wfn.org | LWI 2009-002 North American Lutheran Bishops Proceed with Middle East Visit

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North American Lutheran Bishops Proceed with Middle East Visit 
A Unique Opportunity to Witness Holy Land Challenges, Says
Palestinian Bishop Younan

AMMAN, Jordan/GENEVA, 6 January 2009 (LWI)- Despite the
continued conflict in Gaza, bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Canada (ELCIC) are proceeding with plans to travel to the Middle
East from 6 to 13 January.

A smaller group of seven ELCA bishops, including Presiding
Bishop Mark S. Hanson, president of the Lutheran World Federation
(LWF), and ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson, arrived in the
Jordanian capital, Amman for a series of meetings with religious,
community and political leaders, 3-5 January.

Hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy
Land (ELCJHL) the North American bishops will meet with Israeli,
Jordanian and Palestinian religious, community and political
leaders, visit congregations and schools, and sites of religious
significance. The visit was scheduled months ago as part of an
annual bishops’ academy, an event in which ELCA and ELCIC leaders
engage in theological reflection and study. They are accompanied
by their spouses and ELCA churchwide staff on the visit which is
intended to show support for the ELCJHL, learn more about the
realities of living in the Middle East and advocate for peace.

"This is a tragic yet opportune time for North American
Lutherans to visit their partners in Palestine," said
ELCJHLBishop Dr Munib A. Younan, also LWF vice president for the
Asian region, in a news release prior to the visit. "With bombs
raining on Gaza, they will have a unique opportunity to witness
the challenges of living in the land called holy."

Hanson in a 31 December pastoral letter to ELCA members wrote,
"In this very difficult time, the bishops hope that their
presence can be a source of comfort to these partners and
manifest support for these ministries."

"There was a lot of discussion about whether we should go ahead
with the trip given the eruption of violence in the area," noted
the ELCIC national bishop. "But in the end it was a simple
decision to make. If we truly want to be a church In Mission for
Others, if we truly want to work for compassionate justice, then
now more than ever this is the time for us to visit the region
and do our best to fulfill the goals of the trip - awareness,
accompaniment and advocacy," she added. 

In Amman, Hanson, Younan and six ELCA bishops participated in
worship services on 4 January at the ELCJHL’s Lutheran Church of
the Good Shepherd congregation.

"Tonight we come as leaders from the United States and Canada to
publicly commit ourselves to pray for peace in the Middle East,"
Hanson told the congregation. He said he fears people in the
United States view the Middle East in its complexity, which
prevents speaking clearly for an end to violence, withdrawal of
Israeli troops from Gaza, return to negotiations, a
reestablishment of human rights, and for an opening of borders so
that medicine and basic necessities could get to the people of
Gaza.

The LWF president expressed appreciation for efforts by Jordan's
King Abdullah II to stop the violence in Gaza, for sending
humanitarian relief to people in Gaza, and for the king's respect
for deeper relationships between Muslims and Christians. 

The bishops plan to travel to Jerusalem today, where they will
be joined by about 29 more bishops from the ELCA and four from
the ELCIC, to continue their scheduled meetings with religious,
community and political leaders in Israel and the West Bank
through 13 January. (600 words)

(The ELCA, ELCIC and ELCJHL communication units contributed to
this article.)
 *        *          *

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