wfn.org | LWF's Tenth Assembly theme, a challenge to church's ministry

[FRANKI@elca.org]

Voices from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin and North America

GENEVA, 7 December 2000 (LWI) - "For the Healing of the World", the theme
for the Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) challenges the
church's ministry in a world where irresponsible use of resources has led to
the concentration of power in the hands of "only a few countries," according
to Brazilian church leader Rev. Huberto Kirchheim.

Kirchheim is among members of the LWF Executive Committee who spoke to
Lutheran World Information (LWI) of their impressions on the theme for the
Tenth LWF Assembly that will be hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Canada in Winnipeg, Canada in 2003. The Committee, chaired by the
Federation's president, Bishop Dr. Christian Krause took the decision on the
theme and dates-21 to 31 July 2003-at its November 26 to 27 meeting in
Geneva, Switzerland.

Kirchheim, an LWF vice-president and head of the Evangelical Church of the
Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB), said the theme for the next LWF
Assembly contains an important element for the work of the Federation and
Lutheran churches in the coming years. "I see the aspect of diaconal service
as having great significance and as a challenge in a world, which I would
say is not whole," he told LWI .

Kirchheim pointed out that "healing" as implicated in the theme evokes
issues of great concern for the church in Brazil and the Latin American
region. "When one looks at the whole reality of poor health among so many
people who are also facing myriad problems, one thinks of the basic
requirements that are lacking for a healthy life." The IECLB president added
that with this theme, "We will think of healing not only in the sense of
justification which so quickly becomes a spiritual concept, but of healing
in the sense of its root meaning. "

For LWF vice-president Rev. Dr. Prasanna Kumari, "healing" is a
comprehensive term, which addresses the issues of justice and
reconciliation. Kumari, from the Arcot Lutheran Church, India, spoke of her
own context-India-where people are divided "in the name of caste system,
communities, religions and languages." She said healing against such a
background gives hope and the possibility "to overcome the hurdles that
divide us."

Hungarian Bishop Dr. BTla Harmati described "For the Healing of the World"
as a "great umbrella theme" under which a lot of sub-themes and problems of
the world and churches can be discussed.

The head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary spoke of three levels
of concern-within and among churches themselves, at the ecumenical level and
the churches in relation to the world. Harmati, who is also chairperson of
the LWF Program Committee for Communication Services hoped that meeting in
Canada and in the North American atmosphere would be an opportunity for the
churches to understand how the different nations, tribes, languages and
cultures come together.

^From the African region, LWF vice-president Ms. Parmata Ishaya, Lutheran
Church of Christ in Nigeria, described the LWF's Tenth Assembly theme as
appropriate in a region that is confronted with difficult realities.
"Weighed down by poverty, poor health conditions, wars, drought and
HIV/AIDS, we need the message of hope as we confront these problems," she
told LWI.

However, Ishaya noted that most of the problems in Africa are brought about
by the actions of people who know Jesus Christ as healer. She hoped the
Assembly process "would be a time of reflection and self-searching, to know
whether we have been involved in hurting people by our actions, done or
undone, or by our attitude. It would be a time to question whether we also
as individuals would be willing to get involved in the healing process of
the world."

Bishop Samson Mushemba of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania said
the Tenth Assembly theme reminds Christians as well as non-Christians about
the healing power that "brings all to eternal life", and brings hope to many
people experiencing debilitating spiritual and physical difficulties
particularly in Africa. "In this age of great achievements in science and
technology, people need to be reminded about the healing power, which is
found in Jesus Christ," noted Mushemba who is chairperson of the LWF Program
Committee for World Service.

^From the North American region, LWF vice-president Bishop H. George Anderson
welcomed the concept of "healing" saying it speaks to the "many ways in
which our world is structured as well as to the ways in which churches are
struggling within their own borders."

Anderson, who is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America pointed out that when one looks at the issues before the LWF such as
relationships between the confessional families, and the ecumenical movement
in general, "the question should be how best we can work together for the
healing of the world not just by looking at it as organizations but by
asking the question, 'why are we in existence at all and how can we support
this larger mission together?'"

"For the Healing of the World" also speaks to the church about globalization
according to Anderson. "Is the church only a victim of globalization? Is the
church in any way able to find elements in globalization that can be built
upon, and at the same time be critical of aspects that relate to the main
[Assembly] theme?" the ELCA bishop posed. Whereas the global movement in
technology and economics seems to almost dehumanize people as never before,
the church should ensure that this process enriches human lives, gives
people more opportunities, wider horizons and a better sense of their world
than the opposite which seems to be happening in most parts of the world,
Anderson added.

According to Bishop Dr. Julius Filo of the Evangelical Church of the
Augsburg Confession in the Slovak Republic "healing" means renewal in the
power of God, looking into the needs and opportunities for our churches, and
not only dealing with what happened in the past.

Filo, a vice-president of the LWF said in the Central and Eastern European
context, emphasis should not only be on dealing with what happened 50 years
ago, which he termed as a "tradition of renewing old traditions", but also
on the renewal of the mission of the church. Filo hoped that the Assembly
theme would strengthen the churches in their diaconal work among all needy
people regardless of race, culture or religion. He especially mentioned the
Roma people in Central and Eastern Europe, saying they need "special
attention and loving care. I hope we will be strengthened to help them." He
also hoped that the assembly sub-themes would deal with components such as
renewal.

Rev. Susan Nagle, chairperson of the Program Committee for Mission and
Development welcomed the LWF's Tenth Assembly theme saying issues about
confession, absolution and reconciliation that are of concern to Canadians
can be built in the theme, which she described as having "great richness."

She said "For the Healing of World" also poses the question, 'How can the
church participate in the healing of the world?' Nagle, from the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, is chairperson of the Assembly Planning
Committee appointed by the LWF Council last June.

Dr. Joachim Track, chairperson of the Program Committee for Theology and
Studies said the theme for the Tenth LWF Assembly allows for many possible
interpretations and it is up to the Lutheran community to discern "how we
understand it and are challenged by it." Healing, he said, touches on the
whole dimension of living in cooperation with others, as neighbors with
other religions and ecumenical partners, and fulfilling our common
responsibility.

"For the Healing of the World" according to Track also challenges the
churches to go beyond their diaconal services and ask critical questions
about the underlying structures, which might mean causing offence. The theme
also questions critically certain ecumenical positions that do not
contribute towards healing in the world.

When asked about the contribution of rich countries and churches to the
Tenth Assembly theme, Track, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Bavaria, Germany, emphasized participation. From the context of Western
Europe, he advocates moving away from "our idea that we are the owners and
we have to help the poor and show them the way they must go."

(The LWF is a global communion of 131 member churches in 72 countries
representing over 59 million of the world's 63 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, normally held every six years.
Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council which meets
annually, and its Executive Committee. The LWF acts on behalf of its member
churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical relations, theology,
humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various
aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented does
not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units.
Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material
may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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