ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 19, 2007
ELCA Council Assumes Responsibility to Address Racism, Sexism
07-062-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) assigned responsibility for its
ongoing antiracism and antisexism education and training to its
Board Development Committee. In November the council voted to
begin planning "for its continuous education, reflection and
training on the issue of sexism, just as the Church Council has
committed itself to continuous education, reflection and training
on the issue of racism."
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and
serves as the legislative authority of the church between
churchwide assemblies. The council met here April 14-16.
Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-11.
Four members of the council served on an antiracism planning
team that brought several short-term and long-term
recommendations to the council. The council's executive
committee recommended and the council agreed that the council's
Board Development Committee be assigned "responsibility for
continuing antiracism training in relation to the Church
Council."
One of the short-term recommendations was to use "racial
justice monitors at all council meetings as a mechanism for
accountability." The council agreed "to affirm the possibility
of engagement of a racial justice monitor or monitors at future
meetings of the Church Council to provide observations on the
process of deliberations of the council."
The council discussed the possible responsibilities of such
monitors.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, gave the
example of the ELCA New England Synod, which uses two monitors
who speak at the end of each council meeting. A monitor is "not
a judge that sits and issues a verdict," he said, but a "mirror"
who could raise "provocative questions" about the role white
privilege may have played in the context of the meeting.
Dr. Allan E. Thomas, council member, Yeadon, Pa., said one
or two council members could be trained to serve as monitors for
the council.
Judy Biffle, council member, Houston, pointed out that the
council was giving its Board Development Committee the option of
engaging racial justice monitors.
Gary L. Wipperman, council member, Waverly, Iowa, suggested
monitors may also be considered to be mirrors for the council "on
matters of sexism or how effective we are on a whole."
Grieg L. Anderson, council member, Portland, Ore., raised
the concern that, "unless we're careful, this will have a
stifling effect on a full and healthy debate on a number of
issues, simply out of the fear of having it misconstrued in some
way." He added, "I suggest that people have a real care as we
craft this so that it's a constructive mirror instead of one
that's viewed as stifling different views and different
reflections."
In a separate action the council assigned the Board
Development Committee, in consultation with the ELCA director for
justice for women, similar responsibilities related to the issue
of sexism.
The council asked the Board Development Committee to
coordinate planning for the council's retreat in July 2008 on the
topic of "scandalous realities," which was a reference to a
commitment related to the strategic directions of the ELCA
churchwide organization: "confront the scandalous realities of
racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, age, gender, familial,
sexual, physical, personal and class barriers that often manifest
themselves in exclusion, poverty, hunger and violence."
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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