GENEVA, 4 September 2012 (LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has welcomed the announcement of peace talks in Colombia and urged that the dialogue incorporate principles for a just and sustainable peace.

In a public statement issued today, LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge expressed thanksgiving and hope that the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are entering into peace talks.

The LWF Council meeting June 2012 in Bogotá had been “deeply moved by the challenges and difficulties of people living in poverty in the context of Colombia’s long-standing conflict,” which has forcibly displaced one out of every ten of the nation’s inhabitants, Junge said.

The LWF’s highest governing body in between Assemblies had observed with concern the disproportionate effect of the violence and social injustice on women, children, indigenous people and Afro-Colombians, he added.

Junge called for the negotiations between the Colombian government and the armed opposition groups “to incorporate the principles for a just and sustainable peace” outlined by the LWF Council at its 2012 meeting.

“Every Colombian citizen needs to have the opportunity to take part in the peace-building process,” Council members had affirmed.

Also, the peace-building process needed to happen “from the highest level to the grassroots, as well as from the grassroots level upwards.”

A change of mindset was crucial as well, stated the Council, proposing that “the imagery of dialogue” replace “the imagery of violence.”

Further, victims should not be excluded for they “play a key part in the dialogue of peace.”

The general secretary underlined the LWF’s commitment to “working together for a just, peaceful and reconciled world,” as laid out in the communion of churches’ vision statement, and echoed the Council’s appeal to Lutherans around the world “to pray and engage with and for the churches and people of Colombia.” (317 words)

LWF Statement on Peace Talks in Colombia | Declaración de La FLM sobre Las Conversaciones de Paz en Colombia | Council 2012 Public Statement on Colombia

Ralston Deffenbaugh, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) assistant general secretary for International Affairs and Human Rights, shares impressions of his visit to the Department for World Service (DWS) program in Chocó, Colombia, following the LWF Council meeting 15-20 June 2012 in Bogotá.

“Chocó Magicó” (“Magical Chocó”) reads the beautifully photographed poster for the LWF’s Department of World Service program in Colombia.

Yes, Chocó—a department in the northwest, situated along the Pacific coast—is magical.

But it is also in pain. More than 40% of Chocó’s half million people have been forcibly displaced as a result of Colombia’s violent conflicts. At least a thousand have been killed. The violence continues.

In June 2012, I had the chance to spend three days in Chocó as part of a study visit following the LWF Council meeting in Bogotá. As we landed in the capital of Chocó, Quibdó, and started to travel around, I felt like I was in West Africa.

The tropical humidity and heat, the lush foliage, the red soil, the modest houses with corrugated metal roofs and peeling paint, the sudden heavy downpours, all reminded me of visits to Guinea and Liberia.

So did the population, for three quarters of Chocó’s people are Afro-Colombians–Colombians of African ancestry, the descendants of slaves. One of our delegation, Council member Elijah Zina from Liberia, exclaimed, “I’ve come home!”

What makes Chocó magical can be both good and bad, and sometimes at the same time. Vast stretches of the land are covered in thick jungle. The bio-diversity is among the greatest on Earth. With most of Chocó inaccessible by road, rivers are traditionally the major way of transport.

This remoteness made it possible for Afro-Colombian communities of escaped slaves to establish themselves and survive. It also allowed for the survival of small communities of indigenous people—one tenth of Chocó’s people—who were able to stay out of the way of the Spanish colonists and their descendants who make up the majority of Colombia’s people.

In today’s Colombia, however, Chocó’s remoteness makes it an attractive refuge for various illegal armed groups, some of whom are revolutionaries, some drug traffickers, some both.

Isolation and lack of equal participation in the broader society are a recipe for poverty. Four fifths of the population have unmet basic needs. Half the population lives on less than one U.S. dollar per day. A third of adults cannot read. One out of every four children is not in school. Only a quarter of the people have access to clean water.

Colombia’s violence contributes to poverty as well. Imagine what your community would be like if two out of every five people had been forcibly uprooted from their homes and had to start over again somewhere else.

With a dedicated local staff of people from Chocó and support from the country office in Bogotá, the Lutheran World Federation’s Department for World Service (DWS) program in Colombia is making important contributions in three main areas.

One is in helping indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities organize themselves, so that they can better assert their human rights and regain and protect their land. This is especially important as large mining companies try to set up operations that will dispossess people of their land and have dramatic environmental consequences.

Another DWS activity is in helping internally displaced people—mostly households headed by women—restart their lives through training and income-generating programs.

Lastly, DWS plays an important role in disaster relief and preparation. Because of changing weather patterns, Chocó suffered from extraordinarily heavy flooding in the past two years.

As we met with representatives of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, it was inspiring to see their bravery and determination. They told how they have protected and regained land, how they have suffered from displacement but worked to reestablish themselves. And it was encouraging to hear how appreciative they are of the accompaniment and support from the LWF. They had hope.

On our last morning in Chocó came an impression that captures that determination and hope of the people. One of the internally displaced women with whom we met, a woman whose village had suffered a massacre and who had survived things that I can only begin to imagine, wore a T-shirt with this message in Spanish: “We don’t bear children for war. My body is the first land of peace!”

In this issue:

• Colombian Bishop Calls for Societal Models That Promote Peace and Reconciliation
• LWF President Younan Calls Churches to Be a Voice for Justice, Peace and Reconciliation
• LWF General Secretary Junge Thanks Churches for Supporting People in Need
• LWF Leadership Commended for Good Financial Management in 2011
• Keynote Panel Addresses the LWF Council in Colombia
• Dialogue Is Crucial in Reconciliation, Forgiveness Cannot Be Demanded
• Living the Christian Faith in a Context of Conflict
• Becoming the “first land of peace” in Chocó
• “Pa‘lante pa‘ya!” – Life has to go on, now!
• LWF Council Calls for Lutheran Communion Solidarity with Colombia
• LWF Governance Appeals for Stronger UN Presence in Central America
• LWF Council Condemns Attacks on Freedom of Religion in Nigeria
• LWF A Communion with Many Themes
• LWF Council Resolutions
• Local and Regional Church Leaders Thank Lutheran Communion
• Global Ecumenical Partners Affirm Commitment to Dialogues with Lutherans
• LWF Council Takes Decisions
• Our Shared Witness: Book on Bishop Younan’s Essays and Sermons

LWI 06/2012 is available in English and German.

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Council Press Release No. 14/2012 | BOGOTÁ, Colombia/GENEVA, 22 June 2012 (LWI) –Representatives of global Christian bodies that have bilateral relations with The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) praised the LWF’s commitment to ecumenical dialogues and to reconciliation.

Greeting participants at the 15-20 June LWF Council meeting in the Colombian capital Bogotá, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) General Secretary César Garcia praised the LWF for its reconciliation with the Anabaptist communities, stating that the ongoing Lutheran-Mennonite dialogue had practical implications “that we are just beginning to discern.”

“You have showed the world that healing and reconciliation are possible. You have practiced the ministry of reconciliation and evidenced that forgiveness and new beginnings are available in God’s presence,” Garcia said, referring to the LWF’s July 2010 historic step of asking the Mennonites for forgiveness for past persecutions.

The Mennonite leader stated that the MWC General Council had recently mandated its Faith and Life Commission to follow up on commitments to live out the reconciliation.

Overcoming division within the Christian family is essential to ensuring the saving message of Christ continues to be heard in the 21^st century, said Vatican representative Monsignor Dr Matthias Türk.

“Many people today are concerned by the central question about God and redemption. This is the most important ground for an authentic Christian witness towards the world and society, and also a challenge of seeking full, visible church unity,” said Türk on behalf of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

While noting that the Lutheran communion will mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, he reminded the Council of the importance of the 50^th anniversary of the beginning of the dialogue between the Vatican and the LWF to be celebrated the same year. It “can give us the confidence to courageously take further steps towards Christian unity together,” the Vatican official said, as he underlined focus “not just on the differences that have not yet been overcome but rather on what common ground has already been achieved.”

Rev. Levy Bastos of the World Methodist Council said the theme of the LWF meeting, “Together for a just, peaceful and reconciled world,” offered a clear vision of the Lutheran spirit and drive for peace and justice, which in the Latin American context had inspired work for democracy and social justice in the last three decades.

In a greeting read to the Council, Jean-Daniel Plüss, co-chairperson of the Lutheran-Pentecostal Study Group 2004-2010, expressed confidence that an official dialogue between Lutherans and Pentecostals would be a blessing for both communities.

He emphasized the “great interest” and commitment expressed by Pentecostal churches to continue the bilateral conversations on an official level, adding, “We live in a world where we do not have the luxury to neglect each other as the tasks at hand are so great and the needs are so real.” (483 words)

Council 2012 Website

Council Press Release No. 13/2012 | BOGOTÁ, Colombia/Geneva, 22 June 2012 (LWI) – During its meeting in the Colombian capital, Bogotá, 15-20 June, the Council of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) received greetings from local and regional church leaders who thanked the global Lutheran body for its solidarity with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO).

In his greeting, IELCO Bishop Eduardo Martínez said it was a privilege to host the LWF governing body in a country where the people’s “yearning for justice, peace and reconciliation nourishes hope.” Meeting there was an encouragement to the small Lutheran community of 2,000 members, as it faces a challenging reality, which includes drugs trade, internal conflict and violence, he said.

Welcoming the representatives of Lutheran churches from around the world, Bishop Francisco Duque of the Episcopal Church of Colombia noted the Council theme—“Together for a just, peaceful and reconciled world”—was appropriate for the country’s situation.

Duque said the presence of the LWF “in this place today is not only a sign of communion but also a gesture of support for a church, which is clearly committed to facing the challenging reality in Colombia.” It was also a sign of confidence in a country that was resisting definition by “such sad realities” as drugs and internal conflict out of which there were numerous victims, he emphasized.

He noted that while IELCO was a small church that was not widely known in the country, it “brings a message of faith and hope to our people in humility and simplicity” and with concrete acts of service to the community.

For his part Rev. Pedro Mercado Cepeda, vice-secretary for church and state relations for the Roman Catholic Church, welcomed the fact that the LWF meeting was tackling issues concerning peace, justice and reconciliation.

“The quest for peace is a joint task for all the disciples of Christ,” Cepeda said. “Ecumenical dialogue and action are the real priority. Together we must work for peace and the dignity of every human being. We have one firm desire—to open up ways to peace.”

Rev. Edgar Castaño, president of the Evangelical Council of Colombia (CEDECOL), to which IELCO belongs, called the LWF Council meeting “a very important moment.” He noted that while modern communication technology offers electronic mail correspondence and web conferences, direct personal contact among Christians from around the world remains important. “It is crucial to be able to share time together,” he said.

“The presence of the worldwide Lutheran church in Colombia is very valuable. It should leave us suggestions so that we can all continue working for truth, reconciliation and justice,” Castaño added.

The Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) General Secretary Rev. Nilton Giese expressed his joy at being able to participate in the LWF gathering, hosted by the CLAI member church IELCO.

He emphasized that CLAI’s mission was to sensitize, promote, accompany and engage churches in processes of social change while at the same time serving as a link in promoting democracy and peace with justice. (514 words)

Council 2012 Website

Council Press Release No. 12/2012 | BOGOTÁ, Colombia/GENEVA, 22 June 2012 (LWI)– At its meeting in Bogotá, Colombia, the Council of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) took important decisions for its work, based on recommendations from its committees. Besides public statements and resolutions (see other press releases) the focal themes included program work, finance, membership and communication.

Finance – Preliminary Assembly Budget Adopted

In its report, the Finance Committee presented the financial statements for 2011 and the budget for 2013, which were duly adopted. In addition a provisional budget amounting to approximately EUR 2 million was approved for the Twelfth Assembly of the LWF to be celebrated in 2017. The venue for the assembly, which coincides with the Reformation anniversary, was not under discussion in Bogotá.

The LWF budget for 2013 comprises income and expenditure of around EUR 76 million. Out of this amount, the Department for World Service projects EUR 63 million for its work; followed by the Department for Mission and Development (DMD) at EUR 9 million. Expenditure for the restructured Department for Theology and Public Witness is planned at around EUR 1.8 million; and EUR 2.2 million is foreseen for the work of the new Department for Planning and Operations, and the Office of the General Secretary.

Together with the 2013 budget planning, the Council adopted the Communion Office Operational Plan (COOP) for the period 2013 to 2014. With the aid of targets and indicators, the COOP links budgeting with the LWF Strategy 2012-2017 and enables improved planning, resources’ mobilization and allocation, and monitoring and reporting on performance.

Mission and Development – Previous Name is Retained

The Committee for Holistic Mission and Member Church Relations, besides approving 31 projects from the member churches worth EUR 4.3 million – also discussed other changes in DMD’s structure. The Council agreed to revert to the committee’s previous name—Committee for Mission and Development. At the same time, the department in the Communion Office would continue to be called “Department for Mission and Development” without this restricting the understanding of the department’s responsibilities. Furthermore, the Council established a sub-committee of the Committee for Mission and Development to replace the former “Project Committee.”

Theology and Ecumenism – New Members on Dialogue Groups

Receiving proposals from the Committee for Theology and Ecumenical Relations, the Council affirmed ongoing work on ecumenical dialogues, including support provided by the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, France.

The Council appointed Bishop emeritus Dr Christoph Klein from the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania as co-chairperson of the Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission. He succeeds retired Bishop Don McCoid (USA) who served from 2004 to 2012.

The Council also received the report of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission “To Love and Serve the Lord” and recommended it to its members for study. As mandated in the report, the LWF governing body approved the establishment of an Anglican–Lutheran International Coordinating Committee, for which Lutheran members will be appointed by the next Meeting of Officers in 2012. The Council also appointed LWF representatives to the Lutheran–Roman Catholic–Mennonite Trilateral Dialogue Commission.

Membership – Germany’s Northern Church Welcomed, VELKD Is a Recognized Council

Receiving the report of the Standing Committee for Constitution and Membership, the Council warmly welcomed to the LWF the new Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (Northern Church). Since it arose from the merger of three LWF member churches—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg, Evangelical Church of Pomerania and the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church—only a unilateral declaration of intent on the part of the Northern Church was required for recognition as an LWF member church. With the Council’s affirmation, the LWF now has 143 churches in 79 countries with 70.5 million members.

The relationship between the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) and the LWF assumed a new status when the Council welcomed the association of Evangelical Lutheran churches as a “Recognized Council” of the LWF. With this recognition, the VELKD churches remain autonomous LWF members, exercising their respective rights and duties, while VELKD is accorded an official observer status—without voting rights and membership fee obligations in the LWF.

Communication – Strategic Direction and Visual Identity Development

The Council approved the strategic direction proposed for a new LWF communication strategy, upon recommendations by the Standing Committee for Communication and Fundraising, and mandated the next Meeting of Officers to adopt the final communications strategy, which includes a social media plan. A sub-committee was also appointed, with the mandate to guide the development of a new visual identity for the LWF, including a new logo.

World Service – Increased Contributions from the South

The Committee for World Service presented the Council with several items for information, based on current developments in the country programs. The DWS program in Colombia featured especially, but so did the expansion of World Service presence in Myanmar, and its work in Zambia.

In its report, the committee underlined the fact that the financial income of the department had been raised in the previous year thanks to fundraising. This was due to firm support from the Nordic countries but also to a pronounced increase in contributions for emergency and development aid from countries in the Global South. (872 words)

Council 2012 Website

Council Press Release No. 11/2012 | BOGOTÁ, Colombia/GENEVA, 22 June 2012 (LWI) – Concluding this year’s meeting in the Colombian capital, Bogota, the Council of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) took decisions on climate change and sustainable development.

Rio+20: Need for Clear and Forward-Looking Outcome

On the eve of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20-22 June (Rio+20) the LWF Council emphasized the need for a clear, forward-looking final document of the conference.

Council members expressed concern that the outcome document “The Future We Want”—20 years after the first summit in 1992 held in the same city—did not reflect the interests of “we the peoples” but rather those of transnational companies and the international financial system.

The governing body recalled previous LWF statements and resolutions on climate change and sustainable development and reaffirmed the principles adopted at the Earth Summit two decades ago—to promote sustainable growth that would advance social equity and protect the environment.

The Council underlined the need to include in the document a rights-based approach to development as applied by the LWF Department for World Service. It expressed support for ecumenical and interfaith partners who sought a principle-based preamble that would provide a framework for an ambitious political agenda to address care for the earth and the main challenges of several Rio conventions including issues such as desertification, biodiversity and climate change.

Financial Transaction Tax Revenues

In a further resolution the Council noted with affirmation recent proposals from Europe and the United States to establish a financial transaction tax (FTT or Tobin Tax), but strongly recommended that resulting revenues should be directed toward social, economic and environmental programs that would benefit the most vulnerable in society including indigenous persons and the poor.

The Council expressed concern that such innovative sources of revenue might not be directed “to those in greatest need, either because of the greed of unscrupulous public leaders or because of economic policies that do not support the most vulnerable people.”

Referring to the 2010 LWF Eleventh Assembly public statement “’Daily Bread’ Instead of Greed” that called for economic and climate justice, the Council urged that FTT revenue be directed toward alleviating poverty and promoting health care and education “especially on behalf of the poorest, some with a particular emphasis on the impact of climate change in these communities.”

The Council called on member churches to join the LWF in advocating for the tax with national and international decision-making bodies. (431 words)

The LWF and Rio+20   |  Council 2012 Website

Council Press Release No. 10/2012 | BOGOTÁ, Colombia/GENEVA, 22 June 2012 (LWI) – In its final session in Colombia the Council of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) passed two resolutions on the situation in the Middle East.

Palestine – Call for Resumption of Peace Talks

A recommendation presented by the Committee for Advocacy and Public Voice concentrated on points about the relationship between Israel and Palestine, as well as the situation of the Christian churches in the Holy Land. In its resolution, the Council called upon LWF member churches to advocate for a halt to “expansion and creation of settlements” and for an immediate resumption of peace talks. The talks should lead to resolving the final status questions about the conflict, end the occupation, and enable a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel, with peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The Council also called on the member churches to work for a continuing vibrant presence of Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land. The work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land including its focus on education was highlighted as an important contribution to witness in the Holy Land. LWF member churches, development agencies and governments were encouraged to increase support for this work.

Syria – Appeal to International Community for Support

A further resolution dealt with the violence in Syria that has been going on for over a year and has already cost over 10,000 lives, mostly civilians. The Council said it joined the United Nations in appealing for an end to the violence and all forms of human rights abuses.

The LWF governing body urged all parties in the conflict “to urgently protect” the Syrian population and refrain from supplying arms. It called on the Syrian government to allow immediate humanitarian access to all people in need, and urged the international community to provide generous support to refugees from Syria.

The Council assured the churches in the Middle East of its solidarity “as they yearn for the nurturing of modern civil societies which respect human rights” in the region. (360 words)

Council 2012 Website

LWI Council Press Release No. 09/2012 | BOGOTÁ, Colombia/GENEVA, 20 June 2012 (LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council has appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish an office in Honduras, and to strengthen its presence elsewhere in Central America.

A public statement adopted by the LWF governing body at its 15-20 June meeting in Bogotá also urged the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to “hear the cries of their people” by protecting human rights and ending impunity for those committing violence, particularly against women and girls.

The statement proposed by the Committee for Advocacy and Public Voice called for the formation of an ecumenical accompaniment program to help protect human rights defenders, especially in Guatemala and Honduras. The committee’s report had noted that paramilitary forces in the three countries go unchecked; human rights defenders are persecuted and killed; and poor farmers are kicked off their land by powerful elites, and sometimes even killed.

The Council affirmed that bilateral and multilateral economic and security aid to the region, including the supply of firearms to police and military forces, should be subjected to the full respect of human rights. Programs should be strengthened for the security and safety of women and youth, including “access to education, employment, and the opportunities for a dignified life,” it said.

The governing body underlined the LWF’s long history of closely accompanying the churches in the three countries. It noted growing concern for the alarming increase of violence characterized by murder rates that are among the highest in the world, with drug gangs taking over neighborhoods and the lack of strong institutions of justice.

“It is vital that the contributing factors and continuing violence [are] addressed and controlled, so that the suffering of vulnerable people is alleviated and the violence does not spread to neighboring countries,” the Council noted in its statement.

The LWF governing body extended its prayers and solidarity for the churches and people of Central America, especially those in “violence-torn” El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. (351 words)

Council 2012 Statement on the Violence in Central America | Council 2012 Website

LWI Council Press Release No. 08/2012 | BOGOTÁ, Colombia/GENEVA, 20 June 2012 (LWI) – At its meeting in Bogotá, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council joined Nigeria’s Lutherans and other Christian and Muslim religious leaders in condemning “in the strongest terms” the violence and killings targeting Christian places of worship, and reprisals against Muslims in the West African country.

The LWF Council offered its prayers for the victims and their families, and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Adopting a public statement presented by the Committee for Advocacy and Public Voice, the LWF governing body affirmed and encouraged “ongoing efforts of Christian and Muslim leaders in Nigeria to reach out to each other to work for peace.” It especially encouraged “the religious leaders to value and include women and young people as peacemakers.”

In its report to the Council, the committee noted that in recent months many people had been killed and more injured in almost weekly attacks on Christian churches in Nigeria, including during worship, for which the militant Islamic Boko Haram had claimed responsibility. There have also been some revenge attacks against mosques and individual Muslims.

The Council urged Nigerian authorities to respect the human rights of Christians and Muslims, saying this “includes the freedom of religion—to be able to worship in safety without fear, and to be able to build houses of worship.” It denounced the recent attacks as “direct violations of the internationally recognized right to freedom of religion or belief.”

“Those who bravely continue to go to church to worship—do so in fear,” the Council noted as it underlined government and society’s responsibility in addressing these issues “squarely, with clarity, specificity, and urgency.”

The Council committee heard that the causes of the violence in Nigeria were complex, and included the migration of people into areas traditionally occupied by other groups, the growth of fundamentalism and intolerance, and the lack of opportunities for education and employment.

The LWF church representatives gave thanks for the recent international solidarity visit of Muslims and Christians to Nigeria, including the LWF Vice-President for Africa Presiding Bishop Alex G. Malasusa, under the auspices of the World Council of Churches and the Royal Jordanian Aal Al Bayt Institute.

The Council affirmed the LWF’s commitment to peacemaking by building bridges among people, communities, societies and religions. It called on Lutherans around the world to pray for all the people of the West African country, especially for the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria and the Lutheran Church of Nigeria, both LWF member churches.

“To be Lutheran is to be liberated by God’s grace to love and serve the neighbor,” the Council added. (456 words)

Public Statement on Nigeria | Council 2012 Website