CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) appears more culturally diverse in the pages of its publication than is revealed in actual ELCA membership, according to the Rev. Edgar R. Trexler, editor of "The Lutheran."
In his report to The Lutheran's advisory committee Trexler said, "The Lutheran magazine takes the multicultural goals of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seriously." The committee, which met here April 3, approved a resolution dealing with concerns raised by the ELCA's Commission for Multicultural Ministries (CMM).
The CMM steering committee passed a resolution Feb. 27 calling for The Lutheran to "intentionally expand its coverage of multicultural ministries and events and assist the ELCA in implementing its multicultural goals." The resolution will be forwarded to the program and structure committee of the ELCA's Church Council.
The committee for The Lutheran "affirmed the continuing efforts by The Lutheran staff in addressing the issues of concern raised by the Commission for Multicultural Ministries." It will also bring its resolution to the Church Council's program and structure committee.
The Rev. Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan, CMM executive director, and the Rev. W. Arthur Lewis, who chairs CMM's committee, took part in The Lutheran's committee meeting. A resolution was passed by The Lutheran's committee to "establish a process for regular dialogue" between the staff of The Lutheran and the staff of CMM.
Trexler said, "The publication's staff strives to cover churches and persons of a multicultural background. We regularly illustrate stories that are not specifically ethnic with drawings and photos that are multicultural. This deliberate effort is intended to lift up the vision of a multicultural church and to support the church's multicultural goals."
The CMM committee also expressed criticism of the make up of The Lutheran's editorial staff, which consists only of white people, and passed another resolution calling for the magazine "to recruit and hire a person of color to its editorial staff."
The Lutheran committee reaffirmed its 1997 commitment to work with the editor of The Lutheran in "continuing efforts to include on the magazine's executive staff people of color of whose primary langauge is other than English." The committee expressed support for a recent search process used in securing a section editor, said Trexler.
"We had a person of color as executive editorial staff from 1988 to 1995," said Trexler. "The most recent staff vacancy we experienced was from May to December 1997. At that time we worked with the Commission for Multicultural Ministries and with the African American Lutheran Association of the ELCA to surface names." Trexler said job offers were extended to two African American journalists who turned the offers down.
"We will use the same intentional process when we have another executive position vacancy," said Trexler.
For information contact:
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.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
