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

New LWF Mission Document - 'Transformation, Reconciliation, Empowerment' Now
Available

GENEVA, 21 December 2004 (LWI) - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has
published a new document titled "Mission in Context: Transformation,
Reconciliation, Empowerment - An LWF Contribution to the Understanding and
Practice of Mission." The 62-page publication has been produced by the LWF
Department for Mission and Development (DMD).

Launching the publication yesterday at the LWF secretariat here, DMD
Director, Rev. Dr Piri Rasolondraibe described the mission document as "a
communion effort of the knowledge, experience and prayers of churches,
agencies, theologians, mission practitioners, lay and ordained people and LWF
Council members."

The aim of the document that builds on the foundations of the 1988 LWF
mission document, "Together in God's Mission: An LWF Contribution to the
Understanding of Mission," is to stimulate self-analysis and reaffirmation of
mission in context among the LWF member churches and other bodies. 

Rasolondraibe noted that the current mission document offers a hermeneutical
spiral that names the mission "Contexts" then engages "Theology" in dialogue
with these contexts, and finally moves on to the "Practice" of mission which
echoes and impacts both theology and contexts. It also uses the "Emmaus road"
story as a biblical model for this hermeneutical approach, and leads the way
into different concepts of mission including dialogue with people of other
faiths, companionship in mission and mission in pilgrimage among others. 

"Mission in Context: Transformation, Reconciliation, Empowerment," emphasizes
among other aspects, the church as not only missionary but as a witnessing,
nurturing, messenger, that serves and heals community. The document draws
parallels between God's mission and the church's participation in it through
three dimensions: mission of the creator (transformation); redeemer
(reconciliation); and sanctifier (empowerment). 

In the publication's preface, LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko
commends the document as "a contribution to the ongoing ecumenical
re-articulation of what it means to be a church in our constantly changing
context." 

"Mission in Context: Transformation, Reconciliation, Empowerment" will be
available in German, French and Spanish by February 2005. The English copies
can be ordered from: The Lutheran World Federation, Department for Mission
and Development, 150 Route de Ferney, P.O. Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2,
Switzerland. Tel. +41 22 791 6111, Fax +41/22-791 6401, E-mail
sni@lutheranworld.org 
(369 words)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 138 member
churches in 77 countries all over the world, with a membership of nearly 65
million Lutherans. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of
common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith 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 LWF's information service. 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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LWI online at: http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html 

LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION
PO Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: (41.22) 791.63.54
Fax: (41.22) 791.66.30 
Editor's e-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org