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LWF President Bishop Mark S. Hanson delivers his address to the more than 400 delegates and hundreds of other participants attending the LWF Eleventh Assembly, 20-27 July 2010. © LWF/Erick Coll

21.07.2010

A World in ‘Pain’ But Lutherans Gather in ‘Confident Hope’

LWF President Calls Churches Attention to Celebrating Their Common Heritage

STUTTGART, Germany/21 July 2010 – Lutherans gather in Stuttgart, Germany, for their international assembly at a time when “the world is in pain,” said Bishop Mark S. Hanson, President of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) when he presented his address to the once-every-six years gathering, taking place in this southern city of Germany.

“Wars rage, the creation groans under the weight of our consumption, refugees wander in search of shelter, illness and death come to those who lack access to clean water and health care,” said Hanson, who is also Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,

“You bring to this assembly the cries of the people in your communities,” the LWF president said to the more than 400 delegates and hundreds of other participants attending the meeting hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg. The assembly theme is “Give Us Today Our Daily Bread.”

On the theme of the meeting, Hanson said that although many in the world lack their daily bread, “we gather for this assembly in confident hope, for God has neither abandoned God’s people nor forsaken God’s creation.”

Lutherans from around the world are creating a “communion” of churches, he said, where Lutheran churches working together celebrate their common heritage, but do not become “preoccupied with our own identity and survival.” Rather,” the LWF President said, “I believe our self-understanding is for the sake of being turned outward toward the world God so loves.”

The LWF president said he saw three issues that the LWF should address.
One was “leadership.” Hanson said, “We have made progress in our commitment to encourage member churches to support the ordination of women. Yet we have much work to do in holding one another accountable for that commitment.”

The second issue cited by the LWF president was “decision-making,” and Hanson said there would be a “healthy tension” among some LWF member churches because of the way decisions made in one church impact churches in other parts of the world.

The third issue cited by the LWF president was “sustainability,” that is, furthering trust in and support for the Lutheran communion as developed in the LWF.

In his report, touching on his seven years as LWF president Hanson reiterated the identity Lutheran churches as:

• “Evangelical,” stressing the good news that Jesus Christ frees people from bondage to sin.
• “Sacramental,” focusing on the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.
• “Contextual,” adapting their mission and service to specific social situations.
• “Communal,” living in communion with one another and with concern for the entire human community.
• “Diaconal,” giving service to others in God’s name, 
• “Ecumenical,” seeking unity among the world’s Christians.

(465 words) 

Full text of Bishop Hanson’s address

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