wfn.org | From Jerusalem to Geneva: The Bitter Realities

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Visiting the Distressed Raises Morale

09 - LWF COUNCIL MEETING, 12-19 JUNE 2001

GENEVA, 14 June 2001 (LWI) - Bishop Munib A. Younan of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Jordan (ELCJ) understands why the Council of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) is meeting in Geneva, June 12*19 rather than in
Bethlehem/Jerusalem as originally planned. He understands only too well "the
bitter realities" of the situation that compelled the LWF to opt for another
location. However he still hopes that the Council will hold its 2002 meeting
in the Holy Land no matter what the situation might be at that time. "If the
Lutheran churches of the world do not stand with us in this crisis, when
will they stand up with us?" he wonders.

"When you visit those in distress, you raise their morale and help them to
remain steadfast in their efforts," Younan says. He is very pleased that
many churches have responded to his plea that "you not leave us alone in
these difficult times." A number of delegations from a variety of churches
around the world have demonstrated these churches' solidarity with the ELCJ
in the struggle for a just peace and reconciliation. He observes that the
visits have also helped the visitors to understand the difficulties faced by
Palestinians and Israelis, and by Christians in the country.

Younan urges those who are not able to visit his church personally, to hold
prayer vigils as is being done in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Norway,
Sweden and the United States of America. "Prayer is the only power that we
hold that no government, secuity forces, army, or military power, can
deprive us of," he says.

He wants Christians around the world to think about the future of
Christianity in the area. He is concerned that in 20 years' time there may
be few Christians left to carry on the important ministries of the ELCJ, and
without help from others.

Churches in countries with political clout should lobby their governments to
work for a just peace so that they will be honest brokers, he says. Younan
also asks churches to challenge those in their midst who have developed an
eschatalogical or dispensational theology about his country. "This is
counter productive to a just peace," he says. "The conflict that exists in
our country is political, not eschatalogical."

"Religion has been used to justify injustice, occupation and violence," he
says. "Our church needs to call upon Islam and Judaism to realize that this
conflict is not a religious conflict. It is a political struggle over land.
The three monotheistic religions should promote peace education, work to
understand each other and to counter extremism."

When asked what sustains him in the struggle, he replies, "First of all you
must know that I come from Jerusalem, not only the place of the cross, but
also of the resurrection. The cross is the center of my life, but the cross
does not end in Golgatha. Thank God it ends in the resurrection."

"That is the hope deep in my heart that gives me the power even in the dark
tunnel of the conflicts that have gone on," says Younan. "When I see no
light, I know that there is resurrection. God will not let injustice
continue."

*       *       *
(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 131 member
churches in 72 countries representing over 60.2 million of the nearly 64
million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches
in areas of common interest such as ecumenical relations, theology,
humanitarian assistance, human rights, communicatio, 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 acknowledgement.]

*       *       *
LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION
PO Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Editor's e-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
Tel: (41.22) 791.63.54
Fax: (41.22) 791.66.30
http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Articles/EN/LWI