wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Hearings Focus on Economic Life Statement

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 18, 1999

ELCA ASSEMBLY HEARINGS FOCUS ON ECONOMIC LIFE STATEMENT
99-CWA-22-LJG

     DENVER (ELCA) -- How can we use this?  How can we measure this?
How can we live this? These were the most prevalent questions about the
proposed economic statement from the 200-plus voting members during two
afternoon hearings at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Churchwide Assembly, Aug. 17.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 16-22 at the Colorado Convention Center.
There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,039 ELCA
voting members.  The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ
Known: Hope for a New Century."
     The proposed social statement describes itself as a way to "assess
economic life today in light of the moral imperative to seek sufficient,
sustainable livelihood for all."
A 15-member task force revised the first draft of the economic statement
to integrate biblical and theological understandings and to be more
prophetic in tone.
     "This (the proposed statement) is an incredible judgment on our
own folks in the pew," said the Rev. Kim Sterner, voting member from the
ELCA Grand Canyon Synod, in one of the hearings.  "They're going to say:
'How dare you tell me I can't have my VCR and my 40-inch screens?  How
do you respond to that?"
     "I wish I had an easy, funny comeback for that response," replied
Dr. Annette Citzler, chair of the ELCA Task Force on Economic Life.  "I
do hear that a lot -- not just from other people but also this inner
voice in me saying that, too!  I share my personal struggle when people
say, 'How dare you?'  I tell them that I am every day wrestling with
these very same issues myself, and I challenge them to join in this
struggle."
     Participants voiced concerns with particular emphases in the
document: the disparity between CEO salaries and laborers' wages within
the same corporation, support of labor unions and requests for
government legislation.
     The Rev. Viviane Thomas-Breitfeld, voting member, ELCA Greater
Milwaukee Synod explained, "I serve on the executive board for United
Way and one thing we are doing is (measuring) outcomes.  We can urge,
challenge, but  if we have no way of measuring, nothing will change."
     Terry Speese, voting member, ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod,
spoke against the statement, saying that, "with no outcomes, there's
nothing there. It's like a corporate mission statement that just looks
wonderful in the office."
     Others applauded the generality of the document, and how it
portrayed Lutherans. "We could just quit preaching and quit reading the
Bible.  It's all just a statement of who we are," commented the Rev.
Deborah L. Conrad, voting member from the ELCA Indiana-Kentucky Synod.
     "It will be useful.  We all can take it and use it. We have to
incorporate it in the life and mission of our local congregation," said
the Rev. Bruce H. Davidson, voting member, ELCA New Jersey Synod.
     Participants also raised queries about unjust practices within
church arenas, ranging from poor pay or "opulent pay" for pastors and
church workers, to not allowing gay and lesbian pastors to live out
their lifestyle, to the subtle issue of a spouse being able to work for
the church at inadequate income because the other partner earns enough.
     "This is a very good, prophetic voice, but how we will implement
it at home?" asked the Rev. Juan Cobrda, bishop of the ELCA Slovak Zion
Synod. "We don't want charity abroad, exploitation at home."
     Those at the hearing requested specific methods of implementation
and offered suggestions, too.   "Have you talked about ways to
facilitate the document?" asked Mark D. Keyl, voting member, ELCA
Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod.  Will there be concrete ways of pulling this
off?  We need it kind of written out sometimes."
     People requested videos, Bible studies and curricula.  Citzler
responded, If this is adopted, the division can go forward to develop
those kinds of resources, but as to what shape they'll take, it's
premature to say.  There are things out there -- scattered in Mosaic
[the ELCA video magazine], The Lutheran [magazine], and bulletin
inserts, if the statement is adopted, then that can be pulled together,"
Citzler said.
     Voting members are slated to vote on the proposed social statement
Aug. 20.  A two-thirds vote is required for adoption.  Hearings on the
social statement took place  Aug. 17.
     "My question is, as we take our free bag and our free mug back to
our three-star hotel: How does that justify the statement?" asked Betsy
D. Liljeberg, voting member, ELCA Upstate New York Synod.

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