The Lutheran World Federation Council Meeting in June

General Bishop Miloš Klátik participated on the annual meeting of the Council of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) on 13-18 June 2013 at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva. The theme for the 2013 meeting of the LWF governing body was: “Called to Be Disciples in Today`s World”. There were 167 participants including the 49 Council members, advisers, guests and the LWF staff.
The Lutheran World Federation President Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan in his opening address reflected on the biblical and Lutheran understanding on discipleship and how the call to follow Christ (M 28:19) is lived today amidst context of economic inequalities, different interpretations of Scripture and situations in the countries where religious freedom is oppressed. He emphasized that faithfulness is not determined by individual decisions or actions, but by belonging to the community of believers. He challenged churches in the Lutheran communion to reject any attempts to claim that one person or group is a better follower of Jesus than another. We are all equal before God.

The LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge besides the other themes in his report devoted to the global youth unemployment with over 75 million youth worldwide looking for work. He underlined the member churches` role in this dangerous development, stating, “If youth do not have future, our common household doesn`t have one either”. The meeting presented plans for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 as a global communion as at the same time we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue.

During the LWF Council meeting the joint Lutheran-Roman Catholic publication, “From Conflict to Communion,” was launched. It was published by the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity in the context of the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, and the 50th anniversary of dialogue between Lutherans and Catholics in 2017.

The LWF Council endorsed the LWF Gender Justice Policy and recommended the implementation within the member churches with the expectation that the methodology will be adapted to local context.

Foto: www.lutheranworld.org
Oľga Hederová, foreign@ecav.sk