wfn.org | Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland defends welfare state

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

Bishops: "We need a state which protects the weak"

HELSINKI, Finland/GENEVA, 25 March 1999 (lwi) All nine bishops of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (ELCF) have strongly defended
the existence of the welfare state in their country.

According to the ELCF information center, a joint statement on social
ethics, entitled Towards the Common Good - A Statement by the Bishops
on the Welfare Society, says the bishops hope to initiate discussion
on the basis of the welfare society and the pressures that exist to
change it.

In the statement published shortly before Finland's parliamentary
elections in March, the bishops write: "Nordic society, which bears
social responsibility, is an achievement which must not be abandoned.
We need a state which protects the weak and defends justice."

In the bishops' opinion,  Finland can take an initiative in creating
a worldwide economic regulating mechanism. "International finance
needs an arrangement whereby it does not just levy benefits from
society to shareholders and leave society to deal with the problems.
In order to limit the deleterious effects of market forces we need
both a moral and a political force that transcends all national and
cultural frontiers," they argue.

The bishops in their joint statement criticize the unregulated market
economy and neo-liberalism. They call for clearer global mechanisms
and structures to regulate the economy, for it is irresponsible to
build society purely on the basis of economic growth.

During a ceremony marking the publication of their statement in book
form, the head of the church, Archbishop Jukka Paarma, is quoted
saying: "We are concerned, having heard people talking and having
watched the signs of the welfare state's being pruned or even cut
back."

The bishops point out that "the only acceptable model for society is
one where all citizens are full members of society. The state is
responsible for providing sufficient basic security for all
citizens."

The bishops emphasize that the Church must seek not only those who
remain beyond the scope of other aid, but it must also strengthen the
co-operation between society and the people.

"Lutherans understand society as a whole where one tries to put
oneself in the place and situation of the person needing aid. On the
other hand, the responsibility of the community is to oppose
selfishness and to use coercion so that good things are distributed
to many people," the bishops conclude.

A member of the Lutheran World Federation, the ELCF has over 4
million members in eight dioceses, representing about 86 percent of
Finland's population.

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/