wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Adopts Economic Life Statement

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 20, 1999

ELCA ASSEMBLY ADOPTS ECONOMIC LIFE STATEMENT
99-CWA-42-LJG

     DENVER (ELCA)-- By a vote of 872 to 124, the churchwide assembly
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a social
statement on economic life called "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood
for All: A Social Statement on Economic Life," Aug. 20.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 16-22 at the Colorado Convention Center.
There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,038 ELCA
voting members.  The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ
Known: Hope for a New Century."
     Voting members amended some language, added an implementing
resolution requiring a report back to the ELCA's 2001 Churchwide
Assembly, and added a call for greater entry-level opportunities for the
next generation of family farmers.  The assembly discussed and formally
debated specifics within the social statement in two plenary sessions.
Several amendments were discussed and some were withdrawn.  The assembly
rejected a proposal to refer the document back to the task force for
further revision.
     "Think what this will mean for a culture who looks daily to Wall
Street," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the ELCA Saint Paul
Area Synod.  "When we move from repentance to proclamation to eradicate
poverty it will no longer be our social statement.  It will be our
public witness to the world."
     "Our statement is fine, but does not go nearly far enough," said
the Rev. Robert D. Johnson, voting member, ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod.
"Perhaps we stand like David and Goliath, but we must speak more clearly
to corporate America about what it is doing with its profits, and how it
is treating those less fortunate."
     "The intent of the statement is to influence the business world
today and make a credible argument to them about economic policy. We're
going to have a credibility problem with business," said Jay Johnson,
voting member, ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod.  "Put yourself in the shoes
of businessmen and women.  There is conflicting economic theory in it.
It relies on government influence to make our economic goals work,
disregards consumer practices, and there is a blanket statement on
salary disparity.  You are slapping the face of the same CEOs you're trying
to sell on this economic statement."
     "The statement is too detailed.  It goes one level too far. We
should stop with identifying the area for study and refrain from
becoming a cookbook," said Jim Reyner, ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod.
     "What I see through this whole statement is this: Christians give
primary attention to the least among us," said the Rev. Susan E. Nagle,
voting member, ELCA New Jersey Synod.
     "This is a social statement which calls us to listen and then
respond, and it doesn't tell us what to do and how to do it, because
Lutherans don't like that all the time. Here is a statement which will
call us to awareness and action in your churches and in your synods. You
can take this statement as far as you want," said the Rev. Kimberly M.
Sterner, voting member, ELCA Grand Canyon Synod.
     The task force revised the first draft of the economic statement
to integrate biblical and theological understandings, and to be more
prophetic in tone.
     The social statement describes itself as a way to "assess economic
life today in light of the moral imperative to seek sufficient,
sustainable livelihood for all."
      It calls on Lutherans to work for sufficient livelihood for
everyone and increase their giving to the ELCA's hunger relief programs,
encourages the various ministries and institutions of the church to work
for economic justice, directs the units of the church "to review and
adjust their programs and practices in light of this social statement,"
and asks the church's educational institutions "to develop programs and
educational resources in light of this statement so people can be better
prepared to respond to the challenges of economic life."

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html