August 8, 2006

GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) pays tribute to the Salvadoran Lutheran Synod (SLS) and its leader Bishop Medardo E. Gomez, for outstanding prophetic witness and commitment in El Salvador, especially in the face of persecution and violence.

In a letter to Gomez on the occasion of his 20th anniversary as bishop, LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko recalls the difficult and complex situation of "a harsh war and a voracious spiral of violence," when the former took over responsibility as the first SLS bishop in 1986.

In the letter dated 4 August, Noko said Gomez and the church "embodied a ministry through which the whole people could see the signs of God's faithfulness" to creation. "In the midst of hatred, the Salvadoran Lutheran Synod under your guidance offered signals of love and solidarity; in the midst of despair, it proclaimed hope. And where violence was unfolding, you sought peace," he wrote.

The general secretary noted that the work of the SLS has had a significant impact on thousands of people, eliciting respect and admiration for the church's ministry not only in El Salvador but globally. "Your witness and commitment," Noko said, "honors and commits the whole communion of Lutheran churches in the world."

During the 1980-1992 civil war in the Central American country, the SLS played an outstanding role advocating for justice and assisting the internally displaced and poor population. But it paid a high price for this work and its clear prophetic denunciation of injustice and oppression: one of its pastors was murdered. The episcopal offices suffered a bombing attack, and many workers in the church, including Gomez, received numerous death threats, with some going into hiding or fleeing the country. In April 1983, Gomez was captured and detained in a clandestine jail and later turned over to a local police force. An international protest campaign eventually led to his release.

His installation on 6 August 1986 as the first SLS bishop symbolized his commitment to the victims of El Salvador's civil war. He was installed at an improvised outdoor cathedral at the Fe Y Esperanza (Faith and Hope) refugee camp in Nejapa, north of the city, instead of the San Salvador church where he had served as a pastor for 13 years.

Today, the SLS' holistic ministry – proclamation and service – includes, among others, a strong public profile advocating for social justice. Its work is organized through some 200 so-called "Communities of Faith and Life," which are connected to 68 congregations, served by 17 pastors, 19 deacons and 11 evangelists. The 12,000-member Salvadoran Lutheran Synod joined the LWF in 1986.

Lutheran World Information