SWISS FEDERATION OF PROTESTANT CHURCHES

German Schweizerischer Evangelischer Kirchenbund, French Fdration Des glises Protestantes De La Suisse, confederation founded in 1920 to represent the interests of the churches in social issues, government liaison, and overseas mission and aid work. Membership is open to Christian churches that have adopted the principles of the Reformation. The Federation is composed of the Evangelical and Reformed churches of 17 of Switzerland's 25 cantons, the Evangelical Methodist Church, the Free Church of Geneva, the Evangelical Reformed diaspora churches in the largely Catholic canton of Tessin, and several Evangelical Reformed churches serving Swiss congregations in foreign countries. Federation policies, which are decided at meetings of a governing assembly of delegates and are implemented by an executive committee, do not affect the autonomy of member churches. Member churches differ from each other in their constitutions, liturgies, and religious education, but most practice similar forms of church government with a congregational council and a legislative synod. Although the federation is not a denomination in itself, it is a full member of the World Council of Churches on behalf of its own member churches. Its various departments coordinate theological research, overseas aid, activities of missionary societies, church law, and educational and religious programming on radio and television. Headquarters are in Bern.