ELCA Assembly Opens Discussion on Economic Life Statement

DENVER (ELCA) -- "My hope is that you will not only vote on this social statement, but more so, that you will use this statement in your congregations, social ministry, Sunday schools, and in your private homes when you struggle with the commercialism of Christmas this year," said the Rev. Gladys G. Moore to the voting members of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, here Aug. 17. Moore, assistant to the bishop for the ELCA New Jersey Synod, was one of four presenters from the 15-member task force that helped write the proposed social statement "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All: A Social Statement on Economic Life."
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting Aug. 16-22 here at the Colorado Convention Center. There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,039 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Hope for a New Century."
"The tears of farmers in South Dakota, finance leaders who shared a sense of captivity to global economy, despairing workers downsized out of their livelihood -- those and others were very present as we worked on this statement," said the Rev. Karen L. Bloomquist, ELCA director for studies.
Voting members are expected to vote on the proposed social statement Aug. 20. A two-thirds vote is required to adopt a social statement. Hearings on the social statement take place Aug. 17.
The proposed social statement describes itself as a way to "assess economic life today in light of the moral imperative to seek sufficient, sustainable livelihood for all."
The task force revised the first draft of the economic statement to integrate biblical and theological understandings, and to be more prophetic in tone.
Earlier this year, Dr. Annette Citzler, chair of the ELCA Task Force on Economic Life, stated, "The first draft was more oriented toward telling how the economy functions. This document says more of what our faith is calling us to do in the world about economic life and about economic issues."
Two members of the current task force did not sign the statement, Citzler said.
The current draft took into consideration almost 2,000 suggestions in 500 written responses from individuals and groups across the United States and Caribbean. About 500 Lutherans attended 75 "listening posts" in 20 regions of the church in 1994 when the process of developing this statement began, and a similar number went to 22 hearings on the documents first draft in the Fall 1998. A large number of other consultants provided input as the study document was being developed in 1995 and 1996.
The resolution to adopt the social statement: calls Lutherans to work for sufficient livelihood for everyone and increase their giving to the ELCA's hunger relief programs, encourages the various ministries and institutions of the church to work for economic justice, directs the units of the church "to review and adjust their programs and practices in light of this social statement," and asks the church's educational institutions "to develop programs and educational resources in light of this statement so people can be better prepared to respond to the challenges of economic life."
The proposed statement devotes sections to explain the title: For All: Especially Those Living in Poverty; Livelihood: Vocation, Work and Human Dignity; Sufficiency: Enough But not Too Much; and Sustainability of the Environment, Agriculture, and Low Income Communities.
Each section includes actions to which "we commit ourselves as a church" and actions "we call for in the wider society."
Since the ELCA was formed in 1988, it has adopted a foundational statement on the church in society and social statements on abortion, the death penalty, the environment, peace and racism.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html