wfn.org | LWF Council meeting "a moment for good change, open questions"

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

Press Release 01/99

BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic, 22 June 1999 (lwi) - Bishop Julius Filo of
the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Slovak Republic
has described the meeting of the  Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
Council here "in the heart of Europe" as a moment not only full of hope
for good change but also full of open questions.

Delivering his sermon during the opening Eucharist at the "Velky kostol"
* small church * here on the evening of 21 June 1999, Bishop Filo,
referred to the theme of the 22-29 June Council meeting, "The Gospel
Transforming Cultures", as the church*s instrument for the service of
change.

Welcoming participants in this year*s Council,  Filo talked of the
church*s shared joy and fear in the context of a difficult
transformation process in the country and the region. "We have lived for
more than 40 years in a country which proclaimed social justice and
peace," Filo told worshipers. But, he explained, this was not done in a
democratic manner.  Under this system, the instruments applied violated
civil and human rights and the cultural and economic development was
permanently restricted by one group of people. The church with its
historical and existential contribution was ignored but it was the only
existing and carefully controlled ideological opposition.

However, following changes in central and eastern Europe in the last ten
years, the resulting legal framework bears significant implications for
the church as it performs its role in the moral and spiritual
transformation of society. The Slovak constitution for example proclaims
in its preamble the need to build the country on the roots of the
Christian tradition of Cyril and Methodius, the ninth century apostles
to the Slavic nations. This year was declared in Slovak to be the year
of Christian culture, the church leader explained.

But the question still remains as to how churches can be instruments of
a truly healing transformation since the past still shows its
destructive power, the bishop of the Slovak church said. "Can our
churches help our society not only to reject the theory of materialism
but lead them out of the temptation to fall into practical materialism?"
Filo asked. And proposed that the theme selected for this year*s Council
meeting, provided the basic answer to that question. The gospel can
transform the witness of the church so that our sermons, educational
programs and Christian culture can clearly speak about this power. The
gospel can also bring about a just, democratic and peaceful social
behavior among human beings, he added.

This is the first time that the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg
Confession in the Slovak Republic is hosting an LWF Council meeting.
With a membership of 329,117, and 329 congregations, the church is a
founding member of the LWF.

The LWF is a global communion of 124 member churches in 69 countries
representing over 58 million of the world*s 61.5 million Lutherans. The
LWF's highest decision-making body is the Assembly, held every six or
seven years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member
Council which meets annually, and its Executive Committee.

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Lutheran World Information
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