wfn.org | 'Churches Holding Governments Accountable' But Who is Holding

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

'Churches Holding Governments Accountable' But Who is Holding the Churches
Accountable? 
LWF Consultation Seeks New Strategies for Mutual Responsibility of Church and
State

GENEVA, 17 February 2004 (LWI) - Participants in a Lutheran World Federation
(LWF) consultation "Churches Holding Governments Accountable" made an appeal
for transparency and for the holders of political office to work for the
benefit of civil society. 

The LWF Department for Theology and Studies (DTS) organized the January 22-25
meeting in Geneva, attended by around 20 international participants. DTS
Director Rev. Dr Karen Bloomquist noted, "We have to develop a Lutheran
social ethic which proceeds from the idea that all churches are communio and
incorporates the concept of mutual responsibility." 

Bloomquist stressed that the primarily theoretical and ethical discussion of
the last few years about the relationship between church and government has
often failed to take into account the political realities and the actual
relationship between church and state in many countries. She noted that the
time had come to take a global look at this basic approach within the context
of economic globalization and to consider how close it comes to reality.
Bloomquist said the consultation's aim was to build on previous DTS
publications and seminars on economic globalization, specifically by picking
up where previous work left off and by identifying areas that require
additional work.

The core issue in the participants' discussion was the concept of advocacy,
or working to defend the rights of the disadvantaged. The consultation
underscored the need for churches to engage in advocacy vis-a-vis
governments. It appeared particularly important to identify content-specific
focal points within advocacy to ensure appropriateness to the relevant
context, country and level (local, national or international). But there is
still debate as to who should select the focal points, where this should
occur, and the criteria that should be used.

Rev. Dr Molefe Tsele, general secretary of the South African Council of
Churches, said a lot still needs to be done with respect to advocacy work,
particularly at the local level. He pointed out, "If we want to have advocacy
at the local level, we have to create the awareness in our congregations that
advocacy is part of the church's prophetic role." He added, however, that
this awareness is inextricably linked to the questions of the concept of
self, church identity and the church's role in the world. Tsele stated that
examples of the integration of political and social issues into the
congregation's life and into theological training as they relate to the world
are, unfortunately, more often the exception than the rule. 

Criticizing Governments Poses Difficulties 

Rev. Dr Fidon Mwombeki, general secretary of the Northwestern Diocese of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania said the personal nature of the close
relationship between church and politics in some countries posed
difficulties. This link often restricts the church's ability to critically
examine its own policies. Mwombeki described the situation thus: "There are
so many Lutherans in the government and they are very helpful to the church.
Consequently, it is difficult to turn around and criticize them the day after
they just lent you a helping hand." Particularly in such cases, the church
faces the heightened challenge of preventing the instrumentalization of its
prophetic voice. 

Responding to these remarks, Tsele appealed for a kind of "critical
solidarity" with the governments, saying he considered it the churches'
responsibility to continually remind the government of its election promises,
as well as to evaluate the government based on its success in implementing
such pledges. 

Churches' Political Participation Essential

Susanne Buchweitz, Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil,
said that in view of the previous decades of military dictatorship and the
new government and head of state, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the
churches in Brazil are maintaining a "wait-and-see" attitude. Buchweitz noted
that one still feels the remnants of the military dictatorship in the
churches' lack of trust in the political leadership and in their fear of
political interference. Stated the Brazilian journalist: "The church members
are still afraid to go out onto the street and speak out their minds freely."
The prevailing opinion, she noted, is often that political issues are not
part of the churches' tasks. 

Sasi Prabha, a social activist from India, was also critical of the church's
non-participation in political and social issues. She believes that
self-protection and fear lie at the heart of the problem. Prabha said, "The
church is one of the largest networks of people in the world. Unfortunately,
we have not even attempted to make the most of this enormous strength. The
church should view the concept of mission as a citizens' movement." 

The relationship between church and state was not the only problem
identified. Others included the church's relationship to non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), to the economy, international politics and media.
Concerning cooperation with NGOs, participants were agreed on the need to
show solidarity as civil society groups that share the same interests while
simultaneously emphasizing the church's own identity and pointing out the
differences between NGOs and churches. Furthermore, the partners should be
closely reviewed with respect to their credibility, representation and
interests. 

Churches Have an Obligation to Assist the Needy

Prabha cited the presence of many economic actors as another reason why the
church is called to help those who have been disenfranchised and dispossessed
as a consequence of the neo-liberal globalization. In her work assisting the
Indigenous population in Orissa (India), she experienced firsthand why taking
up political action is important in the people's daily lives. 

She knew many people who had been driven from their properties because the
government had sold the land to large international companies that would
exploit its resources and use it for industrial purposes. The church has a
particularly important role in such matters, Prabha said. She urged the
church to review the treaties and agreements made between governments and
international financial institutions, document the related negative effects
of globalization, and raise awareness in the congregations and among the
population. 

At the close of the LWF consultation, a paper dealing with the role and the
calling of the state was drafted with the working title, "Reclaiming the
Vocation of the Government." The document sets out the discussion's results
and determines new ways and strategies for churches to demand greater
responsibility on the part of governments. The paper however notes that
before the state, NGOs and the economy can be held accountable, churches must
identify and acknowledge their own problems and inadequacies and be willing
to work to improve themselves. (1,103 words)

(A contribution by Anne-Christin Sievers, youth intern in the LWF Office for
Communication Services.)

[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 62.3 million of the almost 66 million
Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas
of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith 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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