wfn.org | Brazilian Church Urges Concerted Effort to Combat Corruption

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

'Practice Often Goes Unpunished, People Becoming Resigned to It'

SAO LEOPOLDO, Brazil/GENEVA, 24 October 2001 (LWI) - The Evangelical
Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil (ECLCB) has called for
concerted effort by political leaders, non-governmental
organizations, churches and individuals in the country to combat
corruption, "an obstacle that hurts and suffocates the life in our
society."

"Corruption is developing like a cancer spreading through the entire
social fabric. It is destroying the life in society and church,
ruining the young generation, and intensifying inequality and social
exclusion," the ECLCB presidency, synod pastors and lay leaders said
in a statement following a September 21-23 meeting in S o Leopoldo.

The church leaders stressed that corruption also harms Brazil's
image, jeopardizes national development and drives away local and
foreign investors. They noted that the practice occurs frequently in
the country, "and so often goes unpunished that the Brazilian people
are becoming resigned to it, and eventually accepting it as trivial
and normal."

In the statement signed by ECLCB President Huberto Kirchheim, the
Lutheran church cited corruption cases including the misappropriation
of public resources by the judiciary, politicians, government leaders
and officials, and the use of legislative bodies to promote personal
interests.

The church leaders particularly urged ECLCB members and the Brazilian
people in general to monitor persons elected for public tasks, and
also ensure that they themselves resist "each and every kind of
corruption by not participating in it and instead denouncing it."

The ECLCB expressed gratitude to all government officials that are
serving with "honesty and integrity" and urged politicians,
governors, legislators, prosecutors and judges "not to become weary
or give up the fight against all kinds of corruption."

Stressing the joint effort to promote honesty and transparency, the
Lutheran church urged those responsible in the media to "tell the
truth without fear, to denounce corrupt individuals and reveal those
that are honest."

The meeting brought together representatives from 18 ECLCB synods.
The church joined the Lutheran World Federation in 1952, and has
714,000 members.

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 133
member churches in 73 countries representing over 60.5 million of the
64.3 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its
member churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical
relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights,
communication, and the various aspects of mission and development
work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material
presented does not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of
its various units. Where the dateline of an article contains the
notation (LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with
acknowledgment.]

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