wfn.org | (LWF) Delegates Respond to Keynote Speech

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

LWF Tenth Assembly, Winnipeg, Canada, 21-31 July 2003

PRESS RELEASE NO. 16

Delegates Respond to Keynote Speech
Bishop Kigasung, Ms. De Neyeloff React from Unique Perspectives

WINNIPEG, Canada, 24 July, 2003 - The keynote speaker at the Tenth Assembly
of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Bishop Dr. Margot Kaessmann said that
she wished she could rewrite her keynote speech in dialogue with her
responders. 

The bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, Germany, expressed
her deep gratitude to key responders, Bishop Dr Wesley Kigasung, Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, and Ms. Virginia Ivaqez de Neyeloff,
delegate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela, for their
feedback to her keynote address delivered here Wednesday. She also responded
to three delegates who offered additional remarks from the floor.

Bishop Kigasung reinforced Kaessmann's theme of the authority of scripture *
sola scriptura * and asked the audience to "listen again" to the earliest
accounts in Genesis of the wounding of creation, when God asked of Adam,
"Where are you?" and of Cain, "Where is your brother?" The bishop said that
the human avoidance of responsibility didn't change God's "good and holy
intent" for creation. These stories, he said echoing Kaessmann's words,
challenge us to respond to our brothers and sisters "with eyes wide open" to
the call to accountability implicit in God's questions. 

This message of hope, continued Kigasung, takes form in Jesus and the
fulfillment expressed in John 3:16. "Jesus is the hope for all who experience
pain and suffering."  We must "listen again" to the groaning of the silent
majority. 

Kigasung concluded with a strong challenge to Christians living in Christian
countries, who have actually inflicted many of the world's wounds. "Listen,"
he said, "review (your actions) and respond * for the healing of the world."

De Neyeloff reacted to Kaessmann's address from the concrete, regional
context of Latin America, where men and especially women feel "the pain of
injustice, corruption and unnecessary death." She discussed the historical
perspective in which indigenous cultures that once had their own
sophisticated links to nature were then enslaved and exploited by European
conquerors and force-fed a new religion. 

"Violence in families is not only the result of poverty, but has cultural
and religious roots," she said. "Half of society is steeped in prejudice and
inertia ... the other half will have to bring about change."  

De Neyeloff proposed concrete steps, such as promoting use of the LWF
handbook, "The Church Says No to Violence Against Women," offering gender
training from an early age, strengthening models for a "new" masculinity,
ordaining women, and making possible free education for the masses. She
especially encouraged an "ecumenical response to globalization" in which
sectarian points of view are avoided and cooperation encouraged in the face
of economic exploitation. She spoke about the enormous debt burden in Latin
American countries and said that is a matter of "sinning or serving God" to
establish the basis for promoting social justice.

Several delegates also responded to Kaessmann's keynote speech from the
floor. Anders Wejryd from the Church of Sweden took issue with Kaessmann's
assertion that healing is a central outcome of the Great Commission, and not
merely a secondary, diaconal task.  The "diaconal task," avowed Wejryd, is
the primary response. He also spoke to Kaessmann's point about the inability
of poorer nations to afford advanced treatment for HIV/AIDS and other
diseases and stressed the need for enlightened democratic control of medical
advances, especally in the field of genetic engineering.

Tore Johnsen, Church of Norway representative of the Sami people spoke of
"the European culture in dialogue with itself," and asked, "Are we (European
nations) aware of how powerful we are? Are we willing to address our own
cultural hegemony?" He challenged participants to "Listen with the heart . .
. and be prepared to change our mindset."

Ingrid Vad Nilsen, also from the Church of Norway, said, "I am a practical
person" and "we must not only analyze and theologize" but act in practical,
"diaconal ways. . . We need a painful growth experience." 

In conclusion Kaessmann added to De Neyeloff's proposals for action in Latin
America the need to address the issue of the rapidly growing charismatic
healing movement. She agreed that "Diakonia" must be part of the "Esse" (to
be, essence) of the church.  

To the concern about genetic engineering, she added her own from the
perspective of German history. "I want to say, 'hands off,'" she declared. 

As for the unwitting conviction of European cultural supremacy, she stated
"I cannot analyze someone else's context! We in the north have to call our
own people to listen. We need to be silent." 

The Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is taking place
21-31 July 2003 in Winnipeg, Canada, under the theme "For the Healing of the
World." It is being hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
(ELCIC).

There are almost 800 men, women and youth participants in the Tenth Assembly
including 369 delegates from the 133 churches with full membership and three
associate members. The Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the
LWF, and meets normally every six years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is
governed by its Council that meets annually, and by its Executive Committee.

Further information including photos, video and audio news, is posted on the
Assembly Web site www.lwf-assembly.org 

To order photographs, please contact LWF-Photo@lutheranworld.org 

*	*	*

The LF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 136 member
churches in 76 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 and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission
and development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.