“LIBERATED BY GOD’S GRACE” Assembly Report LWF Twelfth Assembly, Windhoek, Namibia, 10–16 May 2017 “Liberated by God’s Grace” Assembly Report ASSEMBLY REPORT © The Lutheran World Federation, 2017 Published by The Lutheran World Federation – A Communion of Churches Route de Ferney 150 P. O. Box 2100 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland Design: Edwin Hassink/Brandious Concept, editing, translation, revision, layout and photo research: LWF Office for Communication Services, Department for Theology and Public Witness and Department for Planning and Operations ISBN 978-2-940459-74-2 2 LWF Twelfth Assembly Contents Foreword ...........................................................................................................................4 Address of the President .....................................................................................................6 Report of the General Secretary ........................................................................................20 Report of the Chairperson of the Finance Committee ..........................................................38 Liberated by God’s Grace – Keynote Address .....................................................................48 Message ..........................................................................................................................56 Public Statements and Resolutions ...................................................................................64 Salvation—Not for Sale .....................................................................................................86 Human Beings—Not for Sale ............................................................................................96 Creation—Not For Sale ...................................................................................................102 Messages from the Pre-Assemblies ................................................................................. 110 Sermons ........................................................................................................................132 Address of the President-elect .........................................................................................140 Ecumenical Greetings ..................................................................................................... 142 Governing Bodies ...........................................................................................................160 List of Participants ..........................................................................................................166 3 ASSEMBLY REPORT Foreword The Lutheran World Federation’s (LWF) transformative, reconciling and empowering Twelfth Assembly met under the 500th presence in our relationships, church and Reformation anniversary theme, “Liberated society.” May the gifts offered by this Assembly by God’s Grace,” in May 2017, in Windhoek, inspire us to “share fully in each other’s joys Namibia. and sorrows … pray for one another and share our resources, spiritual and material, wherever It gave delegates from all regions of the possible.” (Assembly Message) LWF the opportunity together to experience the ongoing relevance of the message that we are I would like to invite you to reflect on liberated by God’s grace and provided direction commitments made at the Twelfth Assembly for the future work of the LWF. Delegates as well as to give some further thought on experienced God’s powerful call into the the implications of this milestone event on communion that binds the 145 LWF member your work in the church and for the global churches as they proclaim and witness to the communion of churches at large. Gospel of Jesus Christ in their specific contexts. As you read through this report, please join This report brings together the speeches me in a profound sense of gratitude to God for and reports, sermons, messages and greetings God’s faithfulness in nurturing and guiding the that were presented at the Assembly as well as LWF’s journey as a communion in Christ, that the outcome of the Assembly—its message, lives and works together for a just, peaceful and public statements and resolutions. reconciled world. The Assembly message says, “Liberated Rev. Dr Martin Junge, General Secretary, by the Triune God, we pray for the clarity The Lutheran World Federation and courage to go out enlivened by God‘s 4 LWF Twelfth Assembly A choir lights up the worship with singing during the 14 May commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation in Windhoek, Namibia. Photo: LWF/Johanan Celine Valeriano 5 ASSEMBLY REPORT Address of the President Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, God’s will for all of humanity. This is as true here in Namibia as in any other part of the I greet each of you in the name of Jesus, planet. the one who liberates us in God’s grace, from Jerusalem, the city of our Lord’s crucifixion I have followed the Namibian struggle and resurrection. It is a great pleasure to be for liberation since the 1970s, when I was a with you here in Namibia, a country and a young Palestinian theology student in Finland. people showing us every day what it means to Namibia’s struggle became part of my struggle overcome adversity in unity, seeking God’s will as well. When it finally came, I celebrated for all. I am especially grateful to the United Namibian freedom as if it were my own Church Council of the Namibian Evangelical liberation. Lutheran churches. You are hosting us with tremendous hospitality and grace. From the context of my own struggle, I am aware that political liberation alone does not When we are in Namibia, we cannot help achieve all that needs to be accomplished for but be inspired by the smiles of this country’s the healing of a nation. This work of promoting citizens. It is a smile of deep wisdom that knows healing through unity is being undertaken by pain but emphasizes joy. We Palestinians are the Namibian government, but also by the known for our hospitality, but Namibians put us churches. The varied histories of Namibia have to shame with their smiles! produced three distinct Lutheran churches; we deeply respect the unity they have been able to I am proud to have served for these seven achieve in the United Church Council. years as president of our global communion. Together, we live in vibrant witness to God’s We know that this emerging unity does work in the world, offering our hands and feet not forget the pain of the past and present. in the service of God’s mission. Today, I will The struggle for liberation was a source of address some of the challenges facing our world great suffering even as it produced so much today and highlight the distinctive ways we, as good in the form of political freedom. We Evangelical Lutheran Christians, might respond. thank God that Namibia is a state seeking economic and social development in order to satisfy the needs of all its people throughout The ongoing work of liberation their large and beautiful territory. With the three churches hosting us here in Namibia, we Throughout the world, we are seeing the have rejoiced with them about their journey ongoing work of God’s liberation. Liberation is of liberation and independence. The LWF 6 LWF Twelfth Assembly Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan, President of the LWF. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert has often been humbled when the churches “Forgive us our sins,” openly acknowledges have acknowledged our global communion’s that the “annihilation orders” issued in October contributions to this journey in accompaniment, 1904 against the Herero people and in April support and solidarity. That accompaniment 1905 against the Nama people “were clearly continues today. genocidal.” We deeply appreciate the clarity and depth of the EKD confession “towards the entire We agree with our host churches that Namibian people and towards God”—“This is a growing unity and progress in Namibia cannot great sin which cannot be justified.” be used to ignore trauma. Memories of past injustices must be acknowledged and honored In addition to producing a faithful approach before they can be healed. In Namibia, this that honors memory, the EKD apology process of acknowledging past wrongs and addresses present needs within the Namibian healing memories of trauma can be greatly churches and society. It is especially heartening helped by the much-appreciated confession to see how the apology points toward a of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) process of revisiting partnership agreements concerning “German colonial crimes” in since “the current partnership relations … Namibia. These crimes especially affected reflect and follow from the colonial roots of the Herero, Nama, Damara and San/Khoisan these relationships.” These should “reviewed peoples. The EKD’s Statement on the genocide and revised in such a way as to overcome in former German-Southwest-Africa, entitled the divisions of the past.”1 Decolonizing 1 EKD Statement on the Genocide in former German South West Africa, at https://www.ekd.de/english/texts/ekd_ statement_genocide_german_south_west_africa.html. 7 ASSEMBLY REPORT these structures is an essential step toward The development plan, therefore, is a “call addressing imbalances of power and building for unity” encouraging “Namibians to work right relationships. towards a common purpose.” The plan consists of five pillars: effective governance, economic We acknowledge that this document is advancement, social progression, infrastructure a mid-point in an ongoing process. It builds