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Andrà Appel, Former LWF General Secretary Dies LWF Mourns a Leader Who Laid a Strong Ecumenical Foundation
GENEVA, 2 November 2007 (LWI) - The Rev. Dr Andrà Appel, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) from 1965 to 1974, died on 1 November. He was 85.
In a tribute to his predecessor, LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko said, "Appel was indeed a concrete demonstration and embodiment of what small churches can contribute to the common life of small and big churches in communion.
"He served at a critical time when the LWF made the decision to hold its first ever Assembly in the Southern Hemisphere. Although Porto Alegre, Brazil, would have been the venue of the Fifth Assembly in 1970, it was relocated to Evian, France, due to political difficulties and circumstances," Noko continued.
"Appel's resourcefulness also laid a strong ecumenical foundation for the LWF's engagement with the Roman Catholic Church during and immediately after the Second Vatican Council," Noko noted. He added that it was also during Appel's tenure that "for the first time non-European/American executive staff" were appointed to the LWF Geneva secretariat.
Appel was born on 20 December 1921 in Saverne, Alsace, France. He first studied theology at the universities of Leipzig and Tuebingen in Germany. Drafted against his will into the German army in 1942, he later escaped to the free French forces. He eventually resumed studies in Paris, completing his training in 1946 at the theological faculty in Strasbourg. He taught and took additional studies at St Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, USA, from 1946 to 1948. Ordained as a pastor of the Church of the Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine in 1949, he served the Wissembourg (Alsace) parish for five years, before returning to Paris in 1955 as a university chaplain until 1957. Appel was general secretary of the French Protestant Federation from 1957 to 1964, after which he served as a pastor at one of the Lutheran churches in Strasbourg, France. In June 1965, the LWF Executive Committee elected him to the post of general secretary, succeeding Rev. Dr Kurt Schmidt-Clausen from Germany. After serving the LWF for nine years, Appel resigned upon his appointment as president of the Church of the Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine, a position he held until his retirement in 1987.
He recently contributed an article for the Lutheran World Information (LWI) special edition on the LWF's 60th anniversary this year, in which he recounts his "story with the LWF." He highlights some key challenges he faced as general secretary, including having to deal with the impact of the then tense East-West divide. "Looking back ... I can only thank God for using me in shaping the LWF, and letting the voices of the minority [to] be heard. The challenge on the ecumenical scene has not really changed but it needs a great deal of honesty and humility on the part of the present leaders. We also need more courage and faith in order to overcome the many barriers on the road to unity," he states. (LWI No. 02/2007 p. 28 http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/OCS/LWI-2007-PDF/LWI-200702-EN-low. pdf)
Appel's wife Marjorie died in March 2003. The couple is survived by four children and several grandchildren. Arrangements for the funeral will be announced shortly. (543 words) * * *
(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 66.7 million. 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.)
[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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