wfn.org | 400th anniversary of Edict of Nantes: LWF general secretary

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

calls for reflection on discrimination of minorities

GENEVA, 25 March 1998 - In commemoration of the Edict of Nantes, general
secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Ishmael Noko, has called
for reflection on discrimination against and oppression of religious and
social minorities.

The Edict of Nantes, which was signed on March 30, 1598 by French King
Henry IV, "calls us all to reflect with humility and with prayer on the
spiritual as well as the social implications of that very significant
historical event", the March 25 statement says.

The deep suffering of so many adherents to Protestant movements in France
before and after the Reformation is one of the dark chapters of European
history, he writes. At the same time, the anniversary of the Edict of
Nantes also "gives us courage in the knowledge that justice can gain power
over injustice and fairness over bias". This historical event, he
concludes, is a lesson both in tolerance and vigilance since the values and
principles which allow us to live together must be unceasingly reaffirmed
and defended.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), founded in 1947, is a global communion
of 124 member churches and 12 recognized congregations representing over 57
million Lutherans. LWF headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

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Lutheran World Information
Editorial Assistant: Janet Bond-Nash
E-mail: jbn@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/