‘The Crisis in Argentina Touches the Roots of Our Faith' – Church Determined to Take Stronger Stand on Political and Social Issues

October 25, 2002

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – "This dreadful crisis, and the fact that we don't know how and when it will end, touches the deepest roots of our faith," said outgoing church president, Juan Pedro Schaad at the recent Synod of the Evangelical Church of the River Plate (IERP).

The IERP has congregations in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Around 200 delegates, both clergy and laity, gathered in the Argentinean capital, Buenos Aires, October 11-13, to discuss what the church should do in view of Argentina's worst economic crisis. "Have we denounced clearly enough the injustice under which our people are living?" Schaad asked synod members.

The wish was repeatedly expressed during discussions, that the church should, more than ever before, clearly state its public position on the country's political and social problems. Newly elected IERP president, Federico Schaefer intends to do just that. "We don't want to be left standing on the sidelines while history's train roars past us," says the Synod's final statement. Schaefer was installed in office on October 13.

Many church members have lost their jobs and have little hope of finding new ones. This reality confronts the church with entirely new challenges. Since its founding in the 19th century the IERP has mainly been a church of immigrants from Germany and Switzerland and their descendants. Almost all its members belong to the middle class, which has been most deeply affected by the crisis. Many are slipping into poverty.

The church itself is also suffering financially. Before the current economic crisis, the Argentine peso was at par with the US dollar. Then in January 2002 the peso immediately lost almost three-quarters of its value, resulting in a loss of USD 650,000 for the IERP. Overnight, pastors' salaries, like those of other Argentineans, had very little value. Financing was no longer assured for the church's social service projects. Argentine authorities say half of the country's 37 million people now live in poverty because of the deterioration of the economy.

In addition, the church is losing members. The descendants of German immigrants are having fewer children. Out of the youth who attend confirmation classes, only a fraction remain active in the congregations afterwards. The church is reminding itself of Christ's original mission given to his disciples: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28.19). For the IERP, this means being a welcoming church to all members of the Argentine society, regardless of ethnic origin or income.

A document on the future of the church says: "God calls us to offer the Gospel, from a Protestant perspective, to all our brothers and sisters on this continent; that means an alternative model with values such as community, freedom and democracy." Or, as Sabino Ayala, a pastor from a well-off district in the north of Buenos Aires, puts it: "We can't hold onto our private club mentality. We aren't a club – we're a church, so we have to welcome everyone who comes to us."

If the IERP is to succeed in renewing itself, it will only be possible if everyone is prepared to learn, members as well as pastors. The Synod's theme was "Teaching for Life – Continuing Education for Mission." The laypersons among the delegates expressed the wish to learn more about what it means to belong to a church of the Reformation tradition, bringing together Lutherans and Calvinists in today's society, and in a majority Roman Catholic country. Many pastors expressed the wish for further education, not only in theology but also in areas like psychology and communication. Overall the delegates agreed that in the future, pastors should no longer make all the decisions in congregations entirely on their own, but rather work together with the laity in all areas, including worship.

The 47,000-member IERP joined the Lutheran World Federation in 1991. Around 92 percent of the Argentine population belongs to the Roman Catholic church.

Lutheran World Information – Article by LWI correspondent Alexandra Jaenicke, who is currently providing public relations support to the Evangelical Church of the River Plate in Buenos Aires.

Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7 million of the 65.4 mllion Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.