ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 19, 2012
ELCA presiding bishop to speak at Coexist prize ceremony
12-13-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will join Jewish and
Islamic leaders on a panel discussion at the Coexist Prize Ceremony March
20 in New York City.
Joining Hanson is Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious
Action Center of Reform Judaism, and His Excellency Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the
grand mufti of Egypt. The panel discussion is part of the Coexist
Foundation's inaugural Coexist Prize Ceremony -- an international prize
established to recognize an unsung hero or heroine who has made
outstanding contributions to building bridges between people of different
faiths.
The ceremony takes place at "a particularly important time as we
continue to focus throughout the world on the Middle East and the so-called Arab Spring, and the dimensions of the changes going on in
countries and its implications for religious communities, particularly
religious minority communities," said Hanson in an interview.
Bringing together the grand mufti of Egypt as a person representing
the Islamic community, Rabbi Saperstein and "myself illustrates that we
are engaged in public conversation about what are the contributions of
our three religious communities, not only to deepen our understanding of
each other, but our witness to a world that too often sees religion as
divisive and sees the expression of religious convictions in acts of
violence and domination as opposed to reconciliation and peace," said
Hanson.
The religious leaders will be modeling "what we are calling for in
the world, and that's a powerful public witness. I also think that
anytime international religious leaders come together gives encouragement
to local people to engage their neighbor," said Hanson.
"My hope is that members of the ELCA will reach across the road to
their new Muslim neighbor and to their Jewish colleague at work and
say, 'Can we have a deeper conversation about our faith, so that we
understand each other's faith better?' We can find a shared commitment
out of that faith to build a more civil society and a more peaceful
world. There is always both the mutual understanding and the deepening
commitment to work together in our one common creation that God has given
us."
Hanson said that the invitation for him to participate in the
Coexist panel discussion is not about "Mark Hanson but that as the ELCA,
we are continuously seen as a church that is deeply committed in the
world and engaged in a shared commitment to interfaith relationships."
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United
States, with 4.2 million members in 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:
Melissa Ramirez Cooper
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http://www.ELCA.org/news
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