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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 29, 2001

ELCA BOARD FOCUSES ON HUMAN RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT
01-072-MR

     Mundelein, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) Division for Global Mission (DGM) is addressing human rights and
asking the church to advocate for peace and justice in Africa and the
Middle East.  The DGM board approved that request and several others when
it met here March 16-18 at the University of St. Mary's on the Lake.
     The board asked DGM staff to begin work on a statement for the board
that will illustrate "DGM's commitment to human rights."  The statement is
to be written in connection with DGM's goal to "be in solidarity with and
advocate for people who are oppressed, poor and suffering, and share our
resources to meet human need."
     In a related resolution, the board requested that staff provide an
"interim report" on the progress of the statement for its meeting in the
fall and a final document for the board's consideration in 2002.
     "Over the years we have been witnessing the human catastrophe in
Bosnia, Colombia, Kosovo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Eritrea, Somalia,
southern Sudan, Sierra Leone, Myanmar, East Timor and in many [other]
countries around the [world]," said Belletch Deressa, ELCA director for
international development and disaster response, DGM, in her report to the
board.  She said the church, through DGM and in cooperation with the ELCA
Division for Church in Society, must work to be "more pro-active" in
addressing human rights.
     "Our mandate is to accompany those 'who are oppressed, poor and
suffering,'" Deressa said.  "We wait for countries to tell us what to do.
In the meantime, people are dying."  The church must develop ways it can
"accompany people in a more practical way," she said.
     Deressa provided reasons for the church to get involved in human
rights and advocacy.
     The ELCA is a church "independent" from the U.S. government and "one
of the largest Protestant churches in the United States," she said.  The
separation of church and state lends "credibility" to the ELCA's Division
for Global Mission in addressing human rights, and the church, through
DGM, is in "companion relationships" with churches in more than 60
countries around the world, she said.
     "DGM staff members have up-to-date information regarding the
situations of many countries, as well as the Lutheran World Federation and
the World Council of Churches," Deressa said.
     Dennis M. Frado, director, Lutheran Office for World Community,
United Nations, New York, outlined some ways in which ELCA social
statements provide guidance on how members of the church commit to human
rights worldwide.
     "The ELCA's firm commitment to human rights is rooted in at least
two of its social statements," Frado said.  They are "For Peace in God's
World," adopted by the 1995 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, and "The Church in
Society: A Lutheran Perspective," adopted by the 1991 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly.
     "The advocacy staff of the ELCA Division for Church in Society --
through the Lutheran Office for World Community at the United Nations and
the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, Washington, D.C. -- consults
regularly with staff of the Division for Global Mission," Frado said.
     DGM cooperates with churches in other countries.  The division has
eight program directors who relate to churches in Europe (Western and
Nordic); East Africa, Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific; French-
speaking Africa and Madagascar; English-speaking West Africa and 
Southern Africa; East Asia; Latin America and the Caribbean; and (Eastern 
and Central) Europe, the Middle East and Horn of Africa.
     "As a result of their visits to other churches, DGM staff members
have in-depth knowledge about the specific situations facing the members
of these churches and their societies.  The Division for Church in Society
staff, on the other hand, closely follow political developments in the
United States and abroad.  Staff can then strategize together, on the
basis of all of this information, what may be the appropriate steps to
take to protect human rights.  Sometimes it may be a letter to a
government or a statement in a United Nations forum, but other times it
may be private discussions with that government.  This may be the case
when churches are a religious minority in a country," said Frado.
     "From the Division for Church in Society, we also ensure that the
ELCA's public pronouncements are consistent with our social statements,
assembly resolutions or ELCA Church Council actions.  We also take steps
to coordinate these concerns with ecumenical bodies in which we hold
membership, such as the Lutheran World Federation, the National Council of
Churches and the World Council of Churches," he said.
     In a separate resolution the board "reaffirmed" its commitment to
"encourage" members of the ELCA [through the ELCA Church Council] to
support, through prayer and material assistance, people [in the Middle
East] affected by civil strife."  The ELCA Church Council is the church's
legislative authority between churchwide assemblies, which are held every
two years.
     The board asked DGM staff, the ELCA Division for Church in Society
and others to "strengthen efforts and financial resources committed to
education and advocacy programs" about the Middle East; urged the Rev. H.
George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, to communicate the church's
"ongoing solidarity and concern" for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Jordan and Palestine; and requested that pastors, lay leaders and the 65
synod bishops of the church encourage participation in the Ecumenical
Prayer Vigil, which began Dec. 3 and will "continue until the violence
ends."
     "A new apartheid now exists in the occupied West Bank and Gaza
Strip, and the world is not blinking an eye," the Rev. Said Ailabouni,
ELCA program director for the Middle East, DGM, told the board.  "In fact,
the world is not being fully informed of what is happening in the occupied
territories."
     Ailabouni said, "The violence is escalating and the cycles of
revenge attacks and counter-attacks continue to happen."
     "I ask that you strengthen your presence in the Middle East," said
Dr. Agnes Wakim Dagher, director, Contact and Resource Center, Beirut,
Lebanon.
     "There are three ways you can be present in the Middle East," Dagher
told the board.  The first is to "break bread with the small people.  It
is the small people who need you.  This is what Jesus did."
     [The second] is to experience what is taking place in [the Middle
East], Dagher said.  "Don't be afraid of long-term commitments.  You are
needed here for a long time, so maintain your presence with us."
     And, third, organize leadership training.  We need Christian leaders
in the Middle East," she said.
     "The people in the Middle East should not witness the crucifixion
[of Jesus Christ] alone.  They should witness the Resurrection.  That is
why I came.  Now is the time for the ELCA to go to the Middle East," she
said.
     In other actions, the board:
     + moved to transmit "Stand With Africa: A Campaign of Hope" to the
ELCA Church Council for its consideration and recommendation to the 2001
ELCA Churchwide Assembly this summer.  The board committed itself to "join
others" in learning more about Africa, to address the HIV/AIDS crisis
there, and to respond to "urgent needs" in Africa by increasing DGM's
support to ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
     The campaign, scheduled to begin this year, is designed to increase
awareness about Africa.  The ELCA World Hunger Program and Appeal, The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) World Relief, and Lutheran World
Relief (LWR), developed the campaign, which includes a strategy for
increasing available financial resources by encouraging individual and
congregational giving for Africa through the ELCA World Hunger Appeal;
public media fund-raising efforts by LWR; and ELCA and LCMS work with
Bread for the World, which is planning a 2001 advocacy emphasis on Africa.
LWR works overseas in relief and development on behalf of the ELCA and
LCMS.
     + elected the Rev. Joel S. Bjerkestrand, Shepherd of the Hills
Lutheran Church, Fountain Hills, Ariz., chair; elected S. Christine
Mummert, Tree of Life Evangelical Lutheran Church, Harrisburg, Pa., vice
chair; and Wilma S. Kucharek, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Torrington,
Conn., secretary.
     + moved to transmit parts one and two of "Toward a Vision for
Evangelism in the ELCA" to the ELCA Church Council for its recommendation
to the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
     Part one, "A Telling Witness to God's Good News," provides a report
on the progress of the evangelism strategy adopted by the 1991 ELCA
Churchwide Assembly.  The 1991 strategy resolved to encourage each
congregation to examine its own ministry of hospitality, review the
opportunities for sharing "God's good news" with people in their "unique
setting," and develop ways to meet, engage, witness to and invite people
to "faith in Jesus Christ."
     Part two, "Sharing Faith in a New Century," provides a description
of evangelism, the global and local contexts for evangelism, and a text of
a resolution to be considered by the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.  The
board directed DGM staff to articulate the division's vision for
evangelism and "develop a plan to facilitate 'receiving the witness and
gifts for evangelism from global companions.'"  Staff will report back to
the board in 2002.  The board also requested that those drafting the final
document work to "strengthen the definition of evangelism" and "edit" its
supporting materials, particularly in the "What is evangelism?" section to
"ensure that the illustrative stories are clearly related to the points in
the definition [of evangelism] they are illuminating."
     DGM engages members of the ELCA in mission around the world through
involvement in evangelism, witness, education, promotion of justice,
service, relief and development.  The division has established
relationships with more than 80 Lutheran and other Christian churches
around the world.  These relationships are exhibited in the ELCA's 65
synods through the Companion Synod Program.
- - -
"For Peace in God's World" and "The Church in Society: A Lutheran
Perspective" are available at
http://www.elca.org/dcs/socialstatements.html

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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