wfn.org | Noko: Consequences of Globalization Have Affected Churches

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

LWF General Secretary Ishmael Noko: Consequences of Globalization
Have Affected Churches in "Very Specific Ways"
Marginalization A Challenge to the Church Nationally and Globally

LWF Council Meeting, Wittenberg, Germany, 10-17 September 2002

Press Release No. 4

WITTENBERG, Germany/GENEVA, 10 September 2002 (LWI) * In his
Report to the 2002 Council Meeting of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF), General Secretary Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko
described globalization as "a process of complex processes" that
means many things to many people but remains "one of the defining
phenomena of this century."

Globalization has accelerated growth in commercial transactions,
across national borders and it has opened new market opportunities
for local and national producers, thereby increasing wealth for
some. But since the distribution of these benefits favors the
powerful economic actors, the process has also generated many
social problems. It is ambiguous because it has a tendency to
simultaneously include and exclude people, regions and economic
sectors, Noko told the LWF governing body, meeting in the Luther
city of Wittenberg, Germany, September10-17.

Economic restructuring, another consequence of globalization, has
resulted in higher unemployment, increased insecurity and
inequality. Many people today find themselves in a situation where
"unemployment undermines the dignity of work." Yet work is an
experience and activity shared by all and through which "we all
contribute to our communities and define our own identities and
that of our societes. It is this marginalization that constitutes
a challenge to the church nationally and worldwide," Noko
stressed.

 From a biblical perspective work is a gift and a source of
capitalistic economy. "For Luther, the value of economic activity
was in serving the well being of the neighbor," Noko said.
Noko said. Martin Luther's perspective about work provides some
dignity, and therefore has both material and spiritual dimensions,
agriculturalists into a society with at least the beginnings of a
valuable insights. He lived and worked in Wittenberg at a time of
economic changes that transformed Germany from a nation of peasant

Globalization Lacks Accountability Structures

Noko also pointed to globalization's lack of structures that
regulate and ensure accountability. He cited the annual meetings
of the so-called G8 group * comprising the world's most powerful
economic nations * where decisions that "affect the lives of every
person on the planet" are routinely taken. The general secretary
wondered how eight nations could decide "on the future of the
entire world in a century where 'transparency' and 'participation'
are held up high as very important marks of democracy."

The LWF general secretary argued that since the present economic
system was not devised by God then handed to human beings, there
must be a possibility to change it and make it more humane than it
currently is. "Globalization will make sense only when it provides
opportunities for the reduction of poverty and permits people to
lead a dignified life," he said.

Noko cited the effects of globalization especially on many of the
churches in developing countries. Diminishing financial resources
have resulted in ever-tighter limitations of the churches'
capacity to provide for their pastors and other church workers.
"Many churches are already in a permanent state of financial
crisis," he said. He drew the Council's attention to the difficult
economic situation in countries such as Argentina, Nicaragua,
Palestine and Liberia. The crisis gos beyond material shortage. It
has an ecclesiological and spiritual dimension that puts to
question what it means 'to be church' in a globalized "world that
is connected, yet disconnected, cured but not healed [of]
memories."

During the Council meeting, a hearing is planned on a study
process on globalization undertaken by the LWF Department for
Theology and Studies.

Global Tensions and Conflicts

Turning to global tensions and conflicts, currently present in
nearly every sub-region and continent, Noko noted that the United
Nations - an organ conceived to improve international
understanding is constantly undermined and ignored by the member
states.  He also cited the current difficult political and social
situation in his home country, Zimbabwe, which has resulted in
tension between the Zimbabwean and British governments. The
beginnings of such tension can be traced back to a painful history
of what happened over a century ago. It involves much more than
the quarrel over land re-distribution, and points to a problem
that was left unresolved at the time of the 1989 of the Lancaster
House Agreement transforming Rhodesia into Zimbabwe. "To be
'church' for the churches" in the two nations would, according to
Noko, require unprecedented initiatives that help each move from a
stage of political cure to healing."

On the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D. C. on 11
September 2001, Noko noted that the events around that day have
become the most influential ones on the international scene. When
United States President, George Bush declared war on terrorism
without defining what terrorism is, "it opened opportunity for
despotic leaders around the world to suppress political opponents
under the banners of war against terrorism," Noko said. But
various religious leaders have stated their position on the war
against terrorism. In January, the LWF general secretary and
Jerusalem bishop, Dr. Munib A.Younan represented the LWF in
Assisi, Italy upon the invitation of Pope John Paul II, joining
other relgious leaders to pray for peace in the world. The
testimonies on that day gave no religious bases and justification
for the post-September 11 events.

The tragic situation in Israel and Palestine remains a major
concern for the LWF. Noko said the Executive Committee at its June
meeting witnessed both desperate and hopeful situations. The
desperate side continues to be the destruction of human lives,
communities, property and a sense of loss of a common future
between the Israeli and Palestinian people. The hopeful side was
the irrepressible hope and faith within small groups and
individuals in both communities, he told the Council.

Noko's report also highlighted major issues to be discussed in the
following days during the Council business sessions. These include
documentation for the 2003 LWF Tenth Assembly namely, the Report
of the General Secretary on Behalf of the Council, The Study Book:
For the Healing of the World, and the Final Report of the Assembly
Planning Committee. Also to be brought before the program and
standing committees are reports by two task forces, one called to
study the place of communication in the LWF, the other, focusing
on the nature and future of the LWF as a communion of churches.

Noko commended to Council participants the communique Breaking the
Silence that contains commitments in response to the HIV/AIDS
pandemic, resulting from a Pan-African Lutheran Church Leadership
Consultation last May. The commitments and an LWF action plan on
HIV/AIDS have been sent to the member churches. It was the general
secretary's hope that these documents would become part of the
churches' agenda to promote an effective contribution to the
worldwide ecumenical response to the pandemic.

Noko also reported on a first meeting, 30 July to 1 August 2002,
between representatives of the LWF and International Lutheran
Council (ILC) * mainly representing the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod (LCMS) and churches affiliated to it. He noted that
information shared about the history, confessional/docrinal basis,
self-understanding, organizational structure, types of membership,
and the nature, functions and objectives of the two organizations
considerably improved the knowledge about each other. Common
ground as well as differences were identified in the area of
theology, with particular reference to confessional and ecumenical
issues. The next ILC-LWF meeting will take place 29-31 October
2003.

Situation of Some LWF Member Churches

The general secretary also raised concern about the situation of
Baltic churches abroad namely, Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian
Lutheran churches in exile. Their request for allocation of a
Council seat during the coming period will be reviewed.

Staff of the LWF Office for Communication Services at the Council
meeting can be contacted at German mobile telephone No., +49-(0)
170-8345 177.

(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 61.7
million of the 65.4 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.]

*	*	*
LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION
PO Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
English Editor: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
Tel: (41.22) 791.63.54
Fax: (41.22) 791.66.30
http://www.lutheranworld.org/