Church Social Service an Integral Part of Society's Development

Bread for the World Director Urges Priority Setting Based on People's Needs

November 6, 2002

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – The head of a leading German Protestant aid agency has stressed that the churches' social service work (diakonia) should be "the vanguard of life and of the church in the world."

Diaconal interaction with society is always two-pronged, Rev. Cornelia Fuellkrug-Weitzel director of Bread for the World (Brot fuer die Welt), the social service agency of the Protestant Church in Germany, told participants in a Lutheran World Federation (LWF) global consultation on diakonia. On the one hand diaconal social service needs to be totally involved with developments and problems of society. On the other, it is part and parcel of these developments and problems and is affected by them – in many cases much earlier than the churches' realization of these changes in society.

The November 3-7 conference on "Prophetic Diakonia – For the Healing of the World" in Johannesburg, is dealing with the understanding of the church's social service in its national and international context.

In her presentation, Fuellkrug-Weitzel pointed out that diaconal work is dependent on the government structures and on the degree of differentiation and specialization of the social systems. Diaconal work is furthermore embedded in the dynamics of neo-liberal globalization. It is important to note, she said, that all local, national and regional contexts – including confessions and religions – are increasingly subjected to similar economic structures and dynamics. Individuals, ethnic groups and nations are mercilessly played against each other in the competition for resources and markets. As a result, traditional communities are experiencing the pressure of fragmentation and competition.

With a view to the biblical background of diaconal work, Fuellkrug-Weitzel emphasized that service was not only part of the life of Jesus Christ, but that it determined his life in its totality. Diakonia is the essence of the church, she said.

Diakonia as loving service is part of the mission of the church. "It moves the church to set aside its own agenda and not to put its own existence, preservation and market value on the ‘market of denominations and religions' first," Fuellkrug-Weitzel continued. This would place the importance of denominations in diakonia into perspective. Furthermore, diakonia is an indispensable part of the mission of the church in the world. Its mission is to proclaim the good news of the gospel.

Fuellkrug-Weitzel challenged the church to take advantage of all its instruments and potential, in its efforts to respond to the needs of the poor and marginalized. The living conditions of the poor and needy cannot be solved through charity alone. The nature of structural poverty demands methods that address not only its root causes but also consequences. Empowering the poor to use their own capacity is important just as Jesus' support to the poor mainly consisted of his trust in their own ability to help themselves, she noted.

She pointed out that the setting of priorities in diaconal work should always be based on the needs of the poor as determined and articulated by themselves. Further, according to biblical understanding, the limits of diaconal work are never determined by the boundaries of churches, ethnic groups or gender among other categories.

Diakonia is also a challenge to act as "the thorn in the side of the church." It questions the condition of the church with respect to its capability to render social service to the poor and demands continuous adaptation and change. Diakonia continuously reminds the church to be open and accountable in situations of trouble and need, and to take a clear and committed stand in the face of human misery – even at the cost of its long-standing principles, Fuellkrug-Weitzel concluded.

There are over 80 representatives from Lutheran churches, partner organizations, social service agencies and institutions in the consultation organized by the LWF Department for World Service in collaboration with the Departments for Mission and Development as well as Theology and Studies.

"For the Healing of the World" is the theme of the LWF Tenth Assembly, taking place from 21-31 July 2003 in Winnipeg, Canada. The Assembly is the Federation's highest decision-making body. It meets every six years.

Lutheran World Information