Posted on 09/23/2011 8:09:33 PM PDT by lightman
ELCA Bishop Extends Support For Lutherans In Jordan, Holy Land
11-124-MG
CHICAGO (ELCA) - The presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Mark S. Hanson, sent a letter on Sept. 22 to Bishop Munib Younan and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), expressing the support of this church for a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanson drafted the letter in response to growing tensions in the Middle East as Palestine submitted a formal proposal for full membership in the United Nations. The United Nations Security Council is expected to consider the request next week.
“As leaders of government debate Palestinian membership in the United Nations, we want you to know of our continued commitment to accompany you on the road to a just two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Hanson wrote. He noted the ELCA’s commitment runs deeper than national interest and reflects “active engagement in Palestine and Israel as it is articulated in the ELCA Peace Not Walls Campaign.”
Earlier in the week Hanson wrote to President Barack Obama, asking the United States not to block an initiative to admit Palestine as a member state of the United Nations. Such a move, the bishop observed, would be acting not only in the best interests of the United States, but of all people in the region.
Outbreaks of violence have been escalating in the region, especially around security checkpoints, which have raised concerns about the 14 ELCA missionaries currently supporting the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Robert O. Smith, area program director for the Middle East and North Africa, and coordinator of the Peace Not Walls campaign, reported that the ELCA has been involved in security and contingency planning for several weeks.
“We are concerned not only for the safety and security of our ELCA missionaries, but for the well-being of our companions in the ELCJHL and all persons who may be caught in potentially dangerous situations,” Smith said. “Our Young Adults in Global Mission are especially concerned for the safety and security of the Muslim and Christian children they accompany every day in the schools.”
Of the 14 ELCA missionaries serving in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, five are long-term missionaries, six are Young Adults in Global Mission and three are with The Lutheran World Federation program in Jerusalem.
The ELCJHL and the ELCA are members of The Lutheran World Federation, a global communion with 145 member churches in 79 countries representing over 70 million Lutherans.
“At such a time it is important to reach out to sisters and brothers in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land,” said Hanson. “For the unity we share in Christ is stronger than all the forces that might divide us. That unity calls for our public witness as we join with other Christians, Jews and Muslims advocating for a lasting and just two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. It compels us to reject violence by any party to the conflict.”
The presiding bishop said, “It is my hope that ELCA members are praying for peace even as they deepen their awareness of the issues and advocate for a peaceful and just resolution. We join with Muslims, Jews and other Christians trusting it is God's will to hold heaven and earth in a single peace.”
www.ELCA.org/peacenotwalls
https://www.ELCA.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Justice/Advocacy/Issues/Israel-Palestine.aspx
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with approximately 4.5 million members in more than 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God's work. Our hands,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact: Marianne Griebler, 773-380-2968 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews
Kyrie Eleison. Christe Eleison. Kyrie Eleison.
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Save thy people, O Lord,
and bless thy inheritance;
Give thy Church victory over her enemies
and protect thy people by thy Holy Cross.
To hell with both of them.
And that is a damned shame...literally.
Especially since so many are being pulled along that same broad path toward destruction by such mis-leaders.
Whatever vestige of Christianity these folks have left, do they really expect Jordan to keep tolerating it once they have served their part as useful idiots?
My question is this: When is the ELCA Bishop going to “extend support for Lutherans” in America?
That depends on their "orientation".
Ya probably ought to look to the real Lutherans for that.
Yes ... I do believe that was my point.
Hanson drafted the letter in response to growing tensions in the Middle East as Palestine submitted a formal proposal for full membership in the United Nations... reflects "active engagement in Palestine and Israel as it is articulated in the ELCA Peace Not Walls Campaign." Earlier in the week Hanson wrote to President Barack Obama, asking the United States not to block an initiative to admit Palestine as a member state of the United Nations. Such a move, the bishop observed, would be acting not only in the best interests of the United States, but of all people in the region.Obviously he doesn't count Jews as people.
O Lord, save Your people,
And bless You inheritance.
Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians
Over their adversaries.
And by virtue of Your Cross,
Preserve Your habitation.
There is a growing number, now estimated as over 100,000, of Russian Orthodox Christians in Israel. They are Israeli citizens, and serve in the army. The younger ones, at least, speak Hebrew, and the Israeli army prints New Testaments in Hebrew for their use. Needless to say, they are NOT dhimmis.
If the ELCA and other liberal-protestant American “churches” won’t stand up for Israeli Jews as they should, can they stand up for Israeli Orthodox Christians? I think not. They only support the dhimmi leaders of Arab Christian churches, whether Lutheran, Anglican, or even Orthodox.
But even these dhimmi Arab heirarchs are really mis-leaders, because their own people have been ethnically cleansed by the “Palestinian” islamists for a long time. In 10-20 years, at this rate, the ONLY Christians in the Holy Land will be Israeli Christians, with the majority of them Russian Orthodox. But, sadly, our holy places will probably be abandoned, and at best they will be museums. Lord have mercy!!!!
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Palestinians, Jordan, two state solution, interesting to see in a single advocacy artle. It suggests a solution.
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