Schweizerische Evangelische Allianz

The Schweizerische Evangelische Allianz (SEA), known in French-speaking Switzerland as the Réseau évangélique suisse (RES), is a national evangelical alliance and network of churches, denominations and Christian organisations in Switzerland. It is affiliated with the World Evangelical Alliance and describes itself as a voice for evangelical Christians in the country, working under the motto of loving, serving and proclaiming the Gospel in Switzerland. The network brings together member churches, member organisations and individual members, and it publishes resources, organises events and represents evangelical concerns in public debate. The RES traces its institutional roots to the Alliance évangélique romande (AER), founded in Geneva in 1847 by various evangelical Christian denominations. Henry Dunant, later a founder of the Red Cross, served as its first secretary between 1852 and 1859. In autumn 1983, a group from the Pastorale Évangélique Romande founded the Fédération Romande d'Églises et Œuvres Évangéliques (FREOE), intended as a dialogue platform for the evangelical movement in French-speaking Switzerland and as the Romand equivalent of the German-speaking Freikirchen Schweiz (VFG). In 2006, the AER and the FREOE merged to form the Réseau évangélique suisse. In German-speaking Switzerland, the Schweizerische Evangelische Allianz (SEA) is a partner of the RES. According to the French Wikipedia entry, in 2025 the RES grouped 12 member Christian denominations, 200 evangelical churches and 80 organisations in French-speaking Switzerland, representing around 45,000 Christians. Its president is Jean-Luc Ziehli, who became president in 2016. The network has programmes in evangelism, humanitarian support and the protection of Christian values in society. It has been involved in public debates and legal cases, including the Jour du Christ event, the Love Life poster controversy in 2014, the Geneva proselytism stand dispute in 2014–2015, the Jeunesse et Sport confessional camp negotiations in 2017–2018, the challenge to the Geneva Law on State Secularism in 2018–2019, and support for former president Norbert Valley in 2018–2020. The official website presents the network as "Le Réseau évangélique suisse, c'est vous !" and highlights current activities such as a Code of deontology for Christian spiritual accompaniment, the Persecuted Church Sunday (Dimanche de l'Église persécutée) planned for 1 and 8 November 2026, and advocacy on spiritual accompaniment and counselling. It lists member churches, member organisations and upcoming events, including One' 2026 on 21 November 2026 at Espace Gruyère in Bulle and a Forum des chrétiens engagés en politique on 5 November 2026 in Lausanne. The site also features media partners and articles on topics such as Islam in Switzerland and religious restrictions.

The Schweizerische Evangelische Allianz (SEA), known in French-speaking Switzerland as the Réseau évangélique suisse (RES), is a national evangelical alliance affiliated with the World Evangelical Alliance. Its history in French-speaking Switzerland begins with the Alliance évangélique romande (AER), founded in 1847 in Geneva by various evangelical Christian denominations. Henry Dunant, who later became a founder of the Red Cross, served as the AER's first secretary between 1852 and 1859, responsible for drafting minutes and possibly much of the correspondence; he had to give up the post to undertake various travels but remained a member of the alliance's committee for several years. In autumn 1983, a group of people from the Pastorale Évangélique Romande founded the Fédération Romande d'Églises et Œuvres Évangéliques (FREOE), intended to offer members a dialogue platform to foster unity in the evangelical movement. It became the Romand equivalent of the German-speaking VFG (Freikirchen Schweiz). In 2006, the Alliance Évangélique Romande and the FREOE merged to form the Réseau évangélique suisse. In 2016, pastor Jean-Luc Ziehli became president of the network. In German-speaking Switzerland, the Schweizerische Evangelische Allianz (SEA) is a partner of the RES. According to the French Wikipedia entry, in 2025 the RES grouped 12 member Christian denominations, 200 evangelical churches and 80 organisations in French-speaking Switzerland, representing around 45,000 Christians. The network has an evangelical confession of faith and is a member of the World Evangelical Alliance. It runs programmes in evangelism, humanitarian support and the protection of Christian values in society. The RES has been involved in several public and legal engagements. It took part in organising the Jour du Christ, an event bringing together Christians from across Switzerland; on 13 June 2010, at the Bern stadium, 94% of the 25,000 participants came by public transport, on foot or by bicycle, an ecological record for a gathering of that size. In 2014, the RES was heard on RTS regarding the Love Life posters (AIDS prevention) and launched an alternative campaign it considered less provocative; a RES petition collected more than 10,000 signatures, making the debate public. In 2014–2015, the RES supported evangelical associations affected by the City of Geneva's decision to no longer grant permits for religious proselytism stands on public roads from September 2014; the City was eventually condemned in a series of decisions by the Tribunal administratif de première instance and did not appeal, revising its position. In 2017–2018, the RES fought the Federal Office of Sport (OFSPO) decision to exclude confessional camps from the "Jeunesse et Sport" programmes; negotiations led to a compromise in which Christian associations committed to working on the basis of the Charter for Christian service among children and young people, became independent associations where not already so, and created a umbrella body to centralise J+S leader training; Formation+ was founded for this purpose. In 2018, the RES supported an appeal by its cantonal federation, the Réseau évangélique de Genève, and three other signatories asking the Geneva Constitutional Court to review the constitutionality of the new Law on State Secularism (LLE), adopted by the Grand Council on 26 April 2018 and later confirmed by the Geneva people on 10 February 2019. In November 2019, the Constitutional Court partially upheld the RES appeal, finding that religious freedom did not authorise the State to prohibit elected officials in legislative bodies from wearing external religious symbols, and that the restriction on public worship events, including baptisms by the lake, appeared disproportionate and not very compatible with federal case law, though a religious-freedom-compliant application remained possible. In 2018–2020, the RES supported its former president Norbert Valley, who had been sentenced in March 2018 by the Neuchâtel Public Prosecutor's Office to a suspended fine of CHF 1,000 and CHF 250 in administrative costs for facilitating the stay of a person illegally present in Switzerland; he had temporarily made an apartment of the Église évangélique du Locle available to a rejected asylum seeker he had taken under his protection. He was finally acquitted on 12 March 2020 by the police court of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The RES announced it would continue to work for an amendment to Article 116.

• 2020

  Former president Norbert Valley acquitted on 12 March by the police court of La Chaux-de-Fonds.

• 2019

  Geneva Constitutional Court partially upholds RES appeal against the Law on State Secularism.

• 2016

  Pastor Jean-Luc Ziehli becomes president of the Réseau évangélique suisse.

• 2014

  RES launches alternative campaign to Love Life posters and collects over 10,000 signatures on a petition.

• 2010

  Jour du Christ at Bern stadium; 94% of 25,000 participants arrive by public transport, foot or bicycle.

• 2006

  Alliance Évangélique Romande and FREOE merge to form the Réseau évangélique suisse.

• 1983

  Fédération Romande d'Églises et Œuvres Évangéliques (FREOE) founded in autumn.

• 1852

  Henry Dunant becomes first secretary of the AER, serving until 1859.

• 1847

  Alliance évangélique romande (AER) founded in Geneva by various evangelical Christian denominations.

National evangelical alliance and network representing evangelical Christians in Switzerland, affiliated with the World Evangelical Alliance.

• Code de déontologie de l'accompagnement spirituel chrétien

  A reference tool published by the RES to promote ethical, responsible and respectful practice in Christian spiritual accompaniment, with a model accompaniment contract.

• Dimanche de l'Église persécutée

  An annual event to raise awareness for persecuted Christians; the 2026 edition is scheduled for 1 and 8 November, focusing on Nigeria, Syria and Central Asia.

• One' 2026

  An event scheduled for 21 November 2026 at Espace Gruyère in Bulle.

• Forum des chrétiens engagés en politique

  A forum scheduled for 5 November 2026 in Lausanne, hôtel Aquatis.

• Alternative campaign to Love Life posters
• Support for confessional camps in Jeunesse et Sport

1. 1Accueil - Réseau évangélique suisseevangelique.ch
2. 2Schweizerische Evangelische Allianzwikidata.org
3. 3Réseau évangélique suissefr.wikipedia.org