wfn.org | ALC Noticias Sept 13 2004 Columbia Ecuador Brazil Argentina

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

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

CONTENT

COLOMBIA: Colombian Presbyterians ask for international protection
ECUADOR: CLAI adopts slogan and dates for next general assembly
SWITZERLAND: LWF urges Israel and Palestine to seek a lasting peace in the 
Holy Land
BRAZIL: Evangelical Olympics celebrates 50th Anniversary and brings 
together 900 athletes
ARGENTINA: Important step toward the end of religious discrimination in 
Santa Fe

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COLOMBIA
Colombian Presbyterians ask for international protection

By  Manuel Quintero

BARRANQUILLA, Sept 9 (ALC). In a letter addressed to international 
Christian organizations and its sister Church in the United States, the 
Northern Coastal Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia 
requested solidarity and accompaniment.

The letter, dated August 24, is addressed to the Presbyterian Church of the 
United States, the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Lutheran World 
Federation (LWF), the World Reformed Alliance (AMR) and the Latin American 
Council of Churches.

The letter voices the concern of this Presbytery regarding its work to 
accompany the displaced and to promote and defend human rights.

This work has been carried out for nearly seven years in coordination with 
several social organizations and Human Rights NGOs in this city, in the 
framework of the so-called Human Rights Coordinator of Barranquilla and, in 
the past three years, through the Ecumenical Network of Colombia.

Since the end of last year, in the wake of several attacks that took place 
in Barranquilla, people detained by authorities have been interrogated 
regarding leaders from the Presbytery and the organizations that form part 
of the Human Rights Coordinator.

More recently, the headquarters of the Presbytery have been watched and 
security bodies have implied that it is a place that offers logistic 
support to the FARC, the biggest guerrilla body in the country.

Even though Col. Hernan Giraldo Restrepo, commander of the Second Brigade 
has denied that the Presbytery is being watched, on August 5 two people, 
identified as members of the Judicial Intelligence Body, went to the 
Presbytery and asked about the Ecumenical Network and the Rev. Milton 
Mejia, executive secretary of said Presbytery.

The letter, which was signed by the moderator of the Presbytery, Jairo 
Barriga, manifested that the monitoring and harassment are government 
mechanisms aimed at stigmatizing social Human Rights defense organizations 
and NGOs that accompany the displaced population, making them out to be 
support for guerrilla groups in the country.

We fear that they are preparing a possible search of our headquarters or 
that they will arrest members of the Human Rights Coordinator of the 
Ecumenical Network in Barranquilla, said the letter.

The letter concluded by asking that the Presbyterian Church in the United 
States and other international Christian bodies write to the pertinent 
Colombian authorities to ensure that the work of Human Rights organizations 
carried out by the Human Rights Coordinator and the Ecumenical Network be 
respected and guaranteed.

It also asked for their accompaniment with a permanent presence or 
periodic visits, as well as an urgent mission to dialogue with local 
authorities about the harassment and link they are trying to establish 
between our Presbytery and the mentioned guerrilla organization.

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ECUADOR
CLAI adopts slogan and dates for next general assembly

By Manuel Quintero

QUITO, Sept. 7 (alc). The executive committee of the Latin American Council 
of Churches (CLAI), meeting in the Uruguayan capital September 2-4, decided 
on the theme and dates for its next general assembly.

Among other issues, it also analyzed its relationship with the Latin 
American Episcopal Council (CELAM), confessional families on the continent 
and participation in the upcoming World Social Forum.

The grace of God justifies, His spirit frees us to live, was the theme 
chosen for the bodys fifth assembly, to take place February 13-18, 2007.

The theme is inspired in Romans 5:21: Just as sin reigned in death, so 
also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life.

The assembly will be a major forum for Biblical and theological 
reflection, to analyze together, from a pastoral and ecclesial perspective, 
issues that have an impact in the life and mission of our Latin American 
Churches, said Pastor Israel Batista, CLAI general secretary.

There is renewed interest in serious Bible study and a theological 
reflection that will help us and accompany Churches in their efforts to 
discern the most crucial challenges of our times, he added.

CLAI began its ecumenical pilgrimage in Oaxtepec, Mexico in 1978, when more 
than 100 Churches and Christian bodies agreed to create a Latin American 
council of Churches.

After a four-year formation period the Council was officially created in 
Huampani, Peru in 1982. The theme of that Assembly was Jesus Christ, 
committed vocation to the Kingdom.

The second assembly was held in Indaiatuba, Brazil in 1988 under the theme 
Celebrating Hope. Seven years later in Concepcion Chile, Churches and 
organizations were convened to the third assembly Reborn for a living 
hope. In 2001, Barranquilla Colombia hosted the fourth and most recent 
assembly under the theme Free to construct peace.

The themes of the assemblies have always responded to specific challenges 
in the history of the continent. As a result, after the Christ centered 
theme at the initial assembly in Huampani, which affirmed the Churches 
committed to the search for the Kingdom of God, the next two assemblies 
focused on hope, at a time when they were overcoming the de facto military 
regime era in many Latin American countries.

The Concepcisn meeting took place in the context of the first 
democratically elected government in Chile, after 16 years of military 
dictatorship.

In Barranquilla, a theme was chosen that emphasized Council members will to 
contribute to peace efforts in a country wracked by a prolonged civil war.

The theme for the fifth assembly seeks to gather the concern of many 
Churches regarding some theological trends and ecclesial practices that 
bring into question the meaning of Gods grace.

------
SWITZERLAND
LWF urges Israel and Palestine to seek a lasting peace in the Holy Land

By Fernando Oshige

GENEVA, Sept 6 (alc). Israel and the Palestine Authority should concentrate 
on the search for a lasting peace for the people of the Holy Land, said 
members of the Lutheran World Federation Council meeting here September 1-7.

A resolution unanimously approved this Monday, also condemned violent 
attacks on civilians, both on the part of Palestine and Israel.

The Council, the LWFs highest body between assemblies, called on the 
government of Israel to abstain from expending new settlements in occupied 
territories and called on the United States, the European Union, the 
Russian Federation and the United Nations to enforce fulfillment of the 
terms of the Road Map to avoid new obstacles for peace in the region.

The Road Map is a program for peace between Israel and Palestine, 
elaborated in March 2003 by the United States, the European Union, the 
United Nations and the Russian Federation.

The government of Israel recently decided to build 1,000 new homes in the 
occupied West Bank zone, despite the fact that the Road Map includes the 
suspension of new Jewish settlements.

Moreover, the Lutheran Council backed the consultative ruling from the 
International Justice Court of La Hague, in July 2004, which states that 
the separation wall built by Israel on the West Bank contravenes 
international laws. The ruling calls on all countries party to the United 
Nations to support this opinion.

The so-called Security Wall, built in order to prevent the uncontrolled 
entry of Palestinians into Israel is not only separating Palestinians from 
Israelis but also Palestinians from other Palestinians, said Munib 
Younan, the Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem this week.

Lutheran leaders also urged the Palestinian Authority to guarantee respect 
for laws in the areas under their control and to carry out elections 
without delay as part of the democratic transition process.

The growing anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiments in many regions of the 
world, in particular in the context of the war against terrorism, also 
concerns Lutheran leaders. In the face of this, they propose supporting 
dialogue initiatives among religious leaders from the Holy Land and in the 
international arena to promote mutual understanding and unity for peace.

--------
BRAZIL
Evangelical Olympics celebrates 50th Anniversary and brings together 900 
athletes

By Micael Vier B.

SAO LEOPOLDO, Sep 6 (alc). Half a century after the first sports 
competition between Evangelical schools from the Brazilian states of Rio 
Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Parana, the Evangelical Olympics have 
returned to their place of origin, Sao Leopoldo.

In 1954, when athletes ran barefoot on sand tracks and basketball courts 
and even through the streets, the Synod School celebrated its first 
Evangelical Olympics here.

Now, at the opening of the event to be held September 28 - October 1, there 
will be 900 athletes from 27 schools in six states that will dispute 510 
medals and will compete on synthetic tracks with electronic timers.

Together with the Synod School, this year athletes from the Synod Network 
from the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession of Brazil (IECLB) 
will compete in the Pastor Dohms School in Porto Alegre, and the 
Evangelical Foundation of Novo Hamburgo.

These Olympics will include volleyball, basketball, chess, among other
events.

Of the 59 educational institutions in the Synod Network, 27 will be 
represented in this final phase, with sportsmen classified in regional 
eliminations.

In the inaugural ceremony in the Municipal Gymnasium of Sao Leopoldo, the 
Olympic torch will be lit. Later there will be an artistic presentation by 
dance and choral groups.

The general coordinator of the Olympics and vice principal of the Synod 
School Gerson Engster told ALC that it will be the most significant sports 
event among Evangelical schools, both for the number and the quality.

Engster recalled that in 1954, when the first Olympics were held, 
communication between schools was carried out through means of letters, as 
the telephone was rarely used and the cost of the stamps was included in 
the budget.

---------
ARGENTINA
Important step toward the end of religious discrimination in Santa Fe

ROSARIO, Sept 8 (alc). The Municipal Council in the city of Rosario 
approved a Project that guarantees the real and effective concretion of 
freedoms of conscience, religion and worship in the most important city in 
the province of Santa Fe, in northeastern Argentina.

The proposal took into account the request from the Confraternity of 
Christian Leaders, which for quite some time has been lobbying for the 
modification of Article 3 of the provincial constitution that declares that 
the religion of the province is Catholic, Apostolic and Roman.

Argentina is a federal state where each state (province) has its own 
Constitution, although Santa Fe is the only one of 24 provinces that 
proclaims to have an official religion. This contradicts the National 
Constitution and international pacts signed by Argentina.

The Project not only guarantees civil rights related to religious beliefs 
and worship practices, but also presents important innovations to the 
national legislative system, noted Evangelical analysts.

In the first place, it regulates exceptions to the Municipal Tax Code that 
will benefit the different groups and states that entities of a religious 
character can establish associative relationships with the municipal council.

These two points are present in the legal Project drafted by a council of 
experts that worked in the Nations Worship Secretariat between 2000 and 
2001. This council, converted into a civil society, called the Argentina 
Council for Religious Freedom (CALIR) will continue working on issues 
linked to democratization, the state and Churches.

The proposed bill states that it does not consider belief systems related 
to magic, fortune telling, Para psychological experimentation, astrology, 
self help services, harmonization or even alternative medicine to be 
religions.

In this aspect, they also presented notable analogies with the Project 
proposal generated by CALIR.

The CALIR Project emphasizes recognizing the status of the juridical nature 
of the church for non Catholic denominations.

It is still necessary for the Executive Department in the municipality to 
create the regulations for the bill. These will stipulate the conditions 
that different places destined for religious activities must fulfill and 
for this they must be registered in the National Worship Registrar, 
paperwork the Evangelicals consider to be bureaucratic.

The same municipal commission, presided by Socialist Patricia Lagarrigue 
approved a Project to request that the two provincial legislative chambers 
pass a law that regulates the exercise of freedom of conscience, religion 
and worship throughout the province.

Santa Fe, together with the neighboring province of Cordoba, covers an area 
in Argentina known as the gringo plains due to the important presence of 
immigrants as of the XIX century.

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