October 11, 2004

ASUNCION, Paraguay -"Unemployment and the misery of millions is knocking on our doors," said Federico Hugo Schdfer, president of the Evangelical Church of the River Plate (IERP) in his report before the Church synod in Hohenau, Paraguay October 9 -11.

The IERP, with a presence in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, is a member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Reformed Alliance. With around 25,000 members the IERP holds a synod and assembly every two years and the two are the maximum spiritual and juridical bodies respectively.

Schdfer, at the inauguration of the event last Saturday said that economic problems affect both the personal life of each Christian and the life of the Church itself and the world. "We live the globalization of a perverse economic situation that only favors the powerful minorities," he added.

The president of the IERP emphasizes that importance of Churches becoming interested in analyzing economic issues. He recalled that at the last LWF General Assembly, representatives from the Evangelical United Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Church of the River Plate, with the support of other Lutheran Churches on the continent, brought the issue of the foreign debt to the federation's agenda.

Schdfer explained that the idea is that the LWF proposes, in collaboration with the World Reformed Alliance and the World Council of Churches and even the Catholic Church, taking the issue of the foreign debt to the international court in The Hague.

The objective is that the maximum tribunal decree the "need to audit. The foreign debt in countries where, such as the case of Argentina, it is partial but probably illegal, illegitimate and usurious."

In his report to the synod Schdfer emphasizes that the foreign debt continues to oppress our people as a heavy mortgage, and that despite certain economic recovery, major social problems generated years ago continue to go unresolved.

Regarding ecumenical work, Schdfer emphasizes the need to continue to strengthen ties with other Churches.

"I am convinced that our Church has an ecumenical vocation and must continue developing it in obedience with our Lord's mandate." He added that the ecumenical challenge "should not just be a utopian ideal but should be demonstrated here and now."

At the same time, the IERP president pointed to the need to continue working in the mission. "We cannot elude this challenge. It is inherent to our Church. There can be no true Christian Church that does not do mission."

ALC News Service