Title: ELCA Board Urges Careful Responses to Terrorism
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 21, 2002

ELCA BOARD URGES CAREFUL RESPONSES TO TERRORISM
02-056-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Division for Global Mission
(DGM) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) called on the
church to urge the U.S. government to consider carefully its responses
to terrorism.  The board adopted a resolution on the subject as the U.S.
government is "contemplating military actions to extend counter-
terrorism efforts beyond Afghanistan," the resolution said.
     The board met here March 14-17.
     In its resolution the board acknowledged sacrifices made by U.S.
military personnel and their families in defending the country.  It also
commended contributions made by Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Church
World Service (CWS) and other agencies of humanitarian aid to the people
of Afghanistan.
     LWR is the overseas relief and development agency of the ELCA and
the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. CWS is an agency of the National
Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. engaged in relief,
development and refugee assistance on behalf of the ELCA and its 35
other member churches.
     The DGM board called on members of the ELCA to urge the U.S.
government "to address terrorism through multilateral collaboration and
in consultation with the United Nations."  The board also said ELCA
members should call on the U.S. government "to oppose terrorist groups
and deal with those states, such as Iraq, that are accused of defying
the consensus of the international community."  Strategies should be
used that will result in a minimum of civilian casualties and minimum
destruction of each country's infrastructure, the board resolution said.
     The resolution also called for an increase in "development aid to
address the root causes of hunger and violence."
     In a separate action, the board spoke on the situation in the
Middle East, where there has been increased violence in recent months,
resulting in numerous Israeli and Palestinian deaths and injuries.  The
board called on the ELCA presiding bishop and churchwide units of the
ELCA to urge Lutherans to appeal to their elected representatives in the
United States "to press both parties to the conflict to cease their
hostilities and restart negotiations" for peace.
     The board asked ELCA congregations to continue prayer vigils for
Middle East peace, and it asked congregations to pray for "peace with
justice for the peoples of the Holy Land" at each public worship
service.
     The board acted following remarks by the Rev. Susan P. Thomas, an
ELCA missionary serving in Jerusalem.  She urged the ELCA to use its
"considerable political influence"with the U.S. government to work with
the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to halt the violence
and foster peace negotiations.  "Hearts of stone" must be replaced with
"hearts of flesh," among the Israelis and Palestinians, she told the
board.
     The global mission board acted on other current matters:
     + It adopted a document on human rights for the DGM.  The board
said the division will promote awareness throughout the church "out of
concern for justice in all parts of the world in critical solidarity
with those who struggle for a just society in their own nation."  In
addition, the division will express solidarity with churches,
organizations and groups which seek to hold governments accountable for
upholding human rights and will challenge ELCA members to express
concerns about human rights violations.
     + The board conveyed "pastoral concern and Christian solidarity"
to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colombia on escalating violence in
Colombia.  Members of the ELCA were urged to pray for an end to the
violence there, and the board advocated for the ELCA, through the
Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, to "mediate in the crisis in
Colombia, enabling peace talks to resume."

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