August 15, 2008

MEXICO CITY/GENEVA – "To live a life centered in Christ means that I will find myself with people at the margins," said Bishop Mark S. Hanson, President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), at an interfaith panel discussion at the 17th International AIDS Conference (IAC) which concluded last week in Mexico.

Hanson underscored the importance of standing with marginalized people in the struggle for justice and full inclusion. "I am very weary of Christian leaders saying ‘I am called to be the voice of the voiceless.' If we would be quiet, those we deem voiceless, could find their voice, exercise their voice, and cease to be so marginalized," he said.

He noted this would mean that religious leaders urge their communities to do the hard work of introspection and not just outward compassion, asking within their communities, "How do we perpetuate and contribute to patriarchal societal structures that continue to marginalize others?"

Affirming his support for interfaith work, the LWF president said the church has the capacity to change structures in society, and should use its potential to change discriminating policies and practices that continue to stigmatize. This means "that we must be willing to create tension within our own faith communities and in the relationship with each other for the sake of changing power structures," he emphasized.

The Wounded Healer

Baptist pastor Rev. Charles King from New York, voiced criticism that time and time again, the church would reach for the mainstream instead of going toward the margins. "That's exactly the opposite of what we were called to do," said King, who is president of Housing Works, an organization providing housing, treatment and employment for homeless people living with HIV.

The capacity and potential for leadership of people living with HIV should be respected. "They know best what'‘ good for them and they can guide us in how we can best work in partnership with them," said King. He proposed that churches develop a new positive theology, which includes a highly important notion: "The notion of the wounded healer: You have to be open to the possibility that the people who you are serving are going to offer you healing. In order to be open for that you need to know that you are in need of healing, too," he said.

Voices from Islam and Hinduism

Mr Ehsan Matlabi, program assistant at Mashhad Positive Club in Iran explained that religious leaders and scientists in his country were working together to set up a comprehensive HIV prevention program. Religious leaders play an important role in education, he said. "We ask them the questions: ‘What does Islam say about people living with HIV? What does Islam teach about condom use as a way of prevention?'"

Dr Richa Chopra, a representative of the Art of Living International Center in Bangalore India, introduced a yoga breathing technique as a means of preventing HIV and AIDS. The "Sudarshan Kriya" technique, explained Chopra, was revealed to His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the center's founder. Its application is aimed at increasing energy and well-being, and bringing about behavioral change in people. "Religion is starting with us. So we first need to work on ourselves, before we can help others better," she stressed.

Faith Leaders' Involvement Essential

During the panel discussion, Bishop emeritus Dr Gunnar Stalsett from Norway, insisted on the need to involve all faith leaders in the AIDS response. "Unless we bring in the imams, sheikhs, bishops and gurus, the efforts won't be sustained in the long term," said Stalsett, who served as LWF General Secretary from 1985 to 1994. He noted that while changes would mainly come from the informal leadership at grassroots level, the involvement of the formal faith leaders would make it a coherent struggle, "a struggle where we see convergence across dividing lines and countries and religions," he added.

According to conference organizers, over 20,000 scientists, government officials and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, churches and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as community activists attended the biennial IAC, held in Mexico City, 3-8 August. It was preceded by an ecumenical pre-conference, "Faith in Action Now!" organized by the Geneva-based Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, of which the LWF is a member.

For more information on the ecumenical pre-conference theme "Faith in Action Now!" or ecumenical involvement at the 2008 IAC, visit: http://iac.e-alliance.ch/.

Lutheran World Information
A contribution by LWI correspondent Julia Heyde