As the former Vicar General of Speyer, Sturm was one of Germany's most powerful church figures. His exit to join the Old Catholic Church sent shockwaves through the institution. 🗝️ Core Themes & Arguments
Reviews generally characterize the book as a moving and "courageous document" rather than a mere bitter "settling of scores".
He critiques the church's tendency to protect the institution over victims, noting that the "shocking results" of abuse studies broke his trust.
Critics from Sachbuch-Couch note the rarity of seeing these issues through the eyes of someone at the very top of the hierarchy.
Readers and reviewers on Amazon describe the book as "painfully honest," reflecting a deep inner struggle and a loss of hope in the "Synodal Way" reforms.
While he leaves the institution, he offers suggestions for how it could change, though he admits he can no longer be the face of that struggle.
How the to high-profile departures like his? Similar books by other former priests or reformers? Ich muss raus aus dieser Kirche - Sachbuch-Couch.de
Andreas Sturm’s 2022 book, Ich muss raus aus dieser Kirche: Weil ich Mensch bleiben will (I Have to Get Out of This Church: Because I Want to Stay Human), is a raw and personal account of a high-ranking official’s departure from the Catholic Church.