CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "I hope you have bullet-proof vests," Rembert Weakland, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Milwaukee, told the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting here Oct. 2-7. He praised the ELCA for undertaking a process toward a social statement on economic life.
The bishops discussed the preliminary study, "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread: Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All." Weakland told the ELCA bishops about the process of developing the Roman Catholic bishops' pastoral letter on economic life some years ago.
"In our culture, money is power," Weakland said, and some who hold economic power strongly oppose the church becoming involved in matters of economic justice.
Weakland encouraged the ELCA to move slowly, try to be brief and approachable, to think about using different documents to reach different groups within the church, and to put it out on audio tape. He reminded the church to be sensitive to the vulnerability of the middle class as well as the plight of the poor.
"If we were doing it over I would want to challenge consumers," Weakland said. He suggested asking the questions: "How do you live today as a Christian in a consumer society? What effect does it have on your lifestyle? On your spirituality?"
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread" was the overarching theme of the bishops' meeting. The Rev. Craig L. Nessan, assistant professor of Contextual Theology at Wartburg Seminary, provided a Bible study in three sessions. He urged the bishops to "remember the poor who do not have sufficient bread for the day's journey." He said we are "tempted to construct a life in which the poor are absent."
"My neighbor's material needs are my spiritual needs," Nessan said. He expressed hope that a statement on economic life will mean "a more committed engagement by our church to concerns of the poor."
The bishops discussed a possible pastoral letter on the occasion of the millennium. They agreed to develop a document together with the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, possibly with an emphasis on the biblical book of Revelation, directed to ELCA congregations and members. Someone suggested a t-shirt and other ways to say, "Fear not." Another idea is to institute an annual "gesture to the occasion" in the next three years, such as every congregation planting a tree.
Following a preliminary report from a "think tank" convened to discuss campus ministry in the ELCA, the bishops encouraged the Church Council to delay action on it until spring so the bishops may study and talk about the report.
The Rev. Ralph A. Kempski, bishop of the ELCA's Indiana-Kentucky Synod, expressed concern about "a real upswing in Klan and militia activities." He said, "Actual maneuvers are taking place. We have a responsibility to teach that it is inconsistent with the gospel and Christian life to be a part of these organizations."
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Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or
NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
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Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
