wfn.org | Lutheran Churches Must Respond to Genocide

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 15, 1997

CHURCHES MUST RESPOND TO GENOCIDE
97-14-037-AH

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Division for Global Mission of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has asked for a churchwide
response to "recurrent tragedies of the 20th century resulting
from ethnic strife."  The board of the division, meeting here
March 14-16, voted to send its request to the ELCA Church
Council, which approved the recommendation at its meeting here
April 5-7.
     The action calls for three elements: repentance for silence,
reflection on the legacy of violence in this century and
commitment to peacemaking.  A suggested time line begins with
Lent 1999 and goes through Advent and Epiphany 1999-2000.   The
council is asked to bring appropriate units of the ELCA together
to develop the church's response and to transmit the resolution
to the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of
Churches.
     The board cited "a stunning report" by Belletech Deressa,
director for development, on her January visit to Rwanda as well
as "instances of genocide throughout the world in the past 100
years ... in Germany, Central Europe, the former Soviet Union,
the former Yugoslavia, Cambodia, East Timor and Guatemala."
     Deressa said "As we reflect on what has happened in Rwanda
it is also essential for churches and leaders of churches and
nations to find ways to challenge and expose conditions that lead
to such genocide."
     Deressa wrote, "The horror of Rwanda and what I have seen
was like nothing I have ever before experienced in my life.  I
found myself shocked, frightened and the painful feeling shook my
body and there were no tears in my eyes when I saw the bones,
skulls, skeletons and belongings of the genocide in a Catholic
church in Natarama ... where about 5,000 people were killed."
     She reported, "International communities were to some extent
aware of the gross violation of human rights and escalating
tension for many years.  Yet they did not speak against
oppression.  None of the churches were willing to stop the
genocide of 1994."
     Deressa said the Rwandan churches' silence led to genocide.
"The genocide shook the very foundation of all the churches.  Not
only were hundreds of religious workers killed, but hundreds of
thousands of faithful parishioners were slaughtered in churches
they had been taught to believe were safe sanctuaries and
shelters from violence," she said.
     Many Rwandese speak of "the future church," "the surviving
church," or "the repentant church," Deressa said.  "It was very
clear to us that people have been hurt and lost confidence in the
previous church leadership since the genocide, yet they did not
give up on being Christian and people of faith."
     The small Lutheran groups who returned from exile relate to
the Evagelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, Deressa reported.
The Council of Protestant Churches in Rwanda with new leadership
is trying to strengthen unity among the churches.
     The board took an action related to Hong Kong and the church
there as the colony becomes an administrative region of the
People's Republic of China this year.  It voted to "call upon the
ELCA Church Council to encourage members of the ELCA to join in
prayer with the churches and people of Hong Kong."
     The action committed the division to "accompany the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong as it embarks on a
pilgrimage of faith into a new era of ministry and service" and
to "strongly support" the church's "holistic ministry,
theological education and relationship with the people of China."
     The board adopted a set of guidelines, "Expectations for
International Personnel," outlining appropriate personal behavior
of missionaries and volunteers abroad.  It reaffirmed the board's
emphasis on development of women for church leadership,
especially through scholarships.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html