wfn.org | "Solidarity" Theme Marks NCC General Assembly, Meeting Nov. 14-16 in

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Tampa

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2252; news@ncccusa.org
November 16, 2002, TAMPA, Fla. -- If pressed to characterize the National
Council of Churches' 2002 annual General Assembly in a word, that word might
well be "solidarity."  Two days into the meeting - being held this year in
Tampa, Fla., Nov. 14-16 - it seems that at least the concept if not the word
"solidarity" has been on the lips of speakers, whatever their topic.

Especially in this "post-9/11" age, "we need a new and better vision of what
it means to be one in Christ," said the Rev. Fred Morris, Executive Director
of the Florida Council of Churches, in his welcome to the General Assembly.
"That vision has to be around the concept of solidarity."

Unanimity often eludes a body as diverse as the National Council of Churches
-
with 36 mainline Protestant, Orthodox, African American and Peace churches
comprising 50 million adherents in 140,000 local congregations.  But
solidarity - a commitment to the common good - is another matter.

The 2002 Assembly took as its theme "For the Common Good: Seeking Justice,
Working for Peace."  Nearly 200 delegates convened for the opening plenary
session, which included an energetic stage presentation by the Presbyterian
Church's Thuma Mina Mission Theatre Company, Bible study by Dr. Mozella
Mitchell of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and an address by
Dr.
Dana L. Robert, Truman Collins Professor of World Mission at Boston
University
School of Theology.

Dr. Robert was the Thursday, Nov. 14, keynoter, in celebration of the 100th
anniversary of interdenominational cooperation in interpreting the missionary
enterprise to congregations.  The celebration also included a luncheon and
preview of a new mission education highlights video, and worship led by the
Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Thuma Mina Mission Theatre Company.

"Among the many reasons why we celebrate the Mission Education Movement
today," Dr. Robert said, "is that it links the Eurocentric Christianity of
1902 to the global community of 2002.  The Mission Education Movement was the
major way in which mainline Protestants, who numerically dominated North
American missions until the late 1960s, taught ordinary church goers about
the
mission of the church..

"Despite its well-publicized faults," she said, "the missionary movement
planted the seeds and cultivated the world church that exists today..Mission
education was the way in which many denominations came to look beyond
themselves to a grand vision of the kingdom in which all of Christ's people
have a place at the table."

Today, division over the meaning of mission "runs like a fault line" down the
middle of many of our denominations, Dr. Robert acknowledged.  "But as long
as
injustice and oppression remain, as long as people do not experience the
power
of the living Christ in their lives, as long as our people remain complacent
about their obligation to work toward God's reign in the world, then we still
need a Mission Education Movement."

The Friday, Nov. 15, keynoter, Dr. Tarek Mitri, came at the solidarity theme
from another angle - that of Christian-Muslim relations.  Dr. Mitri, an
Orthodox Christian from Lebanon, is Program Executive for Christian-Muslim
Relations and Dialogue with the World Council of Churches, Geneva,
Switzerland.

Speaking on the theme "Christian-Muslim Relations: Historical Realities and
Today's Relationships," he traced the nuanced and complex history of
Christian-Muslim relations through the centuries and on that foundation
commented on today's realities - in what some call a "post-9/11 world."

"It is not uncommon to see people rushing to explain terrorist violence in
the
light of what they perceive to be distinctive about Islam.  Thus, they fail
to
see that such violence is not grounded in traditional Islamic values," Dr.
Mitri said.  "But quite the contrary, it is provoked by the loss of such
values.."

Dr. Mitri warned against "globalizing" Christian-Muslim relations; among
other
things, pitting "Islam" and "the West" against each other.  "Christianity and
Islam are not two monolithic blocks confronting each other," he said.

"In dialogue with each other, they understand justice to be a universal value
grounded in their faith and are called to take sides with the oppressed and
marginalized, irrespective of their religious identity.

"Justice," Dr. Mitri said, "is an expression of a religious commitment that
extends beyond the boundaries of one's own religious community.  Muslims and
Christians uphold their own religious values and ideals when they take a
common stand in solidarity with, or in defense of, the victims of oppression
and exclusion."

In places where there are difficulties between minority Christian communities
and majority Muslim communities, he said, American Christians who want to
help
must first recognize that "attention to the specific local causes of
conflicts
helps identify solutions."  Defective social and economic orders and human
weakness must be acknowledged.

"Insist on the indivisibility of human rights," Dr. Mitri said.
"Co-citizenship, equality, the rule of law and human rights need to be at the
heart of Christian-Muslim relations.  Many of the interests of Christian
minorities cannot be safeguarded and promoted except in conjunction with
those
of the Muslim majorities amongst whom they live..

"Defending the rights of Christians in opposition to their Muslim co-citizens
and neighbors, with whom they share culture and national identity, aggravates
the suspicion of majorities toward minorities seen as an instrument of a real
or potential threat instigated by foreign and powerful forces," he said.

Following his address, General Assembly delegates engaged Dr. Mitri in a
lively debate around harassment and persecution of Christians and the best
strategies for helping.

For example, can Coptic Christians in Egypt best improve their religious and
civil rights through struggle together of Christians and Muslims, affirming
their co-citizenship and patriotism, or do they ask foreign support to
destabilize their own home country?, he asked rhetorically.

Another delegate asked whether Middle Eastern Muslims are actively countering
stereotyping of American Christians.  Dr. Mitri replied that indeed some are.

Recently, when televangelist Jerry Falwell called the founder of Islam a
terrorist, and the National Council of Churches repudiated that statement,
Dr.
Mitri said he "was positively surprised to see in the Egyptian press people
who normally attack Western Christian Protestantism.highlight what the NCC
was
saying and acknowledge that U.S. Christians are divided."  Just 10 years ago,
it would have been rare to make that distinction.  "I think this is an
improvement," he said.

Dr. Mitri also shared with General Assembly delegates a letter from Riad
Jarjour, General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches. 
Expressing
alarm that the Middle East appears to be "on the brink of all-out war," Dr.
Jarjour wrote, "We plead with you to exert your spiritual authority to urge
the (Bush) Administration to . seek peace and to do justice with compassion."

Also on Friday:

   a.. The Rev. Dr. Major L. Jemison, President of the Progressive National
Baptist Convention, Inc., led worship, and the Rev. Dr. Robert H. Roberts of
the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. led Bible study.
   b.. Delegates engaged in reflection together on the "Changing Landscape of
the Ecumenical Movement Today" and what that means for the future of the
National Council of Churches.  Among visions expressed: a re-energizing of
ecumenical work for racial justice; ecumenical formation of Christian youth,
especially for life in a religiously pluralistic world; an ecumenical
movement
concerned both with social justice and with theology and mission, and closer
relationships between national ecumenism and local congregations.
   c.. The Assembly began debate on a statement, "After September 11, 2001:
Public Policy Considerations for the United States of America."
   d.. Delegates participated in forums on Christian-Muslim relations, public
education, ministerial ethics and accountability, Africa, health care for
all,
Christian feminism, Middle East peace, diversity and bioethics.
   e.. NCC General Secretary Robert W. Edgar and President Elenie Huszagh
brought reports, confirming among other things the Council's financial
stability and optimistic outlook for 2002-2003.
   f.. John L. McCullough, Executive Director of Church World Service - the
global humanitarian agency of the 36 member churches - updated the Assembly
on
work including a new Africa Initiative, Dec. 1-11 concert tour to raise money
for HIV/AIDS ministries in Africa, and advocacy on behalf of asylum seekers,
especially the more than 200 Haitians whose boat landed in Florida Oct. 29.

The 2002 General Assembly continues through Saturday night, November 16.  See
www.ncccusa.org for more information.

-end-