VIENNA, Austria/GENEVA - Participants in the European Pre-Assembly Women's Meeting, preparing for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Tenth Assembly have called for the LWF to join in global efforts to highlight the life-giving importance of water to the world. They ask that the LWF take simple, convincing action. In their final report, some 20 participants say that water, one of the most important elements of basic human needs will be a growing cause of conflict in the world in the near future. The women's meeting took place prior to the European Pre-Assembly Consultation (PAC) held 23-26 February in Vienna.

As representatives of LWF member churches in Europe, the women criticize the tendency to marginalize and ignore important issues because they are labeled as "women's issues." In their report, they stress that the issues under discussion are "not exclusively for women, but rather they are general issues that should be discussed by men and women together."

They note their awareness that the majority of Europeans are guilty of "greed and excessive consumption," leading to exploitation of others and the environment. They challenge the belief that economic growth and profit are "the only possible criteria directing development, at the cost of human rights, justice and solidarity." The church should make clear that "there are hundreds of alternatives," and be one such alternative itself, the women claim.

Majority Called to Confess Part in Exploitation of Human and Natural Resources

The European youth delegates to the LWF Tenth Assembly taking part in the European PAC report in their concluding paper that many churches are "still struggling to give young people a real say in relevant matters, thereby increasing the generation gap."

The societies in which they are living, they say, are changing rapidly and authorities and norms constantly come into question. This is a common challenge faced by young Christians in Europe, especially since "forming a Christian identity in a pluralistic society is hard." The report also points to the clash between conservative and liberal values within the church or between church and society in eastern Europe, which often leads to conflict. In western Europe, the youth say, they are confronted with great diversity in the church, and find themselves "in between biblical fundamentalism on the one hand and total relativism on the other."

In former communist countries, the "burden of history" still creates barriers in society and within congregations, they report, and healing is needed. Particular concern is expressed for members of minority churches and minority groups suffering from social exclusion.

The youth share in the concern expressed among LWF member churches over globalization, consumerism and environmental issues. They state that apathy and feelings of powerlessness are overwhelming. But "while some countries are mainly victims of the process, the majority of us need to confess our part in the exploitation of human and natural resources," they write.

The European PAC was the second of five regional meetings being held in the run-up to the LWF Tenth Assembly to study the theme and content of the Assembly from the perspective of the different world regions. Some 80 participants gathered for the European consultation, including over 60 delegates to the LWF Tenth Assembly from the LWF member churches in Europe.

The Assembly, under the theme "For the Healing of the World," will be held 21-31 July in Winnipeg, Canada, hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. About 1,000 participants are expected to attend, including 436 delegates from the 136 LWF member churches. The Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the LWF, and normally meets every six years.

Lutheran World Information