ELCA Board Urges Careful Responses to Terrorism

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Division for Global Mission (DGM) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) called on the church to urge the U.S. government to consider carefully its responses to terrorism. The board adopted a resolution on the subject as the U.S. government is "contemplating military actions to extend counter- terrorism efforts beyond Afghanistan," the resolution said.
The board met here March 14-17.
In its resolution the board acknowledged sacrifices made by U.S. military personnel and their families in defending the country. It also commended contributions made by Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Church World Service (CWS) and other agencies of humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan.
LWR is the overseas relief and development agency of the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. CWS is an agency of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. engaged in relief, development and refugee assistance on behalf of the ELCA and its 35 other member churches.
The DGM board called on members of the ELCA to urge the U.S. government "to address terrorism through multilateral collaboration and in consultation with the United Nations." The board also said ELCA members should call on the U.S. government "to oppose terrorist groups and deal with those states, such as Iraq, that are accused of defying the consensus of the international community." Strategies should be used that will result in a minimum of civilian casualties and minimum destruction of each country's infrastructure, the board resolution said.
The resolution also called for an increase in "development aid to address the root causes of hunger and violence."
In a separate action, the board spoke on the situation in the Middle East, where there has been increased violence in recent months, resulting in numerous Israeli and Palestinian deaths and injuries. The board called on the ELCA presiding bishop and churchwide units of the ELCA to urge Lutherans to appeal to their elected representatives in the United States "to press both parties to the conflict to cease their hostilities and restart negotiations" for peace.
The board asked ELCA congregations to continue prayer vigils for Middle East peace, and it asked congregations to pray for "peace with justice for the peoples of the Holy Land" at each public worship service.
The board acted following remarks by the Rev. Susan P. Thomas, an ELCA missionary serving in Jerusalem. She urged the ELCA to use its "considerable political influence"with the U.S. government to work with the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to halt the violence and foster peace negotiations. "Hearts of stone" must be replaced with "hearts of flesh," among the Israelis and Palestinians, she told the board.
The global mission board acted on other current matters:
+ It adopted a document on human rights for the DGM. The board said the division will promote awareness throughout the church "out of concern for justice in all parts of the world in critical solidarity with those who struggle for a just society in their own nation." In addition, the division will express solidarity with churches, organizations and groups which seek to hold governments accountable for upholding human rights and will challenge ELCA members to express concerns about human rights violations.
+ The board conveyed "pastoral concern and Christian solidarity" to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colombia on escalating violence in Colombia. Members of the ELCA were urged to pray for an end to the violence there, and the board advocated for the ELCA, through the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, to "mediate in the crisis in Colombia, enabling peace talks to resume."

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