wfn.org | Youth Call on Churches to Move Beyond 'Simply' Discussing Violence

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

Proposal to Include Curriculum on Peace in Christian Education Programs

11 - LWF COUNCIL MEETING, 12-19 JUNE 2001

GENEVA 18 June 2001 (LWI) - Move beyond discussions, 17 young people
representing churches from the Lutheran communion and ecumenical guests
encouraged members churches of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

In a message from their Pre-Council Workshop in Geneva, 9-11 June 2001, they
state that, "if we continue to avoid the core issues of violence or simply
discuss violence, we will lose the credibility of our Christian communion,"
which is based in the liberating and loving message of the gospel.

The workshop was held prior to the meeting of the LWF Council here June
12-19 and centered on the theme, "Let Us Seek Peace and Pursue It." The
youth came from Kenya, South Africa, Central African Republic, Angola,
Switzerland, France, Poland, Denmark, Great Britain, Palestine, Argentina
and the United States.

The young people participated in an interactive presentation by Fr. Kwame
Labi, an Orthodox priest from Ghana currently working with the World Council
of Churches. "We shared our stories of violence and healing, together with
our frustrations and grief, noting that each participant's story varied in
context. The vicious cycle of violence, with its root causes and symptomatic
effects, surfaced again and again."

They name some specific examples of the violence that they have seen and
experienced. An angry, frustrated Palestinian child is killed after throwing
stones at an Israeli tank. In cities like Paris and Warsaw, where there
seems to be no opportunity or hope for a better future, some people turn to
criminal actions in despair. In the northern provinces of South Africa, many
women are tormented by violence both physically and psychologically. There
are even some so-called "agents of peace" who exercise violence. Some
governments continue to kill people-especially youth-the very ones they were
supposed to protect in such poor neighborhoods.

In calling on the churches to take action, the young people make it clear
that they are full, active members in those churches. While urging action,
they also stress the importance of discussion. "In order to approach the
phenomenon of violence and strategies to combat it, a comprehensive working
definition of violence needs to be established." They emphasize the
importance of workshops like the one they attended saying such forums helps
them "become more confident to address violence when we go back home."

They say that the LWF and its member churches should continue to support and
create programs and partnerships which provide space for learning from one
another about how to address violence in the respective contexts. They
specifically encourage member churches to include curriculum on peace and
overcoming violence in Christian education programs, and to create and
support a regional and global youth network in addressing the same concern.
"The 'Churches Say No To Violence Against Women' document is a very good
start to equip member churches in pursuing peace, but how about violence
against youth and children?"

The report notes that violence cannot be properly approached nor overcome
without targeting its root causes. "Rather than talking about violence
abstractly, we need to target concrete and real issues, starting with our
own environment, ourselves and our church in daily life."

The youth ask member churches to "open up our churches more," noting that
many young people today feel that churches often have tightly closed doors.
Bring the church out to the people and take the initiative to bridge the
gaps between them, they urge.

Denounce all forms of violence and advocate for healing, they ask. Churches
must serve as catalysts for peace movements and mediators between conflicts
wherever they may be. A concrete example suggested in the report would be to
involve youth serving as mediators in peace processes.

True peace begins within ourselves and is to be celebrated in the fellowship
of others, the report concludes. "This means doing what we say, not just
saying what to do."

By Kenn Ward

(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, 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 acknowledgement.]

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