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Reflections from
Dr. Michael Reid Trice, Director for Ecumenical and
Inter-Religious Relations, about his recent trip to the
Holy Land with the Bishops' Academy.
"From local to international contexts,
in the ELCA we desire to stretch out our hands to ecumenical
and inter-religious partners. Accompaniment, awareness,
advocacy and building relationships of trust and integrity
are not only goals, but reflect a sincere desire from the
center of our vocational callings to live in communities of
faith as a witness to what we profess to believe."
Read more...
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 2009
Conference of Bishops' Academy
More than half of the 66 bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA), and five bishops of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) visited the
Middle East, Jan. 6-13, 2009. Visit the trip blog for
photos, video and news.
Presiding Bishop's Statement on Gaza Violence and Bishops'
Visit to Middle East
ELCA Presiding Bishop, Others Urge Diplomacy to Maintain
Gaza Cease-fire
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 Lutheran,
Anglican Bishops Denied Entry to Gaza
The
Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL),
and the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, Anglican bishop
of Jerusalem, were denied entry to Gaza Feb. 4,
according to a news release from the ELCJHL.
Read More...
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Give Us Today Our Human Rights
 The LWF is renewing
its commitment to uphold the dignity of all people with a
new publication marking the 60th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The special edition
of Lutheran World Information, “Give Us This Day Our Human
Rights”, looks at the Declaration through the lens of the
fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer–Give Us Today Our Daily
Bread –, the theme for the LWF Eleventh Assembly in July
2010.
Explore the
connection between Martin Luther’s teaching on this petition
and the Declaration. Read perspectives from across the
Communion on rights of all kinds: to food, education, legal
protection, security, resettlement, sovereignty,
interreligious dialogue.
Download the publication
here
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 National
Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU)
April 27-30, 2009
in Phoenix, Arizona
Theme:
"Desert Pilgrimage", complemented by the 2009 Week of Prayer
theme "That they may be one in your hand", drawn from
Ezekial 37:15-28.
Read more about the
workshop, check out the
online brochure,
and
register online!
 NOTE
FOR LUTHERAN ATTENDEES:
For the 2009
National Workshop, there are two registration processes: one
is the
general registration
for the
Workshop itself, and the second is for
Lutherans.
Luncheon forms will be forthcoming.
Win $500 scholarship & Trip to NWCU!
2009 Theology
Student Essay Contest
on Renewing Life Together in the Desert is
now underway. Lutheran
seminarians are encouraged to submit an essay!
Download the contest details
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 Peace Not
Walls: Making a Difference in the Holy Land
The
NEW DVD, "Peace
Not Walls: Making a Difference in the Holy Land," offers
a dynamic introduction to the ELCA inter-religious work and
the Peace Not Walls campaign dedicated to peace with
justice in Israel-Palestine.
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Ecumenical Advocacy Days
– Registration Now Available
March 13-16, 2009
Washington D.C.
 Early
registration deadline ends February 13, 2009
Join fellow
faith-based advocates in Washington D.C. for
the
annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) on
March 13-16, 2009 for a
weekend full of learning, worshiping, and
advocating. Learn about the connections
between climate change, migration and
poverty, worship and pray with other
faith-based denominations, and meet with
members of Congress to advocate on behalf of
the poorest and underserved communities in
the United States and around the world. This
year's gathering is at the Hilton Alexandria
Mark Center.
A complete schedule and registration
information are available at
http://advocacydays.org/.
Lutherans are
invited to a hospitality pre-event on Friday
and a discussion forum on Saturday to hear
from the ELCA public policy directors.
Apply for a scholarship from the ELCA!
Applications must be postmarked or faxed by
February 11, 2009.
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 A
moment in ecumenical history
A generation of
ecumenical and interfaith leaders knew Martin in ways
history has almost forgotten. Throughout Martin Luther
King's lifetime, church and ecumenical leaders walked by his
side and got to know him in many different circumstances and
emotions –
when he was angry, scared, worried about his family, but
also when he was relaxed and funny. For ecumenists who
still remember him, he will never be a marble statue.
Read more...
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NEW
–
Building a Relationship
UMC-ELCA Best Practices - A booklet for starting
grass-roots conversation
 This
new joint ELCA-UMC best practices booklet is meant to launch
you, and accompany you, while you ask both the “how” and
“why” questions. The booklet moves to specific examples of
members of the ELCA and UMC doing ecumenical work, and
delineates best practices of building ecumenical
relationships for the reader to apply. Grass roots ecumenism
is born from this curiosity, this prodding to find the
familiar in the midst of difference. As members of the UMC
and the ELCA, and people interested in nurturing this new
relationship between our churches, you are invited to do
some prodding of your own.
Download this booklet
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 43rd
International Ecumenical Seminar: July 1-8,
2009
"The Liturgy as Ecumenical Chance and Challenge"
Participants
come to the
Ecumenical Institute from around the country to be
formed for ecumenical leadership in a variety of settings.
Ecumenical Institute 2009 is an ideal introduction to the
ecumenical movement for newly ordained clergy, new staff in
ecumenical and interreligious organizations, recently
appointed ecumenical representatives and interested lay
leaders.
Download the application
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After a year of hard work and preparation, the members of the
Young Adult Task Force of the WCC are thrilled to launch
FaithConnectsUs,
and welcome the participation of ecumenically engaged young
adults throughout US and beyond.
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 JustFaith
(Ecumenical)
JustFaith
(Ecumenical) is a thirty-week justice education/formation
process with a focus on the intersection of faith,
spirituality and social responsibility in a world wounded by
poverty. The program is offered in partnership with Bread
for the World, the largest Christian anti-hunger advocacy
organization in the United States.
Read more...
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Ecumenical
gathering ends with call for bold peacemaking
 Heeding
God’s Call: A Gathering on Peace, convened by
historic Peace Churches (The Philadelphia Yearly
Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, the
Church of the Brethren, and the Mennonite Church
USA), concluded on January 17, 2009 in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, with a declaration of God’s vision of
peace for the world and a call for action to end gun
violence on the streets of Philadelphia.
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Mark your
calendars!
A Communion of
Communities: Being Lutheran in a Globalizing World
December 1-12, 2009
 Journey with us to Geneva, one of the Ecumenical
centers of the world, through the mission, witness,
and public ministry of the global experience of being
Lutheran in the 21st century. Discover what
it means to be members of a global communion of
churches and the implications this globalization has
for ministry within North America. The trip is limited to 30 participants
and is on a first come basis. Registration details will be
available after March 5, 2009 on our
website.
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Stewards Programme 2009: Ecumenical Experience for Young
People
The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches meets
every 18 months to monitor and set directions to the
Council's work. About 150 church representatives, advisors
and observers will gather at the next meeting of the Central
Committee which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland. There
will be a group of young people from all over the world
participating in the meeting as stewards from 19 August
to 4 September 2009. You may be one of them!
 2009
Information Brochure
2009 Application
Form
Interested? Read the application form carefully,
complete it clearly and fully (in English; type if possible)
and send it to the address mentioned in the form before 31
March 2009. Only applications which are fully completed
and sent in time will be considered.
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 Ecumenical
Institute of Bossey
The Ecumenical
Institute at Bossey is the international centre for
encounter and formation of the World Council of
Churches.
The Institute brings
 together people from
diverse
churches, and backgrounds
for ecumenical learning, academic and
personal exchange.
Student guidelines, application form, and scholarship
information
2009 Seminars
Pursuing Unity As An Inclusive Community: May 18-24,
2009
Human Rights and Human Dignity: May 25-31, 2009
Building an Interfaith Community: July 6-31, 2009
Healing of Memories Reconciling Communities: August
17-23, 2009
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Multifaith
Screenings of Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Winner of Best Documentary Feature at the 2008 Tribeca
Film Festival
and shortlisted for the 2009 Best Documentary Academy Award, the film
PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL chronicles the remarkable story
of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil
war and bring peace to their shattered country. A story of sacrifice,
unity, and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the
strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia, and is a compelling
testimony of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations.
This remarkable film shows us a faith-filled example of how powerful
peacemakers can be when they join together.
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 A
Common Word wins the 2008 Eugen Biser Award
The Eugen Biser Award was conferred on the essential
contributors to that thought-provoking Open Letter "A Common
Word Between Us and You" to the Christian Churches, dated
October 13, 2007 in recognition of their extraordinary
contribution to Muslim-Christian dialogue and their
consequent and blessed endeavours towards peace among the
nations.
Read more...
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ChangeTheStory.net!
Huge
numbers of Americans profess to having little knowledge of
Islam despite the fact that there may be as many as five
million Muslims living in the U.S.
ChangeTheStory.net
is an on-line resource aimed at transforming harmful
stereotypes about Muslims that persist in society. The site
offers an interactive experience where users – Muslim and
non-Muslim alike – can meet their neighbors, learn about Islam
and apply techniques of interfaith dialogue and action to
local communities.
ChangeTheStory.net DVD and Leader's Guide now available for
purchasee.
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NEW
Film: "Elisabeth of Berlin"
 "Elisabeth of
Berlin" is a new film by Steven D. Martin, maker of the
acclaimed "Theologians Under Hitler." "Elisabeth of Berlin"
is now screening
at churches and universities across the US and Germany for
the next several months. The filmmaker is seeking churches
and other
organizations willing to present the film in events designed
to build
interfaith dialogue and friendship..
This
groundbreaking new film, based on original research, tells
the
story of a woman of the Confessing Church, who during the
years of the
Nazi regime, challenged her church to do more to protect the
Jews, and
sheltered them herself during those most dangerous years.
Her most important work entitled “The Situation of the
German Non-Aryans,” is well known, but for years was thought to have
been written
by another woman. We now have the opportunity to know
Elisabeth
Schmitz, a contemporary of Bonhoeffer and a remarkable woman
who not
only spoke to her own time, but speaks to ours as well.
A screening by your organization offers a terrific
opportunity for
community witness. Please contact Vital Visions at
865-483-6823 or online at
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877-WHY-ISLAM
Project
Project
initiated by volunteers from Islamic Circle of North America
-
 Toll free line
1-877-WHY-ISLAM. Call Center has 8 simultaneous
volunteer associates standing by to answer
your questions on
Islam.
- A website (www.whyislam.org),
that features articles, books, etc on Islam and comparative
religion
- WhyIslam network of volunteers who correspond with
prison inmates
- WhyIslam billboards on public highways
- WhyIslam advertisements in community newspapers
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 Your
Guide to Inter-Religious Life in the ELCA
This guide will help you and your congregation gain a
hands--on appreciation of
the inter-religious relations in
the life of the church. Navigate the waters of
inter-religious relations, and take opportunities to learn
more about how you can be part of an important journey.
Download as PDF file
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 ELCA
The "Fourth Expression" – Partner/Related Organizations
We share a strong, growing relationship with pan-Lutheran and
ecumenical partner ministries, such as Lutheran World Federation (LWF),
Lutheran Services in America (LSA), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee
Service (LIRS), Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and many more.
Learn why
our partners are so critical to this church’s mission.
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 lnter-Religious
Resource
Windows for Understanding: Jewish, Muslim, Lutheran
Relations
This resource offers
opportunities to learn more and become better informed. You
are invited to explore Windows and grow in your
faith. We encourage you to send us your comments and
suggestions by filling out the Evaluation Form on back of
Windows.
Additional
Inter-Religious Links:
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The LERN network is a
group of ELCA clergy and laypeople appointed by their
synodical bishops throughout the ELCA. They are the
eyes and ears of ecumenical and inter-religious activity in
their synods. LERN reps meet annually at the
National Workshop on Christian Unity and with staff
members of the ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious
Relations Office. These representatives assist in meeting
the challenge of the ELCA’s strategic directions
to authentically "step forward as a public church, support
congregations, assist synods, produce wise and courageous
leaders, and deepen and extend our global, ecumenical and
interfaith relationships."
LERNing Newsletter –
January
2009 Issue
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 NEW
– Interactive Faith: The Essential Interreligious
Community-Building Handbook
Religions for Peace USA debuts an indispensable
interreligious resource to bring different communities of
faith together. This practical guide to the key methods
and resources of the interfaith movement will help you
effectively engage people of other faith traditions in order
to increase understanding and acceptance in your community
and beyond.
Read more....
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Sacred Places of a Lifetime
 Photography takes you to peaceful and
powerful faith destinations
The old saying “a picture is worth a
thousand words” is dramatically true in a book released by
National Geographic,
Sacred Places of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Most
Peaceful and Powerful Destinations (2008) is a
masterpiece of evocative photography. This
inspirational book showcases 500 of the world's most
powerful and spiritual places–and guides modern–day
travelers who wish to visit them.
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 Christians
and a Land Called Holy:
How We Can Foster Justice, Peace and
Hope
Fair-minded and sympathetic to Jewish, Muslim, and Christian
concerns, Lutz and Smith provide a clear account of the
Israeli-Palestinian situation and a compelling plea for
Christian involvement in the area.
Includes maps and twelve black and white photos. Read more...
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 Deepening
Faith, Hope and Love in Relations with Neighbors of Other
Faiths
One of the
major
challenges
facing
churches
today lies
in the area
of religious
pluralism.
Faith, hope
and love are
seen as
three basic
dimensions
in
interreligious
encounters
that can be
constructively
engaged and
further
deepened.
The book
seeks to
deepen
commitment
to and
theological
discernment
within
interreligious
relations.
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 Twentieth-century
Global Christianity
A specific focus and intent of this volume is to delve
behind the global phenomenon of Christianity to glimpse some
of the very rich and dynamic lifeways within it. Ranging
over the whole century and across several continents, the
scholars in this volume probe Christians' creative
encounters with popular culture, liturgy and spirituality,
social change and Marxism, intrareligious and interreligious
dialogue, and changes in gender expectations and roles.
Read more....
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 Global
Neighbors: Christian Faith and Moral Obligation in Today's
Economy
How can people of faith meet the challenge of living
morally and faithfully within an increasingly globalized
society? Much of the debate about the global market economy
is polarized between pro-market ideology and
anti-globalization activism. Global Neighbors sidesteps that
dichotomy, presenting instead a nuanced, constructive
approach. Leading theologians, ethicists, economists, and
church leaders here examine the Christian call to live
morally, faithfully, and responsibly in today’s global
marketplace and offer alternative perspectives to such
utilitarians as Peter Singer.
Read More...
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 NEW
–
One Flock, One Shepherd: Lutheran-Moravian Relations
This
summary, One Flock, One Shepherd: Lutheran-Moravian
Relations, promotes further conversation and relations
between Lutherans and Moravians.
Read more...
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The Lutheran Magazine
Articles
 Toward
Church Unity (December 2008)
The state and future
of ecumenism in the ELCA.
Read more...
When a Lutheran marries a
Methodist, what do you get?
(December 2008)
Answer: Faith, grace and a
conversation on the future of ecumenism.
Read more...
Together to serve the poor
(December 2008)
In Atlanta, ELCA youth join
interreligious peers.
Read more...
Thriving in a pluralistic world
(December 2008)
ELCA is evangelical, missional in its
witness.
Read more... |
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