Women and youth of the region pinpoint priorities
(LWI) - The last of the Pre-Assemblies preparing delegates for the Thirteenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 14 to 19 June. At the start of the conference, a welcome dinner and cultural evening brought together about 120 participants representing the LWF member churches in the Asia region.
The Asia Pre-Assembly is hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia (ELCM) and the Lutheran Church in Malaysia (LCM). Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, with about 60 percent of the population belonging to that religion. Buddhists follow with about 20 percent, and Christians with just over 9 percent.
Bringing consensus among diversity
ELCM Bishop Steven Lawrence welcomed participants to Malaysia, “a truly blessed land where we experience what it means to be the salt and light of the world daily. Just read the newspapers, and you will understand what I mean by that.”
“ELCM is a church committed to Diakonia ministry and strives to witness the Gospel in a multicultural, multi-linguistic and multi-religious society,” Lawrence said.
“Though we may be a minority group in Malaysia, we play a significant leadership role among the Christian community in our country, bringing consensus among a diversity of Christian churches from different traditions, speaking with a unified voice both to the other religious groups and the government,” said LCM Bishop Thomas Low. “Malaysia is a country that is multi-religious and multicultural. We have found ways to work together despite those differences, even among the Muslim majority.”
The Assembly theme “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope” speaks to this context well. “We gather together as Asians, and more importantly, as One Body in Christ, sharing the One same Hope in the One Spirit to bear witness to the love of God from all four corners of the Asian continent,” said Low. “We are many, yet One in Christ.”