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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 21, 2000

LUTHERANS HOST WEB FORUM ON MONEY AND FAITH
00-067-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Six keynote speakers and hundreds of people from
around the world got together on the World Wide Web in February to
discuss "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All," a social statement
on economic life which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
adopted in 1999.  "For the Love of Money: Living Faithfully in the Midst
of Plenty" was a "virtual conference" sponsored by the Faith and Life
Forum of the ELCA at http://www.faithandlifeforum.org/.
     "There were some 300 people from around the world logged in to
this month-long virtual forum having to do with the ELCA's economic life
social statement," said Kevin J. Boatright, Madison, Wis., chair of the
ELCA Division for Ministry board.  "We were very impressed by the
participation," he said.  "I assume we will do something like it again."
     The Rev. Karen L. Bloomquist, ELCA director for studies, said the
social statement "lays out some basic theological grounding, and the
tensions this evokes for us as Christians as we engage in economic life.
It is intended to undergird the kind of discussion envisioned for this
online forum."
     The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA,
welcomed participants to the Web site.  "I am very pleased that you are
interested in joining the conversation on 'Sufficient, Sustainable
Livelihood for All.'  It has the potential of becoming one of the most
important foundational statements of this church, but only if its
assumptions are tested and its implications taken seriously," he said.
     Established in 1984 as the Lutheran Academy, the Faith and Life
Forum builds on the biblical and Lutheran emphasis on every vocation
being a Christian ministry.  Its purpose is to provide opportunities for
study and discussion within a framework of ethical and theological
perspectives, so people can carry out their ministries in daily life as
informed, responsible and committed people of God.
     The month began with a daily focus on each address of the six
keynote speakers:  Dr. Tanga Morae McDaniel, research fellow, Department
of Applied Economics, University of Cambridge, England; Laura McKnight,
homemaker and freelance writer, Oswego, Ill.; Gary Moore, counsel to
religious investors and founder of Gary Moore & Co., Sarasota, Fla.; Dr.
Larry L. Rasmussen, professor of social ethics, Union Theological
Seminary, New York; Stephen P. Slice, farm loan specialist, Farm Service
Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Columbia, S.C.; and
Danielle Welliever, director, Lutheran Public Policy Office of
Washington, Tacoma, Wash.
     Online participants engaged in live "chats" with McDaniel,
McKnight, Rasmussen, Slice and Welliever.  A "WebBoard" allowed
participants to continue the conversation through the remainder of the
month, and keynote speakers provided closing remarks.

[Editors: Transcripts of select "chats," as well as keynote, "WebBoard"
and closing remarks are available at http://www.faithandlifeforum.org/.]

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