wfn.org | ALCNoticias News Service March 14 2004

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ALC NEWS SERVICE
E-mail: director@alcnoticias.org

ALC HEADLINES:
BRAZIL: Love and hope at the funeral of the Lutheran deaconess
BRAZIL: Researchers investigate the relationship between religiosity and 
the market
SPAIN: Christians around the world repudiate terrorist attacks
CUBA: Cuban Council of Chruches elects Pentecosal pastor as president
CHILE: Catholics resigned about approval of divorce law

BRAZIL
Love and hope at the funeral of the Lutheran deaconess

PORTO ALEGRE, March 8, 2004 (alc). Doraci Edinger, murdered February 21 in 
her apartment in Nampula, Mozambique was buried Saturday March 6 in a 
deeply emotional service.

God with God, sister and rest assured that your life was not in vain, 
said Alenir Edinger, one of Doracis 10 brothers who spoke in the name of 
the family.

Doracis body arrived in Porto Alegre at 1:00 am Saturday and was 
immediately taken to Sao Leopoldo where a wake was held in the chapel of 
her Mother House. She was then buried in the Hermandad Cemetery the 
following morning.

The first vice president pastor of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran 
Confession in Brazil (IECLB) Homero Severo Pinto recalled at the funeral 
that the resurrection of Christ permits a new perspective as faith is not 
limited to this world.

Lutheran Bishop C.M. Molefe of South Africa said that Doraci was loved by 
the people of Nampula, where she brought water, transportation and medical 
care. Speaking in the name of the Lutheran Church he condemned this 
diabolic act committed against the sister.

According to IECLB President Walter Altmann, the murder of Doraci was a 
blow against the cause of solidarity among peoples. Doraci traveled to 
Mozambique in 1998 where she worked with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 
this African country, in cooperation with the Brazilian Church and the 
Lutheran World Federation.

Sister Gisela Beulke of the Mother House, said that the Sisterhood is 
grateful for the life experience of Doraci who always sought to do Gods 
will. The Rev. Vitor Hugo brought a word of comfort in the name of the 
Catholic Diocese in Novo Hamburgo.

In the funeral, the sisters passed out small handmade wooden crosses they 
had made to recall Doracis work in Mozambique. The family donated a 
crucifix that Doraci had in her apartment in Nampula that will remain in 
the IECLB as a testimony of her ministry, said Altmann.

The executive director of the Ecumenical Service Coordinator (CESE) Eliana 
Rolemberg sent a letter of condolence to Doracis family and the Church 
emphasizing that the sister made the Gospel her way of life.

Serving to the end a people she loved profoundly, the beloved Doraci was a 
tender and understanding pastor of this flock that she knew how to love and 
who now weep her absence, she said.

  CESE hopes that the governments of Brazil and Mozambique take the 
necessary measures to clarify the crime. (141/2004).

BRAZIL
Researchers investigate the relationship between religiosity and the market

SAO PAULO, March 10, 2004 (alc). Several researchers analyze the 
relationship between religiosity and economic growth in an article by 
Flavia Pardini published in the magazine Carta Capital, which curiously 
points to hell as a strong motivating factor.

While the role of religion is well known in different fields of knowledge, 
its role in the economy should not be a surprise as the father of liberal 
economics, Adam Smith, author of the The Wealth of Nations studied 
theology and stated that in neoliberal economics the market assumes a 
divine role.

In the article Religion and Economic Growth, economists Robert Barro, 
professor from the University of Harvard and his colleague, sociologist 
Rachel McCleary, emphasize that national economic growth is related to the 
religious concepts of that nations citizens. However, paradoxically they 
note that when more people frequent the Church, growth is lower.

We discovered that, as countries grow richer, become industrialized, 
peoples time becomes more valuable. And when this person participates in a 
religious activity, they are outside of the market, occupied in 
non-productive activity, said the sociologist.

The two researchers from Harvard believe that hell is a strong motivator as 
people who believe in hell will act in a determined fashion to avoid ended 
up there.

McCleary said that with her studies she has tried to correct the erroneous 
concept that economic growth eliminates religion and necessarily 
secularizes society.

Many people think that the more educated and rich people are, the less 
they need to believe in God and life after death. In reality, we find high 
levels of religious belief in industrialized societies, although low Church 
assistance, she said.

According to economist Laurence Iannaccone, professor from the George Mason 
University, a Protestant who has been studying the economics of religion 
for 20 years, economics are fundamental to understand religion.

Religions that meet peoples needs, not only individual but also group 
needs are on the rise, while those that are less attentive to these demands 
tend to decline, he said.

Iannaccone said that sectarian religious groups produce community goods 
such as trust, solidarity, mutual aid that people cannot simply find in 
the market.

In Brazil, anthropologist Ronaldo de Almeida reached a similar conclusion 
when he investigated neo-Pentecostals on the outskirts of Sao Paulo. Their 
religious discourse is oriented toward daily problems, unemployment, the 
lines in the banks, a family crisis, while classic Pentecostalism is more 
focused on life after death, he said.

According to Almeidas analysis, the neo-Pentecostal congregations 
constitute true networks, not only of religious goods but also material 
goods that end up helping with social inclusion.

They put together a discourse that responds to the dramas, to peoples 
immediate daily demands and that is extremely attractive for this 
population living on the periphery of the city, in a vulnerable situation.

Theologian Jung Mo Sung, a professor from the Methodist University and the 
Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo recalled in the interview with 
Carta Capital that Adam Smith was the first to develop the idea that the 
invisible hand in the market always leads to something better, as an 
expression of divine providence.

The economy placed importance of the religious theme of sacrifice. It is a 
divine demand and if you obey you will have your reward. But those who 
rebel have no reward and go to hell said Sung. Behind all this is the 
concept that outside of the market there is no salvation, added 
Sung.  (146/2004).

SPAIN
Christians around the world repudiate terrorist attacks

MADRID, March 12, 2004 (alc). The Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches 
of Latin America and the Caribbean.(CIEMAL) joined its voice to the 
Federation of Religious Evangelical Entities of Spain (FEREDE) and the 
Spanish Episcopal Church to repudiate terrorist attacks that left several 
hundred dead and 1,400 injured in Madrid.

CIEMAL joined its voice to those who reject and condemn these terrible acts 
in a communiqui signed by its president Bishop Paulo Lockmann and secretary 
general bishop Emeritus Aldo M. Etchegoyen.

God rejects a world where life has such little value and where there are 
acts of terrorism that are responded to with repression and war, this route 
only feeds the violence from which it is difficult to leave, said the 
Methodists.

We mourn with the families of the victims and we ask that God and the 
doctors are able to bring healing to those who survived. We join our prayer 
to the millions who clamor for peace and ask God to strengthen those who 
weep for the loss of a loved one, added the Methodists.

FEREDE expressed its consternation and absolute reject of such a monstrous 
criminal action that goes against the most fundamental of human rights, the 
right to life.

As Evangelical Christians we once again reject every class of violence and 
the use of violent methods for any end, as killing in anyone or anythings 
name has no moral justification but to the contrary only produces death, 
horror, suffering and mourning, it added.

The declaration, signed by the president of the entity, which is the legal 
representative of the Evangelicals before the State, Jose Maria Baena and 
its executive secretary Mariano Blazquez, manifested solidarity with the 
families of the victims and asked God to guide and give wisdom to our 
governors and politicians so that our society can live in peace and 
serenity in a spirit of justice and progress.

For his part, Carlos Lopez Lozano, bishop of Madrid of the Spanish 
Episcopal Reform Chruch convened his faithful to congregate today at noon 
at the door of the Cathedral of the Redeemer for a few minutes of silence 
in memory of the fallen and to demonstrate their rejection of such a 
serious terrorist act.

The Episcopal Church, which is a member of the world Anglican Communion, 
expressed its most energetic condemnation in a communiqui.

We want to transmit our solidarity to the families of the victims and we 
ask God to console them in their pain and we profoundly lament the lost of 
their loved ones, it added.

We also energetically condemn all acts of violence aimed at reaching 
objectives of any nature, recalling that human life is the most precious 
gift of God and has a value that is superior to all other values, said the 
communiqui.

CUBA
Cuban Council of Chruches elects Pentecosal pastor as president

HAVANA, March 12, 2004 (alc). The National Assembly of the Cuban Council of 
Churches, held in the Presbyterian Reform Church in Luyano, Habana elected 
Rhode Gonzalez, pastor of the Christian Pentecostal Church as president.

This is the first time that the CIC, organized in 1941, has elected a woman 
as president and it is also the first time the president comes from the 
Pentecostal movement.

Gonzalez beat outgoing executive secretary and pastor president of the Free 
Evangelical Church (Pentecostal) Marcial Miguel Hernandez by one vote. They 
were the only two candidates for the position. Gonzalez is also the new 
president of the Biblical Commission.

Nazarene Pastor Amelio Palmeiro, Esther Quintero, of the Orthodox God 
Church, Camag|ey, Pedro Jiminez, of the Presbyterian Reform Church, Yolanda 
Brito, of the Christian Reofrm Church and Dora Arce, pastor and moderator 
of the Presbyterian Reform Church in Cuba were elected vice presidents.

Ammiel Pirez, president of the Church of Christ was elected treasurer 
while  Marma Yi, President of the Quaker Church was elected secretary.

Rhode Gonzalez replaces Reinerio Arce, a lay theologian from the 
Presbyterian Reform Church of Cuba.

The CIC Board of Directors will meet in one month to elect a new executive 
secretary and the director of the Areas and Programs.(153/2004).

CHILE
Catholics resigned about approval of divorce law

SANTIAGO , March 12, 2004 (alc). The final approval of the law introducing 
divorce in Chile was received with resignation by Cardinal Francisco Javier 
Errazuriz, the main representative of the Chilean Catholic Church who led 
opposition to this legislation for years.

In a press conference the head of the Chilean Bishops Conference said that 
while the Church did not hope for the approved text, it is not disappointed 
because the decision was expected. He added that the law represents an 
immense challenge for the Church.

The text, that was 10 years in the making, will now be sent to the 
Constitutional Tribunal for review and it will come into effect six months 
after being promulgated by President Ricardo Lagos and published in the 
Official Gazette.

The general provisions were approved 76 in favor, two opposed and 20 
abstentions. For 44 articles and some clauses there was separate voting. 
There was some expectations regarding article 20, which consecrates the 
civil recognition of religious marriage and establishes a set period to 
register the religious ceremony in the Civil Registry, but it was approved 
51 votes in favor, 44 against and seven abstentions.

Cardinal Errazuriz said it was necessary to renew the previous law (that 
dates from 1884) and to clearly establish the conditions for a marriage to 
be valid and how, if these conditions are not met, this marriage should be 
declared invalid.

While the Cardinal did not mention it, Chile is one of the few countries in 
the world where there was no divorce and therefore separated partners did 
not have rights. Couples had to turn to different legal formals to annul 
their relationship.

The prelate said that the approved legislation constitutes an incentive for 
the Church to work on issues related to the family such as the problem of 
single mothers, a decline in the number of marriages and higher numbers of 
people living together and the battle to improve the income of the poor and 
decrease the working day.

However, he recalled that the bishops of the Catholic Church, at different 
times, have said that divorce brings major problems. We have not changed 
our opinion, he said. He described how he just met with bishops from Latin 
America and the bishop of Puerto Rico said that the same number of people 
marry and divorce each year in his country leading to  enormous instability 
and suffering for children.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Jorge Medina, who holds a high ranking position in the 
Holy See said, from the Vatican that the approval of the law is simply a 
disaster.

Regarding the fact that some Christian legislators voted in favor of the 
law he said it has always surprised me that there were Catholic 
legislators who favored this project, disregarding the voice of the pastor 
of the Church. Certainly, in the Holy See, no one is going to be happy 
about something like this.

The Bishop of San Bernardo, Juan Ignacio Gonzalez, said the law 
demonstrates the degree of confusion that people have regarding the moral 
issues that concern the country. Without a doubt, unilateral divorce is a 
juridical aberration, he said.

On the other hand, Evangelical bishop Francisco Anabalon said he was 
pleased about the approval of the law but insisted that the recognition of 
religious marriage by the civil authority is  a serious regression, a 
return to the past

Errazuriz said that some religious confessions, for example Evangelicals, 
consider that marriage is what happens at the civil ceremony and the 
married couple receives the blessing of the priest. Previously, it was 
thought that a civilian marriage was worthless. Today, a religious marriage 
is recognized when inscribed n the Civil Registry . (154/2004).

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