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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 14.09.2002 |
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| Council Press Release No. 11 - “Will the Children Come to School under the Curfews?” |
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LWF Council Meeting, Wittenberg, Germany, 10-17 September 2002
Press Release No. 11 (No. 2 in the series on the LWF Tenth Assembly theme, “For the Healing of the World.”)
Palestinian Lutheran Bishop Says Military Power and Intervention Do Not Heal the World
WITTENBERG, Germany/GENEVA, 14 September 2002 (LWI) – In spite of the difficult situation in Israel/Palestine, Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan remains optimistic about a just and peaceful solution to the conflict in his region. “No one situation is beyond healing. I strongly believe the Middle East will be healed,” says the head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (ELCJ).
“After September 11 [terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D. C. last year] ‘for the healing of the world’ has shifted from being seen as referring mainly to the South, but also to the North,” he says, referring to the 2003 LWF Tenth Assembly theme, “For the Healing of the World.” He points out that military power and intervention do not heal the world. If we want to heal the world we cannot accept the humanity of one people against that of another people. We are created in the image of God, and for healing to occur, we must see the image of God in the other.”
Younan said the LWF assembly theme is very relevant in the current global situation. He pointed out that although today’s technological information highway keeps people interconnected worldwide, it “does not interconnect human beings. We live in a broken world. The gap between rich and poor countries, between rich and poor churches, is ever widening,” he said.
He is proud of the peace education being taught in the five ELCJ-operated schools. But for the first time, he was worried about the start of a new school year as schools re-opened early September. The 3,000-member ELCJ has congregations in Jerusalem, Jordan and Palestine.
“Will the children come to school under these curfews?” he asked, referring to Israeli-imposed restrictions on the movement of Palestinians from their homes. “Can the parents pay the tuition?” he asked, because of a 70 percent unemployment rate in the West Bank. Around 3,000 children - 60 percent, Christian and 40 percent Muslim – attend ELCJ schools.
Younan made these remarks September 12, when he addressed reporters at this year’s meeting of the Council of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) taking place in [Reformer Martin] Luther’s city of Wittenberg. There are about 240 participants in the September 10-17 meeting, including 103 representatives from LWF member churches, and an additional 140, who include LWF staff, interpreters, stewards, press and invited guests. Younan sits on the LWF-Council, the Federation’s annual governing body, comprising 49 church representatives.
The Middle East is engulfed in a political conflict that requires a political solution, said Younan, espousing a two-state solution - the state of Palestine living side by side with the state of Israel. “We want security for Israel, but the security of Israel is dependent on the freedom of the Palestinians.”
“The issue of refugees must be solved. Jerusalem must be shared; east Jerusalem can be the capital for the Palestinians and west Jerusalem can be the capital for Israelis, with open borders. A solution must be found for the settlements, and water must be shared equally,” he said.
“Although this conflict is not religious,” said Younan, “it is the duty of the church, mosque and synagogue to teach peace with one voice.” He said, “It is very essential that the church is a catalyst of just peace, that the church is a minister of reconciliation and that the church is a defender of human rights. We are trying to be apostles of love in our area.” The ELCJ works with other Christian churches in and around Jerusalem to promote conversations among Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Younan told reporters there are Israeli and Palestinian peace movements. “It is your duty,” he said, “to make the voice of those who are working for peace much stronger. Usually the mass media are interested when two are fighting or when there is bloodshed, but not interested when people are building peace. You must hear our voice when we are building peace in these situations.”
Staff of the LWF Office for Communication Services at the Council meeting can be contacted at German mobile telephone No., +49-(0) 170-8345 177.
*News from the LWF Council is available on-line at www.lutheranworld.org
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