wfn.org | Break Tradition of Understanding Diakonia as Humble Service

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

LWF Consultation: Call to Break Tradition of Understanding
Diakonia as Humble Service
Norwegian Kjell Nordstokke Cautions against Diaconal Servility
Attitude

JOHANNESBURG (South Africa)/GENEVA, 5 November 2002 (LWI) - On the
second day of a Lutheran World Federation (LWF) consultation on
church social service taking place in Johannesburg, the concept of
"prophetic diakonia" was discussed from different perspectives.

Dr. Kjell Nordstokke, director of Diakonhjemmet Hospital and
College in Oslo, Norway, challenged the conference participants to
"break with the tradition of understanding diakonia as
self-effacing, humble service." He pointed out that the history of
diakonia (church social service) shows the strong influence of
piousness, which has often resulted in an attitude of obedience
and silent service.

Nordstokke was speaking at the LWF Global Consultation on
"Prophetic Diakonia - For the Healing of the World," taking place
in Johannesburg from November 3-7, with over 80 participants from
Lutheran churches and partner organizations worldwide.

According to Nordstokke, "Institutional diakonia, in spite of its
important role in the development of modern health and social
services, has as a whole always been loyal to the established
order, both in church and society." He challenged international
diakonia to examine its "loyalty to ruling and changing
development ideologies and practices elaborated in the North, and
to political rulers, both in the North and South." Attitudes,
defended as neutral or professional should be examined if they are
not "modern versions of [diaconal] servility," he said.

Nordstokke emphasized that one should differentiate between
political and prophetic diakonia. Political diakonia expresses the
very important political dimension of diaconal work, he explained.
"It must be conscious of its socio-political role and be ready to
speak out when that is necessary," he noted. Prophetic diakonia,
on the other hand, relates to the "intrinsic nature of diakonia,
affirming that the prophetic task is part of the mandate and
authority that God has given the church."

Speaking on the relationship between prophecy and diakonia, he
explained that both have the task of "finding ways and building
bridges in the direction of renewal and transformation." He
reminded his audience of the prophets who were strong defenders of
justice, and reacted strongly when the God-given law was broken.
Therefore diakonia should never be silent, but a combination of
word and action. "The church needs to be constantly renewed and
reminded of its God-given mandate and to be on the road - even
when this is the way of the cross, " he concluded his
presentation.

Ms Shanta Shrestha from Nepal, currently development coordinator
with the LWF Department for World Service (DWS) Eritrea program,
spoke on the topic, "The World Provokes Us - Poverty, the
Challenge of Today." She explained the different concepts of
poverty as well as the different national and international
strategies with respect to poverty reduction. Defining poverty was
important, she stressed, as "our definition of poverty sets out
the future framework of our work, including the chosen target
groups."

Shrestha identified inequality and cultural traditions as two of
the root causes of poverty. Especially in the third world, the
culture of discrimination and patriarchy is often restraining
poverty reduction, she maintained and demanded that "we have to
create a new culture, rather than protecting a culture that is
pushing us backward." With respect to the task of religious
organizations, she suggested that churches should play a role in
the spiritual awakening for liberating poor people from the
"fatalistic attitude based on Christian ethos. There is need to
break the structure of poverty through political action and
advocacy and deconstruct the present structure of inequality by
empowering the poor to take action towards transformation."

Participants in the consultation are drawn from Lutheran churches,
partner organizations and social service agencies and institutions
worldwide. The conference is being organized by the LWF - DWS in
collaboration with the Departments for Mission and Development and
Theology and Studies. It is hosted by four LWF member churches in
Southern Africa namely, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Southern Africa, Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Southern Africa
(Cape Church) and Natal-Transvaal, and Moravian Church in South
Africa.

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7
million of the 65.4 mllion 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 acknowledgment.]

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