ELCA Presiding Bishop Urges Commitment to Strong LWF

GENEVA, Switzerland (ELCA) -- In a report highlighting changing
contexts of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and its respective member
churches, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, LWF president, urged the
organization's council to make decisions that reflect commitment to "a
sustainable and strong LWF going into the future." Hanson is also
presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
In a wide-ranging report to the council Oct. 23, Hanson noted
that, while the LWF had exercised responsible fiduciary leadership
despite the global economy and serious changes in the financial resources
of member churches, the organization faces greater challenges currently
and in the future.
The ELCA is a member of the LWF. In his role as LWF president,
Hanson chairs the LWF Council. Current council members were elected at
the 2003 LWF Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada, and will complete their work
in July 2010 at the LWF Assembly in Stuttgart, Germany.
Citing the ELCA’s situation, Hanson said the ELCA is facing a
significant decrease in its budget from which support for the LWF
comes. "We are experiencing a 30-year trend in decreased membership and
giving to support the work of the ELCA beyond its local congregations.
Furthermore, we do not know the budgetary implications of our recent
decision on human sexuality," he told council members.
The 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which met Aug. 17-23 in
Minneapolis, adopted proposals to change ELCA ministry policies. One
change makes it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong,
monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in
ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers. That assembly also
adopted by a two-third majority a social statement on human sexuality.
Hanson's report noted important issues on this year’s LWF agenda
such as the election of the next LWF general secretary, and response to
the Renewal Committee report, which outlines proposals for change in the
LWF.
The LWF president affirmed his commitment "that when we leave
this meeting, we will have clarity and transparency about the
recommendations we are making, including a timetable and process for
developing the language of proposed changes to governing documents." He
stressed the need to be clear about what decisions would be left to
future elected council members and LWF staff in Geneva.
Hanson challenged the council to give high priority to a
generation of new resources as part of its responsibility. "Too often we
have left this (task) to the (LWF) Secretariat or some member churches
rather than exercising leadership ourselves,” he said. He called for a
more specific strategy to raise funds for the LWF Endowment Fund.
Hanson urged member churches to address how discussions and
decisions on marriage, family and human sexuality would impact the life,
work and unity of the LWF.
He said "rather than making (issues of) marriage, family and
human sexuality the cause for distancing ourselves from one another in
the LWF, let us resolve to engage in deeper dialogue on the theological
and ethical issues raised in our current discussions and decisions by
member churches." He pointed out that the LWF task force report on
Marriage, Family and Human Sexuality, and the Proposed Guidelines and
Processes for Respectful Dialogue, offered helpful insights and
suggestions.
Hanson called for a renewed commitment to women in leadership and
applauded four member churches that recently voted to ordain women. "We
need to give strong leadership as council members affirming and
admonishing one another so that gender justice becomes a growing reality
throughout the LWF," he said.
He urged sustained engagement as peacemakers and called for
renewed resolve to "accompany" churches such as those in the Middle East,
where the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land seeks
an end to Israeli occupation, cessation of violence, and a lasting and
just peace.
Hanson's report underscored continued commitment to diaconal
work, eco-justice and environmental work, and interfaith engagement.
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Information about the Lutheran World Federation is at
http://www.lutheranworld.org on the Web.

* Lutheran World Information provided information for this report.