wfn.org | ELCA Presiding Bishop Joins Call To G-8 For Debt Cancellation

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 10, 2004

ELCA Presiding Bishop Joins Call To G-8 For Debt Cancellation
04-120-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Saying that debt has become "a new form of slavery
for the most impoverished nations of the world," more than 250 U.S. and
international religious leaders called on the leaders of the G-8 countries
to cancel debts carried by the world's most indebted poor countries fully.
The multi-faith group of religious leaders represents Christian, Hindu and
Jewish traditions.
     Among those who signed the letter, delivered to the G-8 leaders
meeting this week at Sea Island, Ga., was the Rev. Mark S. Hanson,
presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and
president of the Lutheran World Federation.  Another key ELCA
representative who signed was the Rev. William E. Lesher, Berkeley,
Calif., former president of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
(LSTC), and chair of the board of trustees of the Council for a Parliament
of the World's Religions, based here.  LSTC is one of eight ELCA
seminaries.
     U.S. President George W. Bush is hosting the annual G-8 Economic
Summit, which also includes top leaders of the governments of Canada,
France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia and the United Kingdom.
     In their June 8 letter addressed to leaders of the G-8, the religious
leaders said, "We urge you to release life-saving resources in the form of
full-debt cancellation.  Choose life, not debt.  We invite you to usher in
the year of Jubilee."
     They asked the leaders of the G-8 countries to "take decisive action"
to cancel 100 percent of the debts owed by impoverished nations to the
International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other primary creditors
"without imposing harmful conditions."	The religious leaders noted that
many of the world's most impoverished countries are in Africa, and many
are affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis. Others are in Asia and Latin America,
they said.
     "Leading up to the year 2000 world leaders responded to this call by
canceling a great deal of bilateral debt," the religious leaders' letter
said.  "However, the demand of Jubilee remains unmet as millions of people
remain imprisoned by unjust debt service payments. This unjust debt burden
is overwhelming and servicing this debt literally takes food, shelter,
health care, education and social services directly from the people that
need them most, effectively denying economic and social human rights to
the world's majority."
     The religious leaders said an earlier effort to address the debt
crisis through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative
failed to provide the "robust exit" from the debt crisis that was
promised.  "HIPC has provided too little relief for too few countries with
too many conditions," the letter said.	However, the religious leaders
said HIPC did show that initial debt relief works because the money was
put to good use through increased spending for health, education and
poverty reduction programs.
     "As you discuss the importance of canceling the odious debt of Iraq,
we call on you to go farther than initial stabs at debt relief and provide
full debt cancellation, not only for Iraq but also for all nations
ensnared by odious debts throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America," the
leaders said.
     The leaders noted that the Judeo-Christian Jubilee Scriptures "evoke
a rhythmic cycle of rest, release and renewal," and the religious leaders
called on the G-8 leaders to enact these Scriptures through debt
cancellation for impoverished nations.
     The G-8 letter was released through Jubilee USA Network, Washington,
D.C., a diverse network of 60 organizations, including churches, which
responded to the international call for Jubilee debt cancellation.
---
     The text of the religious leaders' letter to G-8 leaders is at
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=/take_action&page=letter060804.
html on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news