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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 22.03.2002 |
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| LWF President Calls for Reconciled Diversity |
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Visit with LWF Tenth Assembly Host Church
WINNIPEG, Canada/GENEVA, 22 March 2002 (LWI) - The president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Bishop emeritus Christian Krause says the upcoming Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Tenth Assembly will focus on promoting dialogue among the ever increasing diversity of Lutherans and on strengthening ecumenical relations.
The growth and globalization of the Lutheran family presents exciting new opportunities and challenges to reconcile diversity among Lutherans. “We come together on the basis of our confession—we are Lutherans and we embrace each other as equal among equals,” Krause, visiting with LWF North American churches said, when he addressed a March 14 meeting of the National Church Council (NCC) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) in Winnipeg. The ELCIC will host the 21-31 July 2003 Assembly in Winnipeg.The assembly theme is “For the Healing of the World.”
Krause noted that the LWF membership is increasing—eleven churches have joined since he was elected president at the Ninth Assembly in Hong Kong in 1997. When the LWF was founded in 1947 it had 39 member churches representing 28 countries, mainly in Europe and North America. The current 133 member churches represent over 60.5 million Lutherans in 73 countries worldwide. He said growth is taking place mainly in the Southern Hemisphere as a result of earlier mission work, immigration, refugee resettlement and LWF work on behalf of its members. The LWF is one of the leading non-governmental organizations in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR.
The integration of the three main streams of Lutherans—the European churches with historic Lutheran roots, North and Latin American churches founded by European immigrants and the newest LWF member churches mainly in Africa, Asia and Latin America—is a major LWF task.
Krause said he finds it “fascinating” to hear Lutherans from different regions of the world express opinions in the context of their cultures and their understanding of the Lutheran Confession. Reconciling and respecting diversity of opinions within the Lutheran Confession does not mean having to give up one’s own identity. “We need to respect our own identity and roots but we must recognize we are part of a whole and not a whole unto ourselves,” he explained.
In addition to reconciling diversity among Lutheran churches the LWF is also committed to strengthening ecumenical relations. “There is nothing wrong with diversity, it does not need to separate us,” explained Krause, who helped develop the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) that was signed by the LWF and Roman Catholic Church on 31 October 1999 in Augsburg, Germany. “We cannot hold a decent dialogue unless we have a clear position,” he said, adding that in his role as president he works hard to represent the views of all member churches.
During his visits to different countries Krause said he senses growing excitement about the LWF Tenth Assembly when 2,500 bishops, delegates and guests meet in Winnipeg. While in Winnipeg he visited leaders from other church denominations and noted the opportunity for ecumenical togetherness and openness.
However, at his meeting with the NCC he heard about the sensitivities in North America concerning separation of the state and church and the difficulty of getting North American political and community leaders and society at large to take note of the issues discussed at the Assembly. NCC members said Canadian Lutherans are excited about the LWF’s Tenth Assembly but many people in Canada are not aware of the significant contributions the LWF and its member churches are making throughout the world.
Speaking at the German language worship service at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Winnipeg, March 17, Krause said Lutheran globalization and growth is resulting in delegations coming from countries and situations where they are experiencing political instability, racism, persecution and poverty.
He noted that delegates would come to the assembly with a prayer similar to the prayer recorded in Psalm 43:2 “Vindicate me, Oh God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people: from those who are deceitful and unjust deliver me!” (NRSV). The cross, he told the congregation, is a sign of pain and life. “The Lord is with us—even in the most bitter situation. That is why we are not without hope and that is why it is not useless to fight for justice.”
It was Krause’s hope that voices of the Assembly delegates would not be trapped inside the meeting halls but would instead be heard by all church, community and political leaders. Christ’s discipleship requires followers to respond in appropriate ways to pleas for justice. But he cautioned against the illusion that it is possible to establish the Kingdom of God or paradise on earth.
(Written for LWI by Gladys Terichow in Winnipeg, Canada)
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