wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Adopts Campaign For 'Justice In The Holy Land'

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ELCA Assembly Adopts Campaign For 'Justice In The Holy Land'
CWA-38-05-MRC

     ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members of the 2005
Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) urged Lutherans Aug. 13 to participate in a campaign --
"Peace Not Walls:  Stand for Justice in the Holy Land" --
designed to build awareness, and engage in accompaniment and
advocacy activities for "peace with justice" between Israel and
Palestine.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott
and Convention Center.	About 2,300 people are participating,
including 1,018 ELCA voting members.  The theme for the biennial
assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
     With a 668 to 269 vote the assembly adopted the campaign --
a primary component of the "ELCA Strategy for Engagement in
Israel and Palestine" adopted by the ELCA Council this past
April.	The council is the church's board of directors and
legislative authority between churchwide assemblies.
     The campaign urges members of the ELCA and its related
agencies and institutions to pray for peace with justice between
Israel and Palestine and continued witness of the Christian
church, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and
the Holy Land (ELCJHL); build relationships with the ELCJHL and
other partners; learn about the situation in the Holy Land;
intensify advocacy for peace with justice; "stewarding" financial
resources -- both U.S. tax dollars and private funds -- in
support for a just peace in the Holy Land and the ministries of
ELCA companions.
     In a news conference the Rev. Rebecca S.V. Larson, executive
director, ELCA Division for Church in Society, said the ELCA's
strategy does not contain "a policy on divestment."
     The assembly also called on the 10,657 congregations of the
ELCA to become part of a "chain of action" to link the assembly
with the church's 65 synod assemblies in 2006 through the use of
communion ware made in Bethlehem.
     An amendment to change the name of the campaign to "Stand
for Justice in the Holy Land" -- eliminating the words "Peace Not
Walls" -- was defeated with a 565 to 369 vote.
     Speaking in favor of the amendment Don E. Lamprecht, voting
member, ELCA Alaska Synod, said to eliminate the words "Peace Not
Walls" as the first part of the campaign's title will keep the
resolution "more neutral" and "less inflammatory."     Speaking
against the amendment Karen J. Zeile, voting member, ELCA
Southeast Michigan Synod, told the assembly that "Israel has
every right to protect itself from acts of terrorism," but the
barrier "isolates and intimidates" the Palestinian people.
     An amendment to include the word "may" in the ninth
"whereas" statement of the resolution was adopted by a 571 to 335
vote.  The amended whereas states: "In carrying out this mandate,
the Church Council in April 2004 joined the Lutheran World
Federation, the World Council of Churches, and others seeking
peace in the region in calling for an end to the construction of
the Israeli separation wall or barrier being built on Palestinian
land, which may undermine efforts toward a credible two-state
solution."
     In a separate action voting members directed the ELCA Office
of the Presiding Bishop to communicate the actions and concerns
of the assembly to the U.S. Secretary of State in an attempt to
"make this country aware of [the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly]
and its concern" for both Palestinians and Israelis, said the
Rev. Don M. Carlson, voting member, ELCA Texas-Louisiana Gulf
Coast Synod.

Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Jordan, Holy Land Addresses the
Assembly
     At the request of voting members the Rev. Munib Younan,
bishop of the ELCJHL, addressed the assembly live from Jerusalem
via telephone Aug. 13.
     "It is my fervent prayer that my children and grandchildren
will live one day side by side with their Israeli sisters and
brothers in a just peace," Younan told the assembly.  "Our
history is littered with incidents which drive us apart and block
our pathway to peace."
     Younan said Lutherans in the Holy Land believe in justice,
peace and reconciliation and condemn "every kind of brutality,
spiral violence, suicide attacks and terrorism."  The only way to
move forward, according to Younan, is through peaceful and
respectful negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.
     "We care about the security of Israel but believe that the
security of Israel is dependent on freedom and justice for the
Palestinians.  And, freedom and justice for Palestinians is
dependent on the security of Israel.  This symbiotic relationship
is the key to a just peace in this Holy Land," he said.
     "The current route of the wall will make freedom for
Palestinians impossible by cutting deeply into Palestinian land,
separating people from work, church, family and their own land,"
Younan told the assembly.  "Our church believes in bridges, not
walls; trust, not fear; dialogue for justice and peace, not more
reason for division," he said.	"If Israel feels it has a need to
build a wall, we would understand it" in association with the
"1967 borders.	But, we cannot understand their decision to build
it within Palestinian land."
     Younan asked voting members and visitors of the churchwide
assembly to not "let extremists from any side or from any part of
the world hold justice and peace hostage.  It is the role of the
church to be prophetic for the sake of humanity and justice,"
adding a plea to help keep "the Palestinian Christian church
strong" and "that the future of our church is not in war and
conflict but in healing and reconciliation that Israelis and
Palestinians can enjoy together."
---
     Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

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