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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 01.12.2000 |
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| LWF's Tenth Assembly theme - “For the Healing of the World” |
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Executive Committee announces Assembly dates.
GENEVA, 1 December 2000, (LWI) –“For the Healing of the World” is the theme of the Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) that will take place in Winnipeg, Canada from 21 to 31 July 2003.
The LWF Executive Committee, chaired by the Federation’s president, Bishop Dr. Christian Krause, took the decision on the Assembly theme and dates at its November 26 to 27 meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
The LWF president described the theme as “a signal” for Christians. Bishop Krause said the concept of “healing” brings out different aspects such as saving the creation, resolving conflicts among nations, between different ethnic groups, between rich and poor and the challenge of globalization. “What is essential now,” he said, “is that the rather generalized wording of this theme can become something specific.”
In an interview with Lutheran World Information (LWI), the LWF president also spoke of the theme’s significance in the context of the Tenth Assembly host church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. The North American members of the LWF wanted the theme to speak of bringing different peoples together onto a common ground, with particular consideration for the native people of Canada. “They wanted to speak of making whole as opposed to destruction and brokenness,” said Krause.
The LWF general secretary, Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko described “For the Healing of the World” as a timely and significant ecumenical theme because it conveys a sense of commitment to the global proclamation of the gospel.
“It also has a practical character and a spiritual dimension,” Noko told LWI. He emphasized that under this broad theme, churches in the Lutheran tradition will be able to identify the “accents”, the places of emphasis where God is calling us to be in the new millennium.
The LWF general secretary said the gathering in Winnipeg for Lutheran churches would be an expression not only of their worldwide communion but also of a community of believers sent out to the world for the sake of the world. It is Dr. Noko’s hope that the Tenth Assembly theme “would also remind us of the need to be reconciled with one another - ecumenically and also as people and communities in the world today.”
The decision to hold the Tenth Assembly in Canada was taken by the LWF Council at its June meeting in Turku, Finland. An Assembly Planning Committee appointed in Turku is expected to hold its first meeting in January 2001 in Geneva. The committee, chaired by Rev. Susan E. Nagle from the USA will, among other responsibilities provide sub-themes for the Assembly.
Since the founding of the LWF in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, assemblies are normally held every six years and they serve as important milestones, giving the Federation direction and new orientation. The last LWF Assembly met in Hong Kong, China under the theme, “In Christ - Called to Witness”.
The themes of previous LWF assemblies were:
1947-- Lund, Sweden-- The Lutheran Church in the World Today
1952-- Hanover, Germany-- The Living Word in a Responsible Church
1957-- Minneapolis, USA-- Christ Frees and Unites
1963-- Helsinki, Finland-- Christ Today
1970-- Evian, France-- Sent into the World
1977-- Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania-- In Christ – A New Community
1984-- Budapest, Hungary-- In Christ – Hope for the World
1990-- Curitiba, Brazil-- I Have Heard the Cry of My People
1997-- Hong Kong, China-- In Christ – Called to Witness
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