This interview was conducted by Azher Hameed Qamar, a post-doctoral researcher in the COFUND project Migration, Diaspora, Citizenship, with Benedikt Kern, a theologian who works at the Ökumenisches Netzwerk Asyl in der Kirche in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
As part of my ongoing work on migration, diaspora, and citizenship, I spoke with Benedikt, a staff member at the Ökumenisches Netzwerk Asyl in der Kirche in Nordrhein-Westfalen. His organization supports parishes across Nordheim-Westphalia in offering church asylum, providing theological, legal, and practical guidance to communities that protect people at risk of deportation. In this conversation, Benedikt reflects on the grassroots structure of the church asylum network, the moral and political tensions surrounding migration in Germany, and the role of faith-based actors in responding to border violence and restrictive asylum regimes. His insights offer a grounded perspective on solidarity, human rights, and the everyday realities of protecting vulnerable migrants.
Q: Can you explain your role and the work done by your organization regarding church asylum?
A: I work at the Institut für Theologie und Politik (Münster) on the topic of church asylum (Kirchenasyl), supporting parishes in the Nordrhein-Westphalia region with all questions related to church asylum. This includes theological, juridical, and practical support from Catholic, Protestant, and evangelical churches. Over the past year, we organized between 500 and 600 church asylums in Nordrhein-Westphalia.
Q: Is there a network structure leading this work, or how is it organized?
A: It’s a grassroots network with no hierarchical leadership structure. The association, founded in 1994, is called Ökumenisches Netzwerk Asyl in der Kirche in Nordrhein-Westphalen. It’s financed through donations, church subsidies, and foundations. We have offices in Münster and Köln, with a team of five to six people supporting church asylum in Nordrhein-Westphalia.
Q: How is migration, particularly refugee migration, perceived in German society, and what are the main perspectives on this issue?
A: German society (post-WWII) has always had issues with racism, and migration has long been seen as a problem, often associated with criminalization and border control.
There are three main perspectives, especially regarding refugee migration:
- Right-wing perspective: Sees refugee migration as illegal and opposes welcoming refugees.
- Neoliberal perspective: Supports migration for economic reasons, both for low-skilled and highly educated workers (Fachkräftezuwanderung). Recent governments have changed laws to facilitate work migration but have also tightened asylum procedures.
- Solidarity perspective: Emphasizes human rights and the necessity to welcome those fleeing danger. Church asylum aligns with this view, prioritizing the protection of everyone’s right to freedom of movement, regardless of nationality or status.
Q: Earlier in our conversation, you mentioned Pope Leo describing border violence as a “crime.” What does that mean?
A: Yes. He referred to the violence and police brutality at borders as governmental crimes. When states refuse to accept asylum seekers and use violence or pushbacks, it constitutes a crime against humanity. For example, he said in his speech:
“States have the right and the duty to protect their borders, but this should be balanced by the moral obligation to provide refuge. With the abuse of vulnerable migrants, we are witnessing not the legitimate exercise of national sovereignty, but rather grave crimes committed or tolerated by the state. Ever more inhumane measures are being adopted — even celebrated politically — that treat these “undesirables” as if they were garbage and not human beings. Christianity, on the other hand, refers to the God who is love, who creates us and calls us to live as brothers and sisters.”
Q: Many migrants coming to Germany are from different cultural and religious backgrounds, particularly Muslim-majority countries. How does your organization or churches accommodate these differences?
A: Within churches, there are varying views, but most parishes we work with focus on protecting people from deportation, regardless of their religion. The essential requirement for a good church asylum is maintaining strong, trusting relationships within the parish—both among the guests and the people who are actively engaged in supporting them. Most church asylums in Germany welcome Muslim or atheist refugees, not just Christians. For us, the central value is solidarity and living together, not forcing assimilation into German society. Our priority is protecting people from border violence and deportation regimes, which we see as problematic for German society.
Q: Can you clarify the difference between “church” and “parish”?
A: “Church” refers to the institutional structure—like the Catholic diocese or Protestant church administration hierarchy, including bishops, clergy, and administrators. These institutions often have a critical view of church asylum, prioritizing their relationship with the state. “Parish” refers to the local community level, where decisions about church asylum are made. Local parishes are more likely to support church asylum based on values like mercy, freedom, and justice.
Q: From a Christian perspective, how do you see the church’s asylum and the validity of law?
A: From a Christian perspective, the validity of a law cannot be absolute, but must always be measured against the criterion of whether or not it helps the weakest. Jesus puts it this way: Is man there for the Sabbath law, or is the Sabbath law there for man? This understanding of the law also guides action in church asylum: even if church asylum conflicts with state law, it is legitimate, even if it is not legal.
Q: How does the church network interact with bureaucracy, politics, and the media regarding church asylum? Can you share examples?
A: Since 2015, there is an agreement between the Catholic and Protestant churches and the German government that church asylum is accepted in certain cases, especially under the Dublin Regulation. During the six-month Dublin procedure, if churches protect someone, they can request a case review with the BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees). Most of these requests are denied, so churches often wait out the six months, after which deportation is no longer possible, and the person can enter the national asylum process.
Sometimes, there is pressure from authorities on parishes to end church asylum within six months, but parishes must remain strong. Rarely, police have forcibly removed people from church asylum, which we publicize in the media to pressure the government and defend the practice. With the rise of far-right parties, we expect more challenges and will need to increase our advocacy to ensure church asylum is tolerated as a form of human rights protection.
Q: Thank you so much for your time. I appreciated your openness and the depth of your reflections.
A: Thank you.
This interview highlights the complex moral, political, and practical dimensions of church asylum in Germany. Benedikt’s reflections reveal how local parishes navigate state pressure, shifting asylum policies, and rising hostility toward migrants while remaining committed to solidarity and human dignity. His account underscores the importance of grassroots networks, interfaith cooperation, and public advocacy in defending the rights of those facing deportation and border violence. This conversation with Benedikt contributes meaningfully to our understanding of migration and the role of faith-based communities in supporting those seeking protection.