ELCA Assembly Adopts Economic Life Statement

DENVER (ELCA)-- By a vote of 872 to 124, the churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a social statement on economic life called "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All: A Social Statement on Economic Life," Aug. 20.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 16-22 at the Colorado Convention Center. There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,038 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Hope for a New Century."
Voting members amended some language, added an implementing resolution requiring a report back to the ELCA's 2001 Churchwide Assembly, and added a call for greater entry-level opportunities for the next generation of family farmers. The assembly discussed and formally debated specifics within the social statement in two plenary sessions. Several amendments were discussed and some were withdrawn. The assembly rejected a proposal to refer the document back to the task force for further revision.
"Think what this will mean for a culture who looks daily to Wall Street," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the ELCA Saint Paul Area Synod. "When we move from repentance to proclamation to eradicate poverty it will no longer be our social statement. It will be our public witness to the world."
"Our statement is fine, but does not go nearly far enough," said the Rev. Robert D. Johnson, voting member, ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod. "Perhaps we stand like David and Goliath, but we must speak more clearly to corporate America about what it is doing with its profits, and how it is treating those less fortunate."
"The intent of the statement is to influence the business world today and make a credible argument to them about economic policy. We're going to have a credibility problem with business," said Jay Johnson, voting member, ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod. "Put yourself in the shoes of businessmen and women. There is conflicting economic theory in it. It relies on government influence to make our economic goals work, disregards consumer practices, and there is a blanket statement on salary disparity. You are slapping the face of the same CEOs you're = trying to sell on this economic statement."
"The statement is too detailed. It goes one level too far. We should stop with identifying the area for study and refrain from becoming a cookbook," said Jim Reyner, ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod.
"What I see through this whole statement is this: Christians give primary attention to the least among us," said the Rev. Susan E. Nagle, voting member, ELCA New Jersey Synod.
"This is a social statement which calls us to listen and then respond, and it doesn't tell us what to do and how to do it, because Lutherans don't like that all the time. Here is a statement which will call us to awareness and action in your churches and in your synods. You can take this statement as far as you want," said the Rev. Kimberly M. Sterner, voting member, ELCA Grand Canyon Synod.
The task force revised the first draft of the economic statement to integrate biblical and theological understandings, and to be more prophetic in tone.
The 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."
It calls on 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."

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