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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 03.10.2008 |
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| Reflection on Quantitative and Qualitative Growth Important for LWF |
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Member Churches Seek Greater Participation
GREIFSWALD, Germany/GENEVA, 3 October 2008 (LWI) – It is important to reflect on the growth of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) not only in terms of quantity but also quality, the head of the LWF German National Committee (GNC/LWF) told Lutheran leaders at a recent LWF regional meeting.
Addressing participants in the European Church Leadership Consultation mid-September in Greifswald, Germany, GNC/LWF executive secretary Oberkirchenrat Norbert Denecke spoke of some of the LWF's landmarks. He said the organization’s qualitative growth became particularly evident with the 1990 Assembly affirmation of the LWF’s self-understanding as a “communion of churches.” He pointed to the ecumenical significance of the October 1999 signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification [with the Roman Catholic Church], and the March 2007 Council adoption of the document, Episcopal Ministry within the Apostolicity of the Church - The Lund Statement by the Lutheran World Federation – A Communion of Churches.
On the current LWF renewal process, Denecke said the decisive changes in politics, economics, and within the Lutheran churches called for changes toward a new LWF. An LWF Renewal Committee created in 2005 leads the process, aimed at developing ways to organize the common life and work of the Lutheran communion so that all churches and related organizations of mission and diakonia take responsibility for these functions. It will present its recommendations to the 2010 Eleventh Assembly in Stuttgart, Germany.
A survey carried out last year indicated the member churches’ desire for increased participation in the renewal process, and their wish for a closer link between the LWF’s theological and ecumenical work. The need to maintain the humanitarian and development activities as important areas of work was also highlighted, as was better coordination and linkage of communications activities involving programs and projects with the Lutheran communion.
Denecke explained that the fall of the Iron Curtain had given way to new opportunities for church action in many parts of the world. Cooperation between church and state had also opened up new avenues of action. This new scope of freedom, as part of the globalization process, however, entailed new challenges for many churches as well, both economically and ecologically, he said.
The continually growing and thriving global community of Lutheran churches requires structures that enable the member churches to participate adequately, Denecke concluded.
East-West Migration
In Greifswald, the European church leaders also discussed the profile of churches in secular society. Bishop Dr Hans-Jürgen Abromeit of the conference host church, the Evangelical Church of Pomerania, called for closer attention to East-West migration.
More and more young, well educated people were leaving the Baltic states, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in search of jobs in Scandinavia and Western Europe. This poses a particular challenge to the churches that welcome these people, and calls for a “close exchange” with the Eastern European churches, said Abromeit, GNC/LWF deputy chairperson.
Hamburg Bishop Maria Jepsen, from the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church and a member of the LWF Council, looked back positively at the consultation’s theme “Called to Grow, Lead and Nurture,” saying the meeting had provided a “helpful” exchange on how churches can present themselves in a secular society.
Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders H. Wejryd, also an LWF Council member, said the bishops’ role should be reflected more strongly since much was expected of the church leadership. The meeting had provided a “remarkable openness toward rethinking one’s own positions,” he added.
Bishop Dr Christoph Klein, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania and LWF vice-president for Central Eastern Europe, stressed that many problems were no longer limited to the East or West, as the current challenges can be both common and different.
The LWF area secretary for Europe Rev. Dr Eva-Sibylle Vogel-Mfato, said she was convinced progress could be made toward deepening the Lutheran communion through consultations such as the one in Greifswald. This had been a task, she added, since Martin Luther’s Reformation. The process of growing together would still take some time, as many conversations still demonstrated that people still needed to work toward dismantling the “Iron Curtain” from within. (692 words)
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