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Policy Statement on Foreign Relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria

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Policy Statement on Foreign Relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria Policy Statement on Foreign Relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria A Contribution to the Global Communio Contents Foreword by Michael Martin 4 1. WHY? Foundations 6 1.1 Reasons for ELCB’s Global Ecumenical Work 6 1.2 Entities Responsible for the Partnerships within the ELCB 8 1.3 Priorities of the ELCB’s Partnerships 10 1.4 Context of the Partnerships 11 1.5 Incentives for the ELCB´s Foreign Relations 12 1.6 Challenges, Disparities, Power Issues 12 2. HOW? The ELCB’s Policy Statement on Foreign Relations 14 2.1 The Diversity of Relationships – Partnership is “Journeying Together, Side by Side” 14 2.2 Church in Relationship – The Emmaus Process 14 2.3 Characteristics of Partnership 15 2.4 Principles of Partnership 16 2.5 Partnership and Development – Partners in the Development Process 18 2.6 Forms of Church and Partner Cooperation 20 2.6.1 Partnership Cooperation 20 2.6.1.1 Contractual Partnership 21 2.6.1.2 Partnerships Resulting from Bavarian Missions 21 2.6.1.3 Partner Relationships in Forums 22 2.6.1.4 Amicable and Neighborly Relationships 22 2.6.1.5 Church-Reconstruction Assistance and Temporary Cooperation 23 2.6.1.6 Issue-Based Partnership 23 2.6.2 Ecumenical Cooperation 24 2.6.2.1 The Global Lutheran Community 24 2.6.2.2 Congregations of Various Languages and Origins 24 2.6.2.3 Interconfessional Cooperation 25 2.6.3 Project Support within Partner Relationships 25 2 3. FOR WHAT PURPOSE? Communio as a Vision of Church 27 3.1. Communio is a Gift and a Task 27 3.2 Communio takes Form in our Relationships 28 3.3 Ecumenical and Global Learning – The Journey of Partnership Work 29 3.4 Communio as Witnessing Community and Missional Reality 30 4. CONCLUSIONS 31 5. PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION I: Shared Issues 32 5.1 Mission and Interreligious Dialogue: 32 Foundations – Developments – Examples 5.2 Justice and Development – How They Relate & Three Challenges: 36 Causes of Forced Migration – Education – The Good Life 5.3 Congregation and Church in Society 42 Congregational Development: Eight Inspiring Stories 5.4 Ecumenism in Diversity and Unity: 49 Relationships and Networks 6. PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION II: Exchanges, Education, Cooperation 55 Personnel Exchange – Education and Development – Disaster Relief Appendices 59 Introducing the Partner Churches 40 I. Profiles of the ELCB’s Partner Churches 59 II. Profiles of the ELCB´s Other Foreign Relationships 100 At A Glance III. A Map of the ELCB’s Foreign Relationships 122 IV. Relationships to Forums, Alliances, and Other Associations 124 V. Matrix of the ELCB’s Foreign Relationships 126 Other Important Aspects 146 VI. Compliance (in progress) 146 VII. Glossary of Abbreviations 147 3 Foreword has become a worldwide concern. Christi- ans increasingly live and work together with A Policy Statement on Foreign members of other religions and with actively Relations involved participants in civil-social causes. In addition to these global changes, migration In 2006, in connection with the formation of has increased the plurality of Christian witness Mission EineWelt (Mission OneWorld), Center across Europe’s societies. Signs of this plura- for Partnership, Development, and Mission, lization: in Bavaria alone there are now more an original Policy Statement on Foreign Re- than 300 Protestant congregations of various lations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church languages and origins, and 20% of the ELCB’s in Bavaria (ELCB) was published. In 2018 its members are of non-German origin. Governing Bodies approved this completely revised edition. For these reasons, a revision of the ELCB’s Po- licy Statement on Foreign Relations has be- The main impetus for this revision had to do come necessary. Furthermore, we would like with evolving challenges locally and world- to take this opportunity to duly recognize the wide. Since 2006 globalization, along with its ELCB’s partnerships and ecumenical relations, negative impact, has increased. New bounda- as well as to illustrate their exemplary design. ries and even walls separate countries. At the Along with our 20 global partnerships, the same time, religious, cultural, and ethnic iso- various ecumenical relations on local, regio- lation within societies, as well as economic nal, and global levels are portrayed. The de- protectionism, have become social problems scriptive profiles in particular demonstrate which affect the churches. Ideologization, po- the ELCB´s accountability for each individual litical abuse of religion, nationalism, radicali- partnership or ecumenical relation. Through zation, and terror have resulted in still further its accountability to these partners, the ELCB isolation. The churches of the Southern Hemi- makes a significant contribution to the global sphere have been growing, while the numbers Communio of the Lutheran World Federation, of church members in the Northern Hemi- as well as to worldwide interconfessional and sphere have been shrinking. The propagation interreligious dialogue; these interactions in of the Christian faith to the next generation turn have an impact on the ELCB. 4 Completely new to this Policy Statement on Policy Statement on Foreign Relations and Foreign Relations is a presentation of “Shared provide a closer look into these areas which Issues” with our global partners and ecumeni- are only briefly mentioned here. All three Po- cal relations (cf. Part 5). This unique addition licy Statements understand „oikuoméne“ in aims to make a contribution toward intercul- its biblical sense as meaning the entire inhab- tural, ecumenical learning, thereby enriching ited earth. our diverse relationships at local, regional, and global levels. We hope this will result in May the Triune God bless the use of this Policy more understanding between Churches and Statement on Foreign Relations, increase mu- cultures throughout our One World. tual understanding, and strengthen ecumeni- We acknowledge that all Christians of every cal cooperation, to bring about a globalization denomination and every place belong to the of faith, hope, and love (1 Cor. 13:13), both one Church of Jesus Christ, while simulta- here and throughout the world. neously being co-citizens of one “global vil- lage.” In this One World, issues concerning The Reverend Michael Martin global climate change, migration, sharing of Oberkirchenrat natural resources, preservation of peace, or Member of the ELCB Governing Board just treatment of our neighbors, can no lon- ger be resolved at local or regional levels, but from this point forward, only by journeying together, side by side. The ELCB´s Governing Bodies submit this Po- licy Statement on Foreign Relations as one component of the ELCB’s comprehensive, three-part Ecumenical Concept. The other two components are the Policy Statement on Interreligious Dialogue and the Policy State- ment on Ecumenism (interconfessional). Both of these latter components complement the 5 WHY? Thus the ELCB is wholly Church, but not the whole Church of Jesus Christ. It is one mani- festation of the one, holy, catholic, and apo- 1. Foundations stolic church which we confess in the Nicene Creed. The ELCB is part of the Missional Com- ■ 1.1 Reasons for the ELCB’s Global munity of those who have been called and Ecumenical Work sent for Christ’s sake. It is part of the Com- munity of Hope for those Christians who be- On the basis of the fundamental articles of its lieve that in Jesus Christ, God’s Kingdom has church constitution, the Evangelical Luther- dawned, and that it will be consummated in an Church in Bavaria (ELCB) inserts itself into him. This becomes visible by their common the ecumenical context of the Holy Scriptures witness, through ecumenical learning, and in and the Creeds of the Early Church. Rooted mutual commitment to justice, peace, and the firmly in the Lutheran conviction of the Augs- preservation of the Creation. The ELCB´s iden- burg Confession (Confessio Augustana) and tity is comprised of three cornerstones: the the Small Catechism – justification by grace Lutheran Confessions, ecumenical openness, through faith – the ELCB´s mandate to pro- and the global Communio of the Church of claim the Good News points toward an ecu- Jesus Christ. menical horizon: “The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria lives in the communion of This Communio (Community) of all Christians the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church and its worldwide and ecumenical dimen- through God’s Word made incarnate in Jesus sion is described in the Bible in a variety of Christ [...]. With all the Christian Churches th- ways. For example, in the images referring to roughout the world, we confess our faith in the Body of Christ (Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12, Eph. the Triune God [...]. The Evangelical Lutheran 4:15 ff.), to the shepherd and his flock (John Church in Bavaria unites with all Christianity 10:11), to the boat (Luke 5:3 ff., Matt. 8: 23 to witness to God’s Salvation through Jesus ff.), and to Wandering Israel (Hebr. 13). All of Christ in the world.” (Preamble, ELCB Church these images have one thing in common: they Constitution). transcend the addressed local communities in space and time, and they point to the univer- sal bond uniting all Christians. 6 Our ecumenical obligation arises out of our Christians throughout the world. It is a Mem- Community in Christ: „The Evangelical Luthe- ber Church of the Lutheran World Federati- ran Church in Bavaria is committed to increa- on. It participates in the cooperation of the sing unity within the One Church of Jesus Christian churches in the world. It is a Mem- Christ throughout the world.” (Art. 6, §1, ELCB ber Church of the World Council of Churches” Church Constitution). The global partnerships (Art. 6, §2, §4, ELCB Church Constitution). The of our church exemplify this Community following applies to our ecumenical relations among Christians.
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