wfn.org | LWF European Pre-Assembly Women's Meeting

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

LWF Called to Highlight Life-Giving Importance of Water
Forming Christian Identity in Pluralistic Society Difficult for
Youth in Europe

VIENNA, Austria/GENEVA, 4 March 2003 (LWI) - Participants in the
European Pre-Assembly Women's Meeting, preparing for the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) Tenth Assembly have called for the LWF to
join in global efforts to highlight the life-giving importance of
water to the world. They ask that the LWF take simple, convincing
action. In their final report, some 20 participants say that
water, one of the most important elements of basic human needs
will be a growing cause of conflict in the world in the near
future. The women's meeting took place prior to the European
Pre-Assembly Consultation (PAC) held 23-26 February in Vienna.

As representatives of LWF member churches in Europe, the women
criticize the tendency to marginalize and ignore important issues
because they are labeled as "women's issues." In their report,
they stress that the issues under discussion are "not exclusively
for women, but rather they are general issues that should be
discussed by men and women together."

They note their awareness that the majority of Europeans are
guilty of "greed and excessive consumption," leading to
exploitation of others and the environment. They challenge the
belief that economic growth and profit are "the only possible
criteria directing development, at the cost of human rights,
justice and solidarity." The church should make clear that "there
are hundreds of alternatives," and be one such alternative itself,
the women claim.

Majority Called to Confess Part in Exploitation of Human and
Natural Resources

The European youth delegates to the LWF Tenth Assembly taking part
in the European PAC report in their concluding paper that many
churches are "still struggling to give young people a real say in
relevant matters, thereby increasing the generation gap."

The societies in which they are living, they say, are changing
rapidly and authorities and norms constantly come into question.
This is a common challenge faced by young Christians in Europe,
especially since "forming a Christian identity in a pluralistic
society is hard." The report also points to the clash between
conservative and liberal values within the church or between
church and society in eastern Europe, which often leads to
conflict. In western Europe, the youth say, they are confronted
with great diversity in the church, and find themselves "in
between biblical fundamentalism on the one hand and total
relativism on the other."

In former communist countries, the "burden of history" still
creates barriers in society and within congregations, they report,
and healing is needed. Particular concern is expressed for members
of minority churches and minority groups suffering from social
exclusion.

The youth share in the concern expressed among LWF member churches
over globalization, consumerism and environmental issues. They
state that apathy and feelings of powerlessness are overwhelming.
But "while some countries are mainly victims of the process, the
majority of us need to confess our part in the exploitation of
human and natural resources," they write.

The European PAC was the second of five regional meetings being
held in the run-up to the LWF Tenth Assembly to study the theme
and content of the Assembly from the perspective of the different
world regions. Some 80 participants gathered for the European
consultation, including over 60 delegates to the LWF Tenth
Assembly from the LWF member churches in Europe.

The Assembly, under the theme "For the Healing of the World", will
be held 21-31 July in Winnipeg, Canada, hosted by the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Canada. About 1,000 participants are expected
to attend, including 436 delegates from the 136 LWF member
churches. The Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the
LWF, and normally meets every six years.

(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 the LWF's information
service. 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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