June 2004
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen"
(Rev.
22:21).
As I travel throughout this
church, I give thanks to God for the
work of the Holy Spirit through your ministries. As a church, we
are increasingly claiming the "evangelical" in our name through
our commitment to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ through
word and deed. Renewing Worship is offering wonderful resources
and inviting lively conversation. The growing and thoughtful use
of the sexuality study materials is an encouraging sign as we
prepare for the decisions before us. Thank you for your
leadership.
As rostered leaders, we are challenged by the meaning of our call
to be public leaders of a public church. I recently participated
in a Synod Assembly liturgy in which one candidate was consecrated
for diaconal ministry and three were ordained into the ministry of
Word and Sacrament. I thought of the description in "Vision and
Expectations" that articulates this commitment as the candidates
answered the question, "Will you give faithful witness to the
world, that God's love may be known in all that you do?"
"This church expects its ordained ministers to be witnesses to
and instruments of God's peace and reconciliation for the world .
. to be committed to justice in the life of the church, in
society, and in the world . . . [to be] exemplary stewards of the
earth's resources, and that they will lead this church in the
stewardship of God's creation" (pp. 14-15).
I understand one dimension of my call as presiding bishop to be
giving leadership in our vocations as a public church. Cynthia
Moe-Lobeda's new book, "Public Church: For the Life of the
World," provides insights into our responsibilities as leaders of
this church and as members of the body of Christ:
"We are theological heirs of a public and political theologian
and pastor who wrote over one thousand letters to civil
authorities, including letters regarding their public policies;
fervently admonished preachers to preach against economic
injustice and against economic practices and public policies that
thwarted the well-being of the poor; called for modes of trade
and commerce that defied the emerging capitalism where it
oppressed the poor; and insisted that if civil authorities call
Christians to actions that disobey God, then Christians must
resist. Grappling with the public realities and struggles of his
day in light of the gospel, Luther spoke publicly regarding
political, military, economic, and theological issues, and took
stands on which he staked his life. On what grounds could
Lutheran communities in this heritage not expect their bishops,
ordained pastors, and other members to be a public voice in
public policy?" (p. 42).
How do we exercise this dimension of our call in this complex and
conflicted world? In the midst of an election year, how do we
give public voice that invites conversation rather than precludes
it? How do we recognize that no unique insights into foreign
policy, economics, or military strategy come by virtue of our
calls? Yet how do we also respond to the clear and compelling
biblical mandate (Micah 6:8) to "do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" echoed in our
baptismal affirmation (LBW, p. 201) to "strive for justice and
peace in all the earth"?
Recognizing these questions, I want you as leaders of this church
to know how I have undertaken the responsibilities of this office
in four different settings. I share these recent actions and my
reflections to encourage you in your leadership, to invite
conversation, and to inform.
In the past weeks I have represented the ELCA in four different
settings that have raised for me a number of key questions
regarding our responsibility as U.S. church leaders at this time:
under the leadership of Bread for the World, a meeting with Dr.
Condoleezza Rice; a meeting of Christian church leaders with
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan; a meeting of U.S.
religious leaders with Secretary of State Colin Powell; and my
ongoing interaction with church leaders of the Lutheran World
Federation by virtue of my role as LWF president. In these
meetings, I sought to convey the observations that follow.
First, in the meeting with Secretary-General Annan, I emphasized
my conviction that the United States needs to move beyond
preoccupation with our national self-interest for the sake of
sustaining peace in Iraq. It seems clear that the United Nations
is a crucial link in moving from occupation by U.S. forces to a
sustained self-governance by the Iraqi people. In this regard, the
June 30 deadline for transfer of power and the recent U.N.
Security Council resolution are positive steps. We also discussed
the necessity for the United States to turn over leadership in the
reconstruction of Iraq to the Iraqi people and the
international community. Although strong differences exist both
within and outside this country regarding the question of whether
the U.S. should have entered into this war, there is now little
disagreement that the reconstruction of Iraq is not only complex,
but necessary. It will require both the recognition of Iraqi
sovereignty and the multilateral support of the international
community. The tragic ongoing violence throughout Iraq
significantly complicates both the process of reconstruction and
the possibilities for lasting peace.
Second, we in the United States must continually remind ourselves
of the connection between peace in the Middle East, the war in
Iraq, and our response to terrorism. I joined U.S. Christian,
Jewish, and Muslim leaders in the meeting with Secretary of State
Colin Powell. These leaders not only believe that peace is still
possible in the land we all call holy, but that it is a key
element to a broader peace within the region. I am also deeply
aware that the circumstances, achingly described by our partners
in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine), make
it increasingly difficult for Palestinian people to maintain hope
that dialogue will produce a durable solution. We urged the
administration to return to the "Road Map" for Mideast peace as
the one viable option for creating opportunities for peace with
justice.
Third, I am convinced that, as citizens of the United States, we
carry the stewardship responsibility for enormous political and
economic power. I am, however, increasingly concerned that we do
not understand how our actions in the world affect and are
perceived by others. As president of the Lutheran World
Federation I have been privileged, on your behalf, to be engaged
in conversations with other Lutheran church leaders from around
the world on many topics. In conversations about the Iraq war
and the crisis in the Middle East, these leaders have challenged
me to see the growing disconnect between how the U.S. understands
itself and its actions in the world (compassionate, generous,
responsive to human suffering, committed to freedom and
democracy), and how it is understood by others outside of this
country (arrogant, unilateral, dismissive of international treaty
obligations and human rights, preoccupied with our prosperity). I
am convinced that one of our primary tasks is to listen
attentively and respectfully to voices from outside our country.
We must seriously assess these differences and their
implications for the life of our nation, for our relationships in
the world, and particularly for our relationships in the Lutheran
World Federation.
Fourth, my conversations with Dr. Rice focused on the need for
President Bush's administration to honor its commitment to
significantly increase U.S. aid for HIV/AIDS, hunger, and other
diseases in Africa. As we focus on terrorism and the war in
Iraq, we risk losing sight of other urgent concerns of this
world, including HIV/AIDS, interreligious strife, and
unconscionable levels of poverty in our country and around the
world, needs which - when met - foster conditions for peace.
At the second Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA in 1991, this
church framed its understanding of its participation in society.
I return to this document often as I seek to discern the
responsibilities of this church in the life of this country and
the world. In "The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective,"
we stand within the heritage of Martin Luther as we claim that:
"The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is called to be a
part of the ecumenical Church of Jesus Christ in the context in
which God has placed it - a diverse, divided, and threatened
global society on a beautiful, fragile planet. In faithfulness
to its calling, this church is committed to defend human dignity,
to stand with poor and powerless people, to advocate justice, to
work for peace, and to care for the earth in the processes and
structures of contemporary society" (p. 1).
I urge you to continue to take up this responsibility in the area
of the church in which you are working. Pray. Study Scripture
and the Confessions. Raise questions. Use the ELCA social
statements as a guide. Encourage everyone to be involved in the
political process. Pray for the thousands of ELCA members who
are serving in the military. Centering our life and unity in
Christ, we find hope in the midst of our personal lament. Let us
remember and remind all that "[the church's] most valuable
mission for peace is to keep alive news of God's resolve for
peace, declaring that all are responsible to God for earthly
peace and announcing forgiveness, healing, and hope in the name of
Jesus Christ" ("For Peace in God's World," p. 3).
May the Holy Spirit grant us wisdom, courage, and humility for
our holy calling in these difficult days.
Living in God's amazing grace,
Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
