Lutheran Ping!
Christ is Born, Glorify Him!
Posted on 01/07/2011 5:16:15 PM PST by lightman
ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Coptic Church Bombing In Egypt
11-002-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), assured the bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles of the ELCA's "heartfelt desire" to stand in solidarity with Coptic Christians in the United States and the world in the wake of the New Year's Day bombing in a Coptic congregation in Egypt.
At least 22 people were killed and 79 injured as a result of the car bombing that occurred as worshipers were leaving a Mass at the Church of Saints Mark and Peter in Alexandria. The terror attack was widely condemned by a host of religious and political leaders, many of whom noted more frequent attacks on Christians in the Middle East in recent months.
Hanson wrote this week to Bishop Serapion on the eve of the Coptic Christmas celebration on January 7. Hanson was with Serapion recently for an annual Christian Leaders' Retreat in December.
"You have been in my personal thoughts and prayers," Hanson wrote in his letter to Serapion. "Lutherans across this country and throughout the world have been mourning for their Coptic Christian brothers and sisters who were murdered last week in Alexandria, and have been in like manner lifting the injured in prayerful supplication. Please know of the heartfelt desire across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to stand in faithful solidarity with you and with Coptic Christians around this country and the world during these times."
Hanson told Serapion that, as religious leaders, both are aware that violence and extremism "are wholly objectionable responses that tear at the fabric of our fidelity in the economy of human relationships." As Christians, shared values from the gospels and sacred confessions "bear witness to a unity that will not be rendered silent of the incarnate love of Christ in a world that yearns for mercy, justice and peace," the presiding bishop wrote.
Hanson added that he and ELCA Lutherans throughout the United States share with the Coptics the need for "uninterrupted sanctuary and for worship that remains a hallowed space of communion with our God."
"This attack on our Coptic family must be measured on the blessed equanimity of the faithful as an attack on us all. I am mindful of the growing numbers of our Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering persecution around the world today," Hanson wrote.
Hanson noted the Coptic Christmas Day on January 7, writing that he thinks of the burning of palms to commemorate the Magi's gifts to the Lord.
"Christmas Day is a time of healing, unity and peace in celebration of the Nativity of Christ. May the blessed birth of Christ be a gift to you, to the Coptic Christian community, and to all of the Christian family," Hanson's letter concluded.
In his own statement, the Rev. Munib A.Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land commented, "Here in the Middle East, where the three monotheistic religions affirm the core values of love of God and love of neighbor, it is utterly impossible to carry out such acts of violence with a valid claim that they are done in the name of religion. Such acts are only done in the name of hatred and division."
Younan is also president of the Lutheran World Federation, Geneva.
The National Council of Churches USA, New York, and World Council of Churches, Geneva, condemned the bombing and offered condolences to those affected. The ELCA is a member of both organizations.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elcanews
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews
Our ancient foe still doth work us woe.
Where is such courage and honesty today?
Christ is Born, Glorify Him!
Through the prayer of our Holy Fathers, O Christ our God, come and save us.
What a mystery ~ how did so many Methodists, or maybe their Nazarene buddies get into Egypt outside of a tour group.
I am aghast!
The Epi-Scopals picked up after their allies from Scandinavia ~
And who was it Samuel Pepys said Johnson said were the "class enemies" of the Epi-Scopals? I believe Johnson even went so far as to accuse the Methodists of sacrificing babies and drinking blood.
Absent more information I must assume the ELCA spokesman is accusing the Methodists of blowing up bombs in Coptic churches. (/s)
Luther, Allah, poohbah, whoever.
Christ is the only standard and his followers will be winnowed.
Let the heretic Hanson pander; his end is one to be pitied.
It's difficult to read anything that Hanson writes without suspecting that he uses some sort of "random pious sounding but meaningless phrase" generator.
Screw your "heartfelt desire" Hansen, just do it. Take a stand for the right side for once in your pusillanimous life. This is the lamest expression of "solidarity" in a life and death world I have ever seen. Shameful and pathetic.
” . . . the three monotheistic religions affirm the core values of love of God and love of neighbor,. . ..”
What is this man talking about?? In only one of those three is there any word about “love of neighbor.”
Oooops!! I misspoke a moment earlier. Two those three religions in their scriptures command love of neighbor.
You beat me to the punch. Hanson writes psycho-babble and passes it off as “intellectual discourse”. The sentence you quoted is absolutely meaningless but is written to give the impression that he is a thoughtful intellectual. Hanson is a fake, phoney and a fraud, period...
He blamed the Israelis for the acts of destruction that the Palis did to the green houses and other facilities that the Israelis left to them in working order.
The ELCA walks hand-in-hand with the Arab extremists. They walk with the Devil. The ELCA is no longer a Christian Church!
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