"Existenzberechtigung" is a German word used to assert something has a reason/justification to exist, but most often used negated to say something has no reason to exist / should not exist because it is pointless / is not justified in existing.
What I am trying to say (this should not be a discussion about whether or not that statement is correct) is something along the lines "A church not claiming to be The True Church has no Existenzberechtigung, because claiming to teach The Truth is or should be its Existenzberechtigung."
"Right to exist" does not really convey what I mean, it feels too harsh. Also it does not really work for the positive case. I would like to express more something like "justification to exist", if that makes sense. Something justifies its own existence with some reason for existence.
Is there an idiomatic expression that captures the German "Existenzberechtigung"? In both positive and negative expressions? Or should positive and negative cases use different expressions?