wfn.org | Yugoslavian Bishop calls for partnerships with W. European churches

[franki@elca.org]

People are leaving villages in search of jobs

NOVI SAD (FRY)/GENEVA, 19 December 2000 (LWI) - Yugoslavia's Lutheran Bishop
Jßn Valent has called for the creation of partnerships between Yugoslav
Lutherans and Western European churches.

Through partnerships people can exchange visits and get to know and
understand one another, said Valent, bishop of the Slovak Evangelical Church
of the Augsburg Confession in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). He
was speaking in an interview with the Geneva-based Lutheran World
Information (LWI).

With regard to unfolding political developments in Yugoslavia, Bishop Valent
feels it is too early to make a conclusive judgement, but he lives in hope
that the first promising steps will be followed by further ones. Progress is
too slow in many areas, he said. But like the majority of Yugoslavians, he
is convinced that their country is on the road to establishing the necessary
conditions for democracy.

However, Valent emphasised that in addition to freedom, people need work so
that they can earn their living and they need opportunities for free trade.
Unemployment is particularly high among the youth, he said, and many people
are leaving their towns and villages because they cannot find jobs there.
"Nowadays hope for a better future is associated with the hope of finding a
job," he said.

Bishop Valent expressed the people's gratitude for support toward
development in Yugoslavia received in the past from many European
governments and from churches in Europe and America. Nevertheless, he said,
North American and European governments should interfere less in political
developments in Yugoslavia - "the less, the better", he added.

For his Lutheran church of about 48,000 members in Vojvodina, northern
Yugoslavia, the bishop would appreciate help from other countries in the
rehabilitation of churches and vicarages. Even though none of the church's
buildings were directly hit during the NATO bombing last year, many of them
suffered from explosions nearby. Roofs, windows and fa*ades were damaged and
need to be repaired or replaced.

In view of the difficult economic situation in Yugoslavia, Bishop Valent
sees no possibility for the churches to finance repairs from their own
resources. Many church members are living in "real poverty" such that they
can hardly provide for themselves, much less give financial support to the
church. "Our pastors urgently need help in order to survive," Valent told
LWI.

The Lutheran bishop described contacts with other confessions as
"excellent", especially ecumenical relations in Vojvodina. More than 25
different ethnic groups live in the northernmost region of Yugoslavia. The
two million inhabitants of Vojvodina include about 3.4 percent Slovaks,
85percent of who are Lutherans. Valent said that people in this region live
together with a high degree of tolerance. His people and church have no
quarrel with any other people or religion in Yugoslavia. They pray for an
end to the conflict between Serbs and Albanians and all the other people in
Kosovo, he said.

As priorities for the work of his church in the coming years, Bishop Valent
stressed proclaiming the Gospel, work in congregations and social work.
Commitment to meeting the needs of society is important for the Lutheran
church, he noted, saying that building homes for the elderly and orphans is
an immediate priority.

(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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