The Lutheran World Federation

LWF - Special Events - Hong Kong 1997 - Resolutions

Resolutions

Note:
Due to lack of time, the Assembly referred some proposed resolutions to the Council for action. The Council acted upon these proposed resolutions at its meeting immediately following the Assembly. The text in square brackets is an abbreviated introduction to the proposed resolution and not necessarily a quotation from the Council Minutes.

Table of Contents

JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

Rev. Christoph Stier responds to reporters questions at a press conference following his presentation on "Justification by Grace Alone"

Responding to action regarding the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification at the 1996 meeting of the LWF Council, the Assembly:

  • gives thanks for three decades of Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue which has resulted in growing doctrinal convergence and ever deepening spiritual communion,
  • expresses its gratitude for the completion of the Joint Declaration;
  • notes with appreciation the contribution of LWF member churches in arriving at the final text of the Joint Declaration; and
  • is grateful for the positive contributions by representatives of the Roman Catholic Church to the discussion in Hong Kong about justification.

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • affirms the work done on the Joint Declaration with thanksgiving to God;
  • urges LWF member churches to study the Joint Declaration with care, and to respond by 1 May 1998 to the question put by the General Secretary in his letter of 26 February 1997;
  • asks the Council to consider carefully and discuss the responses by the member churches to the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification and to determine whether a consensus among the member churches can be declared and, in case that it is unclear whether a magnus consensus can be declared, the Council should consult the member churches; and
  • affirms the 1996 Council recommendation that the hoped-for completion of the Joint Declaration process be appropriately celebrated together with Roman Catholic partners with joy and thanksgiving to God.

[Table of contents]

DIALOGUES OF THE LWF

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • notes with gratitude the reports about the dialogues of the LWF and its member churches with the Roman Catholic Church, with the Orthodox, Methodist and Reformed/Presbyterian churches;
  • requests the Council and the churches involved to continue these dialogues and support the reception of their results; and
  • welcomes with appreciation the report on the consultation with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

[Table of contents]

ANGLICAN-LUTHERAN RELATIONS

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

[Having noted the decisive official steps and various stages of reception that had already been taken between LWF member churches and churches of the Anglican Communion, and been informed of other discussions which were nearing completion,] the Council VOTED:

  • to reaffirm and renew commitment to the goal of full communion with churches of the Anglican Communion and urged LWF member churches to take appropriate steps toward the realisation of that goal; and
  • to affirm the continuation of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission and urged it to stimulate and assist the churches to take action which would lead, in appropriate ways, to the furtherance of full communion.

Furthermore, the Council noted with thanksgiving the Anglican-Lutheran agreements already in place and encouraged ever deepening relationships.

[Table of contents]

THE LWF AND ECUMENISM

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

The Council VOTED:

  • to affirm that the LWF was part of the ecumenical movement and that Lutheran churches were, by definition, both confessional and ecumenical; and
  • to work towards the development of structures within the ecumenical movement which affirmed the above by including the confessional families and were open for the Roman Catholic Church.

[Table of contents]

MISSION AND EVANGELISM EMPHASIS

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

[Aware of the manifold activities in the recent work of the LWF which were mission oriented, and in order to strengthen the emphasis on evange-lisation in mission,] the Council VOTED:

  • to affirm mission and evangelism as central to the task of the Federation and the member churches, and to ensure that the relevant departments coordinate their work on this emphasis;
  • to ensure that high priority be given to inspiring and strengthening member churches for authentic and culture-sensitive witnessing to Christ in an increasingly plural and multi-religious world;
  • to call member churches to fresh engagement in common witness in each local place and all places, and to give attention to how the ecumenical task of realising unity among churches might find expression in mission and evangelisation; and
  • to ensure that the exchange of experiences on mission praxis between the member churches be taken seriously.

[Table of contents]

ORDINATION OF WOMEN

Bishop April Ulring Larson of the ELCA

Be it resolved that the Assembly: recalls the decisions of the Eighth Assembly of the LWF, Curitiba, Brazil (1990), and of the LWF Council meeting in Windhoek, Namibia (1995) and votes:

  • to reaffirm the commitment to women's ordination, as an expression of the communion of all baptized in Christ in giving witness to the gospel;
  • to support the reflection and dialogue of the member churches on the issue of ordained ministry in a spirit of love and mutual respect;
  • to undertake, through study, consultation and dialogue, practical efforts to open the way for women to enter the ordained ministry of all member churches;
  • to work out the implications of the LWF as communion of churches in full fellowship for the ordained ministry; and
  • to call upon all member churches to provide and intensify theological education for women and to facilitate the ordination of women.

[Table of contents]

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AS A MEANS OF FULL INCLUSION IN SOCIETY

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • calls on the member churches and the LWF secretariat to:
    • promote economic literacy and leadership training workshops, seminars and consultations for women;
    • assign a percentage of the global budget to programs and projects which aim to empower women;
    • create programs of investment and small-scale credit accessible to women;
    • assure that the programs of the LWF Desk for Women in Church and Society are well funded;
    • re-affirm and follow up the goals of the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women, which ends in 1998;
    • instill gender awareness and make sure that gender is taken seriously in all projects to be developed by ensuring that they are considered and approved by a balanced gender group; and
  • calls on the Council to ensure that only those theological schools which provide equal access to theological education for both women and men receive funds from the LWF.

[Table of contents]

WOMEN IN CHURCH AND SOCIETY

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

[Noting that the situation of women in society and in churches still needed to be improved, and the commitment contained on page 51 of the Report and Commitments of the Ninth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation to discuss the report We are Witnesses from the LWF's International Consultation on Women and to implement its programs,] the Council VOTED:

  • to recommend to the member churches that they discuss and implement the Platform for Action of the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women;
  • to recommend to the member churches that they discuss and implement the report We are Witnesses from the 1995 LWF Consultation on Women; and
  • to recommend to the member churches that they intensify the implementation of the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women.

[Table of contents]

LUTHER ACADEMY OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF LATVIA

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

The Council [considered the motion that support for the Luther Academy be granted only when it had been assured that men and women would be granted equal access to all educational opportunities at this institution. It was informed that the project had gone through the normal LWF screening channels and had been approved by the Project Committee for funding according to established criteria at the time, also that the Luther Academy did accept both male and female candidates. In view of this, and the opposition to withholding funds as a means of putting pressure on a church] VOTED:

  • that it would not be appropriate to reopen discussions of projects already approved for funding, as was the case of the Luther Academy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Latvia, and to apply new criteria in retrospect; and
  • to ask the General Secretary to engage in dialogue with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Latvia to discuss and advise on the implications of the Assembly resolutions concerning the empowerment of women as a means of full inclusion in society for any future support to the Luther Academy.

[Table of contents]

ANTI-PERSONNEL LANDMINES

Recognizing the human suffering caused by anti-personnel landmines, particularly to civilians in post-conflict situations;

Convinced that the humanitarian effects of anti-personnel landmines far outweigh their military utility;

Recognizing anti-personnel land-mines as weapons which maim and kill indiscriminately in violation of international humanitarian law;

Recalling previous actions taken by four meetings of the LWF Council (Madras, 1992; Kristiansand, 1993; Windhoek, 1995; and Geneva, 1996) towards the elimination of anti-personnel landmines worldwide;

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • reaffirms its commitment to a comprehensive global ban on the production, use, trade and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines; and strongly encourages all member churches to address their governments on the importance of meeting this goal;
  • urges all member churches to request their governments to support the establishment of an international norm of prohibition through the "Ottawa Process" and to sign the international treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines in Ottawa in December of this year;
  • encourages member churches to increase their efforts in raising awareness and stigmatizing anti-personnel landmines as inhumane weapons, and in supporting demining and victim assistance in mine-affected countries; and
  • urges all member churches to support initiatives to address this problem within the United Nations system, including working for further ratification of the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and its amended Protocol II by countries which have not yet done so.

[Table of contents]

INCREASING OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

Recognizing the increase of poverty, the widening gap between rich and poor nations, deteriorating environmental problems and continuing violent conflicts especially in poor countries;

Recalling the United Nations World Conferences (Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 1992; Human Rights, Vienna, 1993; Population and Development, Cairo, 1994; Social Development, Copenhagen, 1995; Women, Beijing, 1995; Food, Rome, 1996), in which the nations committed themselves to an integrated agenda to alleviate poverty, to address the indivisibility of human rights, to work for sustainable development and to achieve gender equity;

Recognizing the fact that Official Development Assistance (ODA) of rich countries has fallen to the level of 30 years ago (0.27% of Gross National Product [GNP]);

Emphasizing that ODA should not only be seen as a sign of basic justice and solidarity with poor nations, but as integral to achieving a sustainable and peaceful future for the whole planet and all nations;

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • urges all member churches, particularly in rich countries, to protest to their governments against the decrease in the levels of Official Development Assistance, and to admonish the governments to raise the amount of ODA to at least the 0.7% of GNP as recommended by the United Nations; and
  • urges all member churches to strengthen their own practical and symbolic acts of solidarity with the poor and marginalized in all parts of the world.

[Table of contents]

RELIEVING INTERNATIONAL DEBT

Bishop Joseph Paul BVUMBWE, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi, during a plenary discussion session

As the new millennium approaches, the LWF celebrates the message of liberation of the Year of Jubilee and lifts its voice for finalizing the international debt burden of developing countries.

Remembering that the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Assemblies of the LWF (Dar es Salaam, 1977; Budapest, 1984; Curitiba, 1990) have all made important statements on economic justice;

Recalling that the Eighth Assembly of the LWF (Curitiba, 1990) also focussed on the foreign debt crisis and recommended that churches should "promote understanding of the need for a new international economic order" and "search for solutions to the debt crisis which is bringing such devastation to the underprivileged parts of the world";

Acknowledging that it is time to move from proposals to action;

Aware that, despite some significant steps which have been taken to alleviate the international debt burden, the 41 countries carrying the heaviest debt now have a total debt of 215 billion US dollars (USD), an increase from USD 183 billion in 1990 and from USD 55 billion in 1980;

Affirming the Jubilee 2000 Charter campaign of churches to reduce foreign debt and liberate the poorest nations from the burden of the backlog of unrepayable debt through the one-off remission of unrepayable debts of the poorest countries by the year 2000;

Emphasizing that the benefit of debt relief should be for human development and poverty eradication including education, health, loans and development initiatives for those suffering the worst from poverty;

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • urges the member churches to join the Jubilee 2000 Charter campaign; and
  • urges the member churches to put pressure on their governments and the international institutions, and otherwise to make all possible efforts to reach the goal of liberation of the poorest countries from debt, and to find a just solution for the other countries as a celebration of the Year of Jubilee.

[Table of contents]

THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE CARE OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS

Recognizing that the HIV/AIDS pandemic has intensified and continues to spread throughout the world, especially in the economically poor countries;

Recognizing that the people most affected by the HIV virus are the poorest of the poor, children, young and productive persons, women, the illiterate and the marginalized;

Recognizing that the HIV/AIDS problem should not only be approached from the medical point of view but also from the concern for human dignity and the right of the individual to enjoy the highest possible quality of life;

Convinced that HIV/AIDS is a disease like any other disease which should not be confused with moral diagnosis;

Recognizing that people living with HIV/AIDS are often neglected, rejected and ostracized by relatives, friends and society; and

Recognizing the churches' understanding of inclusiveness;

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • reaffirms all resolutions declared by the Lutheran World Federation on pastoral care, advocacy and alleviation of suffering for people living with HIV/AIDS; and
  • urges the member churches to press towards the implementation of this and previously declared resolutions on HIV/AIDS into action.

[Table of contents]

THE STRUGGLE - AGAINST ILLITERACY

Taking into account that the impossibility of access to proper education is one of the decisive factors for the marginalization and impoverishment of large sectors of the world's population,

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • encourages member churches to participate actively in the struggle against illiteracy, and urges the LWF to prioritize projects which aim to improve education and training.

[Table of contents]

LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION CONCERNS

At the Pre-Assembly Youth Conference in Bangkok, language problems and the way to deal with them were recognized as very central issues which can make fruitful community and cooperation possible, but can also impede them.

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • asks the Council to review the language problems and take measures to improve communication; and
  • gives all those who work within the ecumenical movement greater opportunities to learn one of the four working languages.

[Table of contents]

YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • urges the Council to continue and extend programs for leadership training for young people in local, regional and global cross-cultural settings; and
  • urges the member churches to provide more education about the Lutheran comprehension of the Christian faith in order to equip young people for more effective dialogue with other faiths, and in their different ecumenical settings.

[Table of contents]

TIMING OF THE PRE-ASSEMBLY YOUTH CONFERENCE

As a part of the preparation of the youth delegates, not only to the Assembly, but also the regional pre-Assembly consultations, we request the LWF to hold the Pre-Assembly Youth Conference before these. This will allow the delegates to prepare perspectives on the issues, to consult their regional and national bodies, and get a better understanding of the structures and the nomination procedures.

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • requests the LWF in future to hold the Pre-Assembly Youth Conference before the regional pre-Assembly consultations; and
  • asks the Council to encourage member churches to nominate those who are eligible to represent the voice of youth in the Council and provide an introduction of them to those participating in the next Pre-Assembly Youth Conference.

[Table of contents]

FINAL MESSAGE OF THE PRE-ASSEMBLY YOUTH CONFERENCE

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

Liturgical dancers from Hong Kong featured at the LWF Assembly's Opening Worship

[The Council considered the motion that the final message of the Pre-Assembly Youth Conference, held in Bangkok, Thailand, immediately prior to the Ninth Assembly, be distributed to the member churches of the LWF.

As it was reported that the participants in the PAYC had not reached consensus on the content of the message, and as there was, therefore, uncertainty as to its status,] the Council VOTED:

  • to request LWF staff to review the material from the Pre-Assembly Youth Conference, including the group reports, in order to determine what would be the most appropriate material to be shared with the LWF member churches.

[Table of contents]

DALITS IN INDIA

Who are Dalits? The Israelites were Dalits in Egypt. Samaritans were Dalits in the biblical context. Jesus is a Dalit because He suffered for our sake. We find Dalits all over the world, but in the Indian context it is different.

Dalit means poor and oppressed. Indian society is split into various races and castes. Those who are up in the caste ladder call themselves higher caste people. Those who are at the bottom of the caste ladder are outcasts or Dalits.

Christian Dalits have two problems. First, they are outcasts since they have sinned, according to Hinduism, in their previous lives and so they must be born in an outcast family to suffer. Even a baby born in the outcast family is considered as a sinner and unclean. Second, most Christian Dalits are below the poverty line. When a Hindu Dalit becomes a Buddhist or Sikh, he or she continues to get all the privileges that he or she got before from the central and state governments. As soon as a Hindu Dalit becomes a Christian, all stipends, job opportunities and allotment of free land are stopped.

If asked about this discrimination, the explanation given is that Buddhism and Sikhism are Indian religions and Christianity is a foreign religion. Another reason given is that Indian Christians are getting a lot of help from Christians in Europe and America. The two reasons are incorrect. Christianity was in India even in the 1st century. Sikhism came into existence only in the 19th century. The material help Christians receive from Western countries is used not only for poor Christians, but generally for all people.

In June 1997 non-Dalit Hindus burnt the houses of Dalits and nearly 100 people were killed. (There have been many such incidents like this in the recent past.) The reason is that the non-Dalits could not tolerate the rise of the Dalits. The Christian church has contributed a lot to the rise of poor Dalits.

Even now when Dalits are in trouble the church helps them without considering their religion, caste or community.

Christians in India today seek justice for the Christian church. But in a country where 98% are non-Christians it is difficult to get justice for Christian Dalits. Injustice has been done to Christian Dalits for more than 40 years by refusing help to them.

Non-Dalits suppress both non-Christian Dalits as well as Christian Dalits.

Hindu Dalits in most cases do not look at Christian Dalits as fellow sufferers. Hindu Dalits say that Christian Dalits, with the help of Western Christians, advance socially and economically and therefore do not need any help from the government.

Christian Dalits say that, because they are Christians, they do not get any help from the government.

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • encourages the member churches to pray for Christian Dalits so that the government provides help to them;
  • rejects all oppressive systems and their related inhuman practices; and
  • commits itself to stand in solidarity and support with all the member churches and others, in their struggle against oppression of Dalits, particularly that of Dalit Christians.

Otherwise Christian Dalits will remain only at the bottom of the caste ladder and will have to hear the name "outcast" forever.

[Table of contents]

WORKING FOR PEACE IN AFRICA

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

African Regional Bible Study with the participation of Bishop Kleopas Dumeni carrying the cross

[While meeting in Asia, the Council's thoughts and prayers turned also to the many troubled regions of the African continent. It rejoiced in the renewal experienced in South Africa and elsewhere, and that Africa remained fundamentally a continent of hope. 

Nevertheless, it remained deeply concerned that genuine peace and reconciliation were still seriously lacking in many African countries.] The Council [called upon all member churches to continue to remember in their prayers the people, the churches, the humanitarian aid workers, and the workers for peace in the region of Africa, and] VOTED:

  • to express concern for and solidarity with the peoples of Liberia as they prepare for the forthcoming elections, and that the member churches continue to accompany and support the establishment of a lasting peace and true reconciliation in that country; and, further, to call for the former warlords to respect the results of the elections and to put the good of the people above their own ambitions;
  • deploring the coup d'état in Sierra Leone, to call for the resolution of the situation through dialogue, and for the restoration of the democratic system;
  • to ask the member churches to pray fervently about and raise up consciousness about the continuing human tragedy throughout the Great Lakes region, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Sudan, and to call particularly upon the international community, governments, churches, ecumenical organisations and the peoples of the Great Lakes themselves to recognise and address the root causes of the killing and deprivation, including the continuing legacy of colonialism, the unbelievable hatred between people in the region and the hidden activity of external forces; and
  • to acknowledge the lack of coordinated ecumenical response in relation to these crucial issues and to call upon the member churches to renew their commitment, their prayers, concern and active support for the peoples and the churches in all parts of Africa afflicted by war, injustice, and abuses of human rights.

[Table of contents]

YEAR 2000 CELEBRATIONS OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

As Christians celebrate the year 2000 of the birth of Christ,

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • calls upon the member churches to give significant attention to and participate actively in the anniversary year 2000 celebrations in Jerusalem, as arranged by the local churches, of the birth of Christ, to express their solidarity with local Christians. In Christ peace was born; through His presence, peace should be created in the land of the resurrection.

[Table of contents]

EVALUATION AND PRIORITY SETTING

The Pre-Assembly Youth Conference in Bangkok expressed concern for the workload of the LWF secretariat and that whenever new projects are added others need to be cut.

For many Christian churches and organizations a major overload of assigned tasks are put to the employees. This is not only a potential for stress, but may also lead to inadequate human resources in those projects and tasks to be carried out.

It is easy to find new and important areas for work, but it is very difficult to cut out or finish projects since these also may be important.

Be it resolved that the Assembly:

  • requests the Council to revise and evaluate the workload of LWF staff as soon as it is possible and to consider critically the current projects and tasks. This is to be evaluated with the intent of cutting out and finishing projects, in accordance with priorities set and the availability of resources.

[Table of contents]

THE LATE BISHOP LAJOS ORDASS

(Referred by the Assembly to the Council for action)

The Council VOTED:

  • to join in welcoming the decisions and actions of the government and the church in Hungary in exonerating the late Bishop Lajos Ordass from allegations which the Federation had never accepted.

[Table of contents]