wfn.org | Proposal for a permanent LWF center in Wittenberg

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

A liaison center for the Reformation-related institutes in the city

WITTENBERG, Germany/GENEVA, 27 October 1999 (lwi) - The Lutheran World
Federation(LWF) has been asked to consider opening a permanent center in
Wittenberg which would serve as a liaison for the Luther related
institutions in the German city.

This request was made by Mr. Hans-Joachim Kiderlen, the President of the
Evangelical Church of the Union in the Province of Saxony (KPS) when he
addressed participants at the third convention of the Conference of
International Black Lutherans (CIBL) meeting in this German city.

He thanked CIBL for choosing Wittenberg, * a small city* as the venue
for their meeting and at the same time underlined the ecumenical nature
of the church. *We (the church) act on a worldwide basis,* he said and
went on to mention the relationships existing with international church
bodies such as the LWF, World Council of Churches (WCC) and World
Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).

The Luther-related institutions in Wittenberg include the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Study Center for Adult Education, of
which programs comprise the Armenian and Jewish studies institutes among
others; the Seminary for the Evangelical Church of the Union for the
formation of pastors; the Luther Memorial Foundation (Luther-Halle); the
Protestant Academy in Wittenberg; the soon to be established Luther
Center Coordination (end of October 1999) and the Center for Global
Ethics which will be inaugurated in November by former New York Mayor
Andrew Young.

The CIBL members are drawn from their respective Lutheran churches,
which are part of the 128 member churches of the LWF.

(The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries
representing 58 million of the world*s 61.5 million Lutherans. It
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
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/