Implementation Provisions for the Regulations for the Commission for Development-Oriented Suitability Assessment (KEA) dated 2 December 1998,

d) Ordinance on the Admissibility and Procedure of Appeals against Concordat Examinations and Decisions of the Commission for Development-Oriented Suitability Assessment dated 26 September 1979 (with amendments from 22 November 1999),

e) Agreement regarding the Financing of Church Training dated 3 July 1998.

2. For admission to the practical examination as well as for its organization and conduct, until mid-2005, the relevant provisions of the Concordat regarding the mutual admission of Evangelical Reformed Pastors into Church Ministry dated 6 March 1967 and the Examination Regulations of the Theological Concordat Examination Authority dated 23 September 1998 are applicable mutatis mutandis. For this purpose, the Concordat Conference shall appoint an extraordinary Examination Commission.

Transitory Provisions for the Amendment dated 26 February 2018

I. For candidates for the pastoral ministry who underwent an exploration within the framework of the Development-Oriented Suitability Assessment before 1 January 2017 and have since not been subject to the Church Suitability Clarification, the Church Suitability Clarification shall continue to take the form of the Development-Oriented Suitability Assessment. For these cases, Art. 5 lit. d and lit. m, Art. 8 para. 1 lit. c, Art. 11, Art. 17 lit. e, Art. 18 para. 1 lit. a, and Art. 23 of the Concordat concerning the joint training of Evangelical Reformed Pastors and their admission into Church Ministry in the version dated 28 November 2002 remain applicable.

II. The amendment of the Concordat concerning the joint training of Evangelical Reformed Pastors and their admission into Church Ministry dated 26 February 2018 shall enter into force on 1 January 2019.