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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 18.11.2005 |
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| Marangu Dream Was Joint Vision for Africa’s Future, LWF General Secretary Says |
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Namibian Premier Nahas Angula Calls for Partnerships with Religious Organizations
WINDHOEK, Namibia/GENEVA, 18 November 2005 (LWI) – When delegates of African Lutheran churches gathered for their first conference in 1955, they shared a dream. “This dream became a common vision about the future of Africa.” Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), made these remarks during celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the All Africa Lutheran Conference (AALC) in Marangu, Tanzania [then Tanganyika].
The November 13 commemoration took place in Windhoek, Namibia, in the context of a regular meeting of the Africa Church Leadership Conference under the theme, “From Isolation to Communion: For the Healing of Africa.”
The theme “connects us with the Marangu vision,” Noko said. It was also appropriate in its invitation to every single person in Africa: “It invites Lutherans to come into fellowship, Christian communities to engage in ecumenical dialogue for the sake of Christian unity in faith and witness, the public community and politicians to develop Africa into a community and, the religious communities in Africa to work together for the transformation of the human race into a human family,” he emphasized.
Affirming the Marangu gathering as a milestone, Noko recalled that there were no African delegates at the Federation’s 1947 founding in Lund, Sweden. “We were represented by missionaries,” he said.
But a lot has changed since the 1955 first joint meeting of African Lutheran church leaders. At the Namibia conference, as LWF general secretary, Noko, a Zimbabwean, represented Lutherans from all over the world—Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America.
“A Rich Continent with Poor People”
Namibian Prime Minister Nahas Angula brought greetings from President Hifikepunye Pohamba, and thanked the church representatives for their respective countries’ joint contribution to Namibia’s struggle for independence.
This meeting has a great symbolism, Angula said. “The liberation of Namibia was a joint effort by all of us, and we are indebted to you and your support and encouragement. We in Namibia can proudly say that our birth was conceived through the support of Tanzania. Your coming here has to prick our conscience: what are our next challenges in Africa?” When the Marangu conference took place, the winds of change were starting to blow in Africa, and in 1961 then Tanganyika became independent and the home of the struggle for Africa’s liberation, he recalled.
The prime minister noted that Africa faced three major challenges—poverty, unemployment and disease. Lack of opportunities to work had become a major source of suffering, especially among youth, many of who had fallen into antisocial behavior. Other concerns included the HIV/AIDS pandemic, malaria and tuberculosis.
He described Africa as “a rich continent with poor people,” and went on to cite its endowment in oil and diamonds, among other natural resources. Confronting Africa’s debilitating problems calls for partnerships and alliances between governments, the private sector, civil society and faith-based organizations, Angula added.
Second Chance for the Churches
Preaching at the AALC commemorative worship service, Bishop Martin F. Shao, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Northern Diocese, said halting and reversing the spread of HIV, and addressing related issues of malaria and tuberculosis remained among the highest priorities of churches on a continent where nearly 75 percent of the total population lived in poverty.
The ELCT bishop challenged African Lutherans to speak out with one voice on critical issues at home, and globally. “We must be the conscience of Africa and the world,” Shao said, reminding them that the AALC’s 50th anniversary had provided a second chance for the churches.
The Africa Lutheran Church Leadership Conference was jointly hosted by the LWF and the three Lutheran churches in Namibia—the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN); Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN); and German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN-GELC). Around half of Namibia’s population of 1.8 million people is Lutheran. (660 words)
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