August 23, 2005

CHICAGO (ELCA) – The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), wrote to leaders of several U.S. Jewish and Muslim organizations Aug. 15 to communicate the actions of the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly related to the Middle East.

The churchwide assembly met Aug. 8-14 at the Marriott World Center Resort and Convention Center in Orlando. About 2,300 participated including 1,015 voting members.

Among other actions, churchwide assembly voting members urged Lutherans to participate in a campaign, "Peace Not Walls: Stand for Justice in the Holy Land." The campaign is designed to build awareness, and encourage accompaniment and advocacy activities for "peace with justice" between Israel and Palestine. By 668-269 the assembly endorsed the campaign.

In the letter Hanson said the resolution "builds upon the [ELCA] Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine, which was adopted by our ELCA Church Council in April of this year."

"The assembly approved a straightforward action that included a summary of key commitments of the ELCA, which are described in more detail in the strategy," Hanson continued. These include: + advocating for political solutions that address the rights to security and peace with justice for both Palestinians and Israelis + working to strengthen the political will of leaders in this country, Israel and Palestine to implement the "Road Map" for peace, specifically the cessation of terrorism and violence, an end to the Israeli occupation, and the goal of a viable, contiguous, independent Palestinian state living side-by-side with a secure Israel + encouraging both Israelis and Palestinians not only to avoid taking actions that threaten the fragile hope for peace (attacks on civilians and confiscation of land) but also to take positive steps that will lead to peace + strengthening relationships with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and supporting the humanitarian work done by that church and the Lutheran World Federation, such as through Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem.

While affirming the security interests of the State of Israel, the assembly action acknowledged the hardship caused by construction of the Israeli separation wall/barrier on Palestinian land and "the threat it poses to our companion church's [ELCJHL] life and work," Hanson wrote. Hardships he cited included examples such as Palestinians getting to jobs, schools and places of worship.

"Noting that the ELCA, through earlier church council action, had joined the Lutheran World Federation and World Council of Churches in calling for an end to the construction of the Israeli separation wall or barrier being built on Palestinian land, the assembly urged all parts of the ELCA to participate in a churchwide campaign, ‘Peace Not Walls: Stand for Justice in the Holy Land,'" Hanson wrote in the letter. "The elements of this campaign include prayer, deepening understanding of the situation in the region, building relationships and working for peace with the ELCJHL and with Christian and interfaith partners, building bridges with Christian churches throughout the Middle East, intensifying advocacy for a just peace in the region, stewarding financial resources in ways that support the quest for a just peace in the Holy Land, and giving to support the church and humanitarian work in the region."

In adopting the resolution, "the assembly has begun living out the strategy, which in many ways consolidates and clarifies our existing ELCA policy and practice," Hanson wrote. The strategy benefited throughout its development from the input of those who have strong and ongoing relationships with all parties in the conflict, he wrote. Hanson cited members of the Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations, those engaged in conversations with Muslims, academics, activists and a range of others who brought "diverse views and experiences" to the task, Hanson wrote. Key in developing the strategy was the ELCA's relationship with its companion church, the ELCJHL, and the Middle East Council of Churches, he wrote.

"The question that has been asked repeatedly by the press is, ‘Did the assembly vote to divest from Israel?' The answer is no," Hanson wrote. "The action taken by the assembly was to affirm the "stewarding of financial resources – both U.S. tax dollars and private funds – in ways that support the quest for a just peace in the Middle East."

Hanson listed several methods from the strategy by which the church can encourage stewardship of financial resources: giving by members to support ministries in the Holy Land; promoting positive economic development in the region; urging U.S. foreign aid be directed to economic and humanitarian needs; making consumer decisions that support those in greatest need; and managing collective or personal investments with concern for their impact on the lives of all Holy Land peoples.

Hanson added that the strategy makes explicit the way the ELCA will continue to work in the Middle East. The ELCA will listen and learn from companions and those with whom they agree and disagree, draw insights from dialogues with Jews and Muslims, work for balance in terms of care to all parties in the conflict but address imbalances of power and build relationships with all who seek peace in the region, he said.

Hanson noted that Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president, Union for Reform Judaism, addressed the assembly.

"We agree with him that, even as we continue to engage in frank discussion about issues relating to Israel and Palestine, we will continue to work shoulder to shoulder to address issues of poverty and injustice both at home and throughout the world," Hanson wrote in the letter. "In the light of that commitment, I look forward to continuing conversation relating to actions that can best build peace in Israel and Palestine."

Jewish leaders to whom Hanson wrote to represented the National Council of Synagogues, Needham, Mass.; and American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Union for Reform Judaism and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, all in New York City. Muslim leaders to whom he wrote represented the Islamic Society of North America, Plainfield, Ind.; Council on American-Islamic Relations, Washington, D.C.; Islamic Circle of North America, Jamaica, N.Y.; Muslim Public Affairs Council, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles; American Sufi Muslim Association, New York City and North Bergen, N.J.

The text of Bishop Hanson's letter is at http://www.ELCA.org/bishop/m_0508letter.html on the Web.

The text of the assembly's action related to the "Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine" is at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/05/voting/index.html on the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly Web site.

The text of Rabbi Yoffie's remarks to the 2005 Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/05/0811/RabbiYoffie.pdf on the Web.

ELCA News Service