CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The executive committee of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) issued a pastoral message on the global
financial crisis denouncing the collective failure of
responsibility and accountability on the part of governments,
financial institutions and business leaders, and urging LWF
member churches to stand in solidarity with the people most
affected. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, LWF president and presiding
bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), chaired
the committee's Oct. 24-26 meeting in Helsinki, Finland.
The LWF executive committee members wrote that they were
"deeply disturbed and moved by the suffering, fear and
helplessness experienced by people and communities caused by
the current global financial crisis in our respective contexts
throughout the world.
Committee members pointed to the current crisis as
the "catastrophic" consequence of non-sustainable economic,
social and environmental processes. They expressed regret that
the poor and vulnerable bear the greatest burden in a crisis
such as the current one.
"We find it painful to note how quickly massive financial
resources could be mobilized to prop up the financial markets
and institutions in this moment of crisis, when in much better
economic times a fraction of those resources could not be
found to eliminate extreme poverty around the world," stated
the pastoral message.
The committee noted that while banks and financial
institutions would benefit from unprecedented rescue packages,
humanitarian aid and development budgets were likely to be
placed under greater pressure. It challenged LWF member
churches to maintain their commitments to support and give
hope to the poorest and most vulnerable in their communities
and throughout the world.
The LWF is a global communion of 140 member churches
representing more than 68.3 million Lutherans, including the
ELCA and its 4.7 million members.
The pastoral message underscored the churches' obligation
to join with others in rebuilding trust in community "and in
creating new economic institutions and forms of governance
that are more responsive to the claims of justice and thus
worthy of trust."
Committee members affirmed the LWF leadership's pastoral
concern and accompaniment, inviting member churches to share
their experiences and responses, and support each other in
the midst of the current crisis.
In addition to Hanson, the LWF executive committee consists
of five regional vice presidents, treasurer and the chairs of
seven program committees. It meets regularly twice each year.
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The full text of the pastoral message is at
http://tinyurl.com/55zldv on the LWF Web site.
*Lutheran World Information is the LWF information service
and is the source of this report.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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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
