October 19, 2005

SANTIAGO, Chile – Lutherans have played an "important role" in sustaining humanitarian rights in Chile, particularly during a time of military dictatorship, Richard Lagos Escobar, president of Chile, told the Rev. Mark S. Hanson and leaders of Iglesia Evangelica Luterana en Chile (IELCH) (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile) and Iglesia Luterana en Chile (ILCH) (Lutheran Church in Chile) in a 30-minute meeting here Oct. 17.

Hanson, president of the 66-million-member Lutheran World Federation (LWF), based in Geneva, Switzerland, and presiding bishop of the 4.9-million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Chicago, visited Chile Oct. 16-18 to learn more about the ministries of IELCH and ILCH – both members of the LWF – and the impact of both churches on Chilean society.

President Lagos began the meeting by immediately acknowledging a continuing Lutheran commitment for human rights and ministry among the poor in Chile today.

Lagos, Hanson and pastors of IELCH and ILCH briefly recalled General Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship from 1973 to 1988. During that time thousands in opposition of the dictatorship were tortured, imprisoned without trial or "disappeared."

"The way people (here) think about that time is personal," and there are "different perspectives of what happened," said Lagos. What is important to understand now is that since the end of the dictatorship "the democratic government has been consistent" in its pursuit of "truth to what happened during that time, particularly to those who disappeared," he said, adding that about 29,000 people were reported to have been detained and tortured. Lagos presented Hanson "The Report of the Chilean National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation."

"The report is important for the healing of the state," said Hanson, who also shared with Lagos some impressions about his visit to "La Parque por la Paz Villa Grimaldi" ("Park of Peace" at Villa Grimaldi). The park is a living memorial of Chileans who were detained, tortured and/or disappeared at Villa Grimaldi – one of many detention and torture sites under the dictatorship. Hanson said his visit there was "moving, and serves as an important reminder of the history of this country."

As leader of the LWF and ELCA, Hanson said he seeks to meet with U.S. political leaders to hold them accountable for the impact and dominance of the United States in the world. "We bear great responsibility for our silence in the world," particularly regarding injustices that have taken and continue to take place, he said.

A product of economic globalization "we see in some of the LWF member churches is the disparity between rich and poor," said Hanson, asking the president how he sees the disparity in Chile.

In response Lagos said there are still "too many areas in the country" where people live in poverty, and he said the government will continue its commitment to reduce poverty.

The group also discussed the government's affirmation of "creating more space" for evangelical churches to be fully recognized as religious organizations, given the prevailing presence of the Roman Catholic Church in Chilean society. Hanson said Lutherans "can serve as a bridge" to facilitate dialogue between local evangelical and Roman Catholic churches. He cited the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification – a "living letter" that documents the Christian unity between the LWF and the Catholic Church – and informed the president about his plan to visit Pope Benedict XVI at The Vatican next month.

Hanson also cited two meetings that took place earlier in the day – one with a group of local ecumenical leaders, the majority of whom are Pentecostal, and another meeting with the auxiliary bishop of the Catholic Church here. He called the meetings "a sign of hope. We are working to be that kind of ‘table' in the United States. I experience it quite often in other countries (more) than I do in the United States, and it gives us courage to continue on. Evangelical churches, or all those that are not Roman Catholic in Chile, are interested in coming together and creating space to take up challenges that they need to face together, such as having access to military chaplains, teaching religion in schools, access to chaplains in hospitals and more. There was a cooperative commitment to working together."

"We have great respect for the number of churches in Chile today," Lagos said. "There has been a very good advancement" in the presence of non-Roman Catholic churches here, he said.

On a separate topic, Lagos said many people are affected with HIV/AIDS in the country. He, along with Chile's health minister, expressed an intention to be partners with religious bodies such as the LWF and its member churches in Chile on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and support for those who are affected. Hanson said Lutherans throughout the world want to be strong partners in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

In an interview Hanson said, "Our meeting with the president of Chile was significant for a number of reasons, from (the president's) start of the meeting – without any prompting from us – acknowledging the strong contributions of Lutherans in Chile, to (discussion of) the transition from a dictatorship to a free and open society."

ELCA News Service