wfn.org | LWF President Krause Lauds Indian Churches' Model of Ecumenism

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

Indian Lutherans in Silver Jubilee Celebrations

CHENNAI, India/GENEVA, 13 December 2002 (LWI) - The President of
the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Bishop emeritus Dr Christian
Krause has hailed the contribution of the Indian Lutheran churches
in promoting a relevant and effective model of ecumenism both
locally and globally.

The involvement by the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India
(UELCI) in the liberation of Dalits in India has provided the
country and global church with a new agenda and new theology of
mission, Krause said in his address during the 75-year "Festival
of Faith" jubilee celebration of both the UELCI and Gurukul
Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute in Chennai,
India. The UELCI comprises ten Lutheran churches, nine of which
belong to the LWF.

Krause, chief guest during the 21-27 November 2002 commemoration,
said the journey of both institutions for the past 78 years, was
reason enough to celebrate God's faithfulness as well as that of
the churches.

The week-long activities focused on the theme "Great is Thy
Faithfulness," and included thanksgiving worship services, Bible
studies, revival meetings, exhibitions, book releases, youth and
women's conferences. LWF Vice-President and former UELCI Executive
Secretary, Rev. Dr Prasanna Kumari was among church leaders who
addressed the participants. Delegates to the festivities were
drawn from all of the UELCI member churches, mission boards and
agencies.

A UELCI women's conference during the festival focused on the LWF
Tenth Assembly theme, "For the Healing of the World." Speaking at
the meeting, Ms Vidya Rani, women desk secretary and South Asian
regional coordinator, said the region's churches could contribute
something concrete to the theme. Affirming women's struggles by
naming the issues with which they grapple would influence the July
2003 Assembly process in Winnipeg, Canada, she noted.

The festival's national youth conference deliberated on "Dalit
Liberation." UELCI youth committed themselves to a new theological
approach and struggle for the liberation of the Dalit people
within and outside the church.

Significant at Gurukul's jubilee festivities was the release of
three books namely The Gurukul Daily Devotion, The Gurukul Book of
Worship and Hymns and The Indian Lutheran Book of Worship. The LWF
president presented a book, Faith Meets Faiths - Journey of the
Faith of the UELCI co-authored by outgoing UELCI Executive
Secretary, Dr Kunchala Rajaratnam and his successor Rev. Chandran
Paul Martin.

(Contributed by Rev. Dr Mani Chacko, principal, Gurukul Lutheran
Theological College and Research Institute.)

(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 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 LWF's information service.
Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent
positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where
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