MEDAN, Indonesia/GENEVA - Palestinian Lutheran Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan has criticized proponents of a world polarized into either "good or bad people," and reminded Christians and people of other religions of their authority to challenge the world through interfaith dialogue.

"We are not to please politicians who seek war," said Younan, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (ELCJ), serving in Israel, Jordan and Palestine. He was addressing representatives of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches from Asia during the region's preparatory meeting for the July 2003 LWF Tenth Assembly.

In his keynote address to the over 120 participants in the Asia Pre-Assembly Consultation and Asia Church Leadership Conference (APAC/ACLC), Younan called on the world religions to use their prophetic authority to press for the global disarmament of all nations and regions and "not only [of] one country or some countries [that] we don't like." The world religions can assume their prophetic role if they stand against militarism and call for non-violent means to solve world problems he stressed.

Younan criticized the "axis of evil" rhetoric, (referring to US President George W. Bush categorization of some countries thus and the possibility of a US-led war against Iraq) saying it fans war fever to convince many people that miitary options against the bad group are the only way of dealing with destructive leaders and governments. Such labeling, he said, also depersonalizes an entire people "so we no longer see them, lest we notice the destruction that our national policies wreak on nations that are being demonized." It blinds the world to justice and to the reality that life is interconnected.

But Younan expressed hope that where politicians see barriers, the Christian Church finds companions with whom it can oppose the barbarism of death, destruction and demonization. "United in its opposition, the Church becomes the 'axis of hope' created by the [Holy] Spirit, sharing in God's loving dream for all peoples and the whole creation," he said, citing remarks by LWF President, Bishop em. Dr. Christian Krause, during the September 2002 Council meeting in Wittenberg, Germany. The ELCJ bishop is a member of the Council, the Federation's governing body that meets annually.

The Jerusalem bishop said he was convinced that justification by grace through faith calls the church to be prophetic, and swim against the waves of injustice in the world. His keynote address to the APAC /ACLC participants, who included delegates to the July 21-31 Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada was titled "For the Healing of the World * What is the Role of the Church?" It was based on the New Testament story about the paralyzed man and his encounter with Jesus. (Mark 2: 1-12), through which Younan emphasized the aspect of wholistic healing.

Younan cited LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko's explanation on the relationship between justice and justification: It is a call to all those who are baptized into Christ to take part in building community across the barriers that exist between nations, ethnic groups, genders and generations. The gift of justification that "we are given in Christ is an affirmation that we are all made in God's image, that we are each of value as individuals," Younan emphasized.

He highlighted four topics that the churchneeds to address for the healing of the world namely Justice Heals the World; Globalization - Blessing or Curse? Or Both?; Ecumenism as a Process of Healing Among Communities; and Interfaith Relationships as a Process of Healing the World.

For Younan, the church must pursue the practical, theological and spiritual challenges posed by economic globalization. "It is the call of the church in this globalized world to care for God's children so there will be a new Pentecost instead of a new tower of Babel," he said.

The ecumenical movement, the ELCJ bishop stressed, is not an end in itself. He recognized that there are disparities between churches in the North and South and emphasized that these should be challenged. But he wondered what it means to be together in God's mission and to have a common strategy for mission and development."Are we really speaking about the one mission of Christ or different missions?" he asked. He challenged the churches that "we must have one mission of Christ in order to face the globalized world." Younan also called for the theology of accompaniment, a process through which "churches accompany each other on the way, sharing with each other as equals, bringing healing to each other, learning from each other."

"The Mission of the Church in Multi-faith Contexts" is one of the subjects that will be discussed in one of the ten Assembly Village Groups in Winnipeg. This is also a major discussion of the APAC/ACLC. The Jerusalem bishop noted that religion can be a problem when it uses the Holy Writings of the respective faith group to justify injustice, violence and war in the world.

In addition, narrow religion can be a source and tool to create religious extremism, which in turn adopts intolerant positions or biased attitudes with exclusive claims on the truth. But Younan stressed that there is no religion that monopolizes the existence of tolerant and intolerant groups in its midst. Both tolerance and intolerance exist in Christianity, Judaism, Islam and othe religions, but intolerant groups should not be allowed to hijack God or religion, he said.

"How can religion through interfaith dialogue contribute to tolerance among religions; justice, peace and reconciliation; and the healing of our world?" Younan asked. Interfaith dialogue, he concluded, must be prophetic. It must not create more bitterness and injustice but must be able to heal.

Lutheran World Information