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March 15, 2007.
Dear Friends,
In August, 2005 our former
office titled ‘Department for Ecumenical Affairs’ accepted the further
responsibility for the coordination of inter-religious relations at the
Churchwide Lutheran Center. The office name-change to ‘Ecumenical and
Inter-Religious Relations’ is not unique in ecumenical offices
throughout North America. As one would expect, there are benefits and
difficulties where ecumenical and inter-religious work take place in the
same office. In ecumenical work we use classical and emerging models to
pursue visible Christian unity in the world, in inter-religious work we
engage partners through awareness and cooperation that is often
task-specific; in ecumenical work we pursue dialogues and larger
conciliar relationships around the globe in a co-mission with Christian
partners; in inter-religious work we assist in developing new models
that arise from Christian mission and the call to hospitality toward the
‘other’ in our midst.
Ecumenical and
inter-religious portfolios likewise regularly intersect one another.
For instance, religious persecution in the world is tangible and
heartbreaking. Where people are persecuted for their religious beliefs,
where families and property are attacked and defamed, such offences are
in fact a trespass against our collective humanity. The ELCA addressed
this form of trespass through two similar assembly actions taken at the
2003 (CA-03.06.40 – Support for Persecuted Churches) and 1997
(CA97.06.48 – Religious Persecution) assemblies. Both actions call upon
members of the ELCA “to pray for all victims of religious persecution,
both Christians and non-Christians, and for their oppressors.”
Likewise, this church is encouraged to “foster respect, tolerance, and
understanding of other faiths, including an examination of the causes
and manifestations of religious extremism in a variety of religious
contexts.”
Staff in the office for
Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations – as well as other units such
as ELCA Church in Society and Global Mission – work together in response
to these and other assembly actions. Such efforts are neither
bureaucratic nor arbitrary, but seek to remember in all things that we
are addressing social ills, which harm human life and peaceful
co-existence. The age-old imperative from our earliest Judeo-Christian
texts about ‘loving and doing unto our neighbor’ was also the hallmark
of human relations identified by our Lord. This call is essential, and
draws us in our Christian vocation forward into the world. In response
to this call, a forthcoming Lutheran-Muslim Consultative Panel will
parallel and also offer new approaches with the more experienced
Lutheran-Jewish Consultative Panel in responding to the concerns of the
three Abrahamic faiths for peaceful co-existence.
All in all, what we
experience in our office with ecumenical and inter-religious partners is
also true for the local parish: relationships with our Christian
brothers and sisters, and interfaith friends, are most deeply felt at
the ground, in the communities where we live. In this light, the office
for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations also offers resources of
both an ecumenical and inter-religious nature, in order to assist
congregations and local parishes with relationships in their immediate
communities. Please visit
www.elca.org/ecumenical to view these resources!
Remember us in your
prayers, as we remember you and the efforts toward unity and cooperation
in all of our communities. And please continue to contact us in order
to offer your thoughts and suggestions. I can’t tell you the number of
times I’ve received a correspondence with creative ideas from across
North America, which are a great assistance to the churches and
inter-faith partners.
May God continue to bless
your work and ministries, and direct your vocational path in the world.
In God’s Grace,
Michael
Dr. Michael R. Trice |
