wfn.org | WCC ASSEMBLY: Elsa Tamez on God's grace and human dignity

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World Council of Churches - Feature
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For immediate release - 04/10/2005

GOD'S GRACE AND HUMAN DIGNITY

By Elsa Tamez (*)

    Reflections on the theme of the WCC 9th Assembly:
    God, in your grace, transform the world
    More articles and free photos at
    http://www.wcc-assembly.info

It was the Latin American Churches that first suggested divine grace as a
theme for the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches. In the
following article, a Latin American theologian reflects on what it means
to pray "God in your grace, transform the world" in Latin America today.

Paradoxically, when we speak of God's grace we must also speak of sin. And
in Latin America, talking about sin not only involves the personal
dimension but above all, its social dimension: injustice, violence, wars.
In Latin America, it is not possible to reflect on God's grace without
thinking about the disgraceful situation faced by millions across the
region on a daily basis: economic, social, cultural and spiritual misery.
Today the Christian concept of grace is challenged by a context of social
inequality and a lack of human dignity, both of which are signs of
structural sin.

In our world today it is apparently not enough to be human. In order to
"be someone" in the eyes of the world people must have many merits. These
are above all economic: a high salary, a nice house and more than one car.
People who do not meet this minimum standard are not considered "people",
they are not important.

In this context, the Christian message about grace restores the human
being. It reminds them of their place in the world as a son and daughter
of God, created in the image and likeness of God. For the poor and
discriminated, for those not considered people in our society, this is
good news. In a context where the excluded, the non-person abounds, the
experience of grace makes people visible, it gives them back their
dignity.

Today, more than ever it is necessary to underline the close relationship
between God's grace, "image of God", and human dignity. When we experience
God's grace we feel like sons and daughters of God, the image of God is
restored and the dignity of the person reappears. This is not only valid
for each of us personally but also for the other. When we recognize God's
grace in someone else, we also recognize their human dignity.

Grace is not only experienced passively. Grace is a gift that invites us
to radiate it from our spirit, mind and body, to manifest it through our
attitudes and practices and not just through what we say. Grace is not
limited to emotions or fleeting moods, but profoundly transforms and
renews our conscience, our body and the very way we live.

What is the message of God's grace for those who have power, status and
wealth? To those who rarely doubt their dignity and power, grace reminds
them that all human beings are sinners, that their complicity with sin
creates inequalities. However, it also reminds them of the opportunity
that we all have to accept God's grace that transforms and is freely
offered thanks to God's mercy. To understand that all human beings may
receive grace as a gift and, by so doing, reflect God's lineage in the
here and now, can lead to mutual respect and open up paths to overcome
inequalities and discrimination in society and the church.

The effectiveness of grace, like faith, is measured by our way of being,
our honesty, our transparency, the solidarity that marks our life-style.
God's grace must be radiated and shared. If God extends grace towards us
then we are also expected to act in a similar fashion towards our brothers
and sisters who feel abandoned to the misfortunes of the world.

It is not easy to live according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the
biggest challenges is to do so in the face of a religious ideology that
has no place for grace. Commercial religiosity - present in institutions,
the media and in some churches - is incapable of understanding that grace
is a gift, that it is not something that can be purchased. Grace does not
fit in a consumer society marked by rivalry, where we step on each other
in order to survive.

When we pray "God, in your grace, transform the world", we who have
experienced divine grace manifest our readiness to bear a message that can
transform a world that does not know grace or mercy.

[711 words]

(*) Elsa Tamez, a Mexican theologian and biblical scholar, is translations
consultant for the United Bible Societies; she is also professor at the
Latin American Biblical University and member of the Ecumenical Department
of Research, both in San José, Costa Rica. Among other books she has
published The Amnesty of Grace: Justification by faith from a Latin
American perspective, and Bible of the oppressed.

[Sidebar text]

9th WCC Assembly: Praying for a transformed world

The 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) will be held in
Porto Alegre, Brazil, from 14-23 February 2006. Its theme is a prayer:
"God, in your grace, transform the world".

The first WCC assembly of the 21st century, it will gather up to 3,000
church leaders and ecumenical representatives from nearly every Christian
tradition around the world. As such, it will be one of the broadest global
gatherings of its kind.

WCC assemblies are often turning points in the life of the World Council,
and this one is expected to leave its mark on ecumenical history.
Deliberations will focus on issues such as the future of the ecumenical
movement, the churches' commitment to economic justice as well as their
witness to overcoming violence, and the challenges faced in the midst of
religious plurality.

In Porto Alegre, members of the ecumenical family will be able to gather
around the assembly at a Mutirão, a Portuguese word that means coming
together for a common purpose. Made up of workshops, exhibitions and
cultural celebrations, this part of the assembly programme will offer
opportunities for members of the wider ecumenical movement to gather,
reflect and celebrate together.

This is the first WCC Assembly to be held in Latin America, and it is
being hosted by the National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil
(CONIC) on behalf of churches throughout the region. Pre-assembly events
for youth and for women will be held from 11-13 February.

Assembly website:
http://www.wcc-assembly.info

[246 words]

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.