wfn.org | Lutherans' Biblical Understanding, a Significant Response to

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

Lutherans' Biblical Understanding, a Significant Response to Emerging
Movements
Highlights of LWF President Mark Hanson's Visit to Brazil

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil/GENEVA, 31 October 2005 (LWI) * In response to
emerging fundamental, charismatic movements around the world today,
Lutherans must remain secure in the fact that they also have an understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit. Bishop Mark S. Hanson made these
remarks during his first official visit to Brazil, October 9-14, as
president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), was visiting the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in
Brazil (IECLB) to learn about its countrywide mission and ministry.

Lutheran Christians in Brazil and worldwide can "make a contribution as to
how we read and understand the Bible, and how we describe the work of the
Holy Spirit rather than become defensive or fearful about other movements," Hanson said during discussions with IECLB leaders. He recalled similar
concerns being raised by Nigerian Lutherans during his February 2005 visit
to West Africa as LWF president.

IECLB President Rev. Dr Walter Altmann described Hanson's visit as
extremely important, saying the relationship between the Brazilian church
and the ELCA as partner churches had "helped us in many ways with the
sharing of resources and personnel."

As LWF president, Hanson "also strengthens our feeling of being part of
the worldwide communion and represents a strong witness and service the
church is rendering in this country," Altmann said.

The IECLB president and other leaders described the life of the church,
which had been affected by the migration of the rural population from
southern to northern Brazil, and by the increased poverty of the middle
class, that comprise the majority of the church membership. They described
the IECLB's understanding of its fourfold ministry*pastoral, diaconal,
catechetic and missional. Pastors, deacons and catechists of the church
preach the gospel and administer the Sacrament of Holy Communion, Altmann
said.

Hanson likened the ELCA's age to that of a teenager. At 18 years, from a
1988 merger of three former church bodies, the ELCA "is at a time when one
is both claiming one's identity given by one's parents and family but also
creating a sense of one's independence and own identity," Hanson said. He
noted that while the ELCA was at a place of claiming the gifts of its
predecessor churches and its immigrant ancestors, what it meant to be
evangelical Lutherans in a diverse, changing American global context was
also becoming clearer.

Hanson received a letter and USD 2,500 from the IECLB toward the ELCA's
relief and recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina, which struck
areas of the United States' Gulf Coast in August.

The IECLB, which joined the LWF in 1952, has 710,000 members. The 4.9
million-member ELCA has been an LWF member church since 1988.

The LWF president's itinerary included a meeting with Rev. Dr Carlos W.
Winterle, president, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (a fellowship
of the Lutheran Church*Missouri Synod); visits to IECLB community projects
in Sao Paulo; and addressing the Fourth Conference of International Black
Lutherans in Sao Leopoldo.

Accompanying Hanson was his wife Ione; Bishop Callon W. Holloway Jr, ELCA
Southern Ohio Synod, Columbus, Ohio; and Rev. Raquel E. Rodriguez,
director, Latin America and Caribbean desk, ELCA Global Mission, Chicago.
(550 words)

(The ELCA News Service and IECLB journalist Caroline Strüssman contributed to this article.)

*    *	  *

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 140
member churches in 78 countries all over the world, with a total membership of nearly 66 million. 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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