Margot Kaessmann, Germany’s top Protestant cleric was stopped by police after running a red light in Hanover over the weekend for drunk driving. At a press conference, Margot Kaessmann, who was elected only last October as the first woman to head Germany’s Lutheran church, said that she is stepping down as the head of the Lutheran church after she was caught driving with a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit. Her resignation as head of Germany’s Protestants and Hanover’s bishop is effective immediately, but she will remain a pastor in the local Hanover church according to reports.

How it All Began?

Police had stopped the 51-year-old, for running a red light in Hanover on Saturday night. A test showed her blood alcohol level to be 0.154 percent, three times the legal limit for driving in Germany, prosecutors said. Wow! Talk about being irresponsible.

Kaessmann Apologies

“I am shocked at myself for committing such a grievous error,” Kaessmann had told Bild newspaper. “I am aware how dangerous and irresponsible it is to drink and drive. I will accept the legal consequences.” Kaessmann also said in a statement to a televised news conference.”I made a serious mistake that I regret deeply”. But does she really regret what she did or she regret getting caught? How many times have she driven while intoxicated? We only know of this incident because she was caught in the act, but who knows how many times she was irresponsible and put the lives of innocent people in harm’s way. Just think about it for a second, the life she could have put in danger could have been yours of someone you love. But apparently her irresponsible behavior did not matter because the head of Germany’s Lutheran church has won a vote of confidence from fellow leaders as she faces intense scrutiny.

Historic Election Gone South

According to reports, Kaessmann was elected in October 2009 to be the first woman to head the Protestant Church in Germany, an umbrella organization that unites Germany’s 25 million Protestant Christians. She was a controversial choice, because she was divorced. Kaessmann was viewed as a modernizer and a supporter of improving ties with Catholics.
She gained attention recently by calling for a pullout of German troops from Afghanistan, saying there was no such thing as a just war.

The Outcome

Because her blood alcohol level was above 0.11 percent, it is considered a criminal offense in Germany. Kaessmann is likely to face criminal charges including a fine and loss of driving privileges for a year. I’d say this is very lenient considering the damages she could have caused.

But what does the bible say about drinking alcohol? Is Drinking Alcohol a Sin?