 She was the first German bishop to file for divorce, in 2007, and on 6 August 2007, it was communicated to the church senate that her divorce was legally valid.The church senate and the leadership of the Church of Hanover supported Käßmann and endorsed her continued tenure of the bishop's office, as did the leader of a conservative center.She was a member of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, and on October 28, 2009, she was elected Chair of the Council, the first woman in that position.