ST. LOUIS (ELCA) -- A biblical concept of forgiving debts every 50 years, in the "year of jubilee," is the basis of a bill now before U.S. Congress to promote international debt relief for the world's poorest nations by the end of 2000. Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has resolved to support the legislation and the Jubilee 2000/USA Campaign.
The Fourth Triennial Convention of Women of the ELCA is meeting here July 8-11 at the America's Center. The organization's three-year theme, "Live God's Justice," is unveiled at the convention amid Bible study, keynote addresses, workshops, business sessions and elections.
The Jubilee 2000/USA Campaign is the work of a coalition of U.S. religious organizations -- including the ELCA and Lutheran World Relief -- as part of a worldwide movement to cancel the crushing international debt held by impoverished countries by the new millennium.
The convention resolved -- 418 to 33 -- to join "other voices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, other denominational and faith communities in calling for a Jubilee year in 2000 for the cancellation of international debt to the poorest nations in our global community, for the purpose of restoring basic human service benefits to the neediest citizens of these countries."
It is noble to excuse debts, said Denise Smith, president of the women's organization of the ELCA's Alaska Synod. "What will be done to help these countries avoid falling into debt again?" she asked.
"The debts are not to be forgiven without accountability," said Emma Young, a delegate from Tulsa, Okla. She told the convention that details about debt relief are described on the Web site of the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (http://www.loga.org) in Washington, D.C.
Delegates voted to encourage participants in Women of the ELCA to educate themselves on the issues surrounding international debt and debt relief.
The resolution directed those at the convention to a display in its exhibit area, "The Hall of Justice," where they could write letters to their members of Congress, and it urged participants in Women of the ELCA who were not present to write letters of support for the Debt Relief for Poverty Reduction Act of 1999.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.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
