By Kristen Opalinski

A Look Back at the 2021 National Workshop on Christian Unity

Abide in my love … you shall bear much fruit.

It was the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and in turn, became an echo for this year’s National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU). After last year’s workshop in Houston was canceled due to the global pandemic, focus turned to 2021, and with it questions of how best to move the work of the NWCU forward. These questions of “what now?” and “what next?” have become all too familiar. Conferences have shifted to digital spaces, and with these shifts, questions about our ability to authentically engage, to create opportunities to inspire, challenge, and grow together.

Abide in my love … you shall bear much fruit.

Perhaps, there is no better reminder of our life together in Christ in the midst of such a challenging time than this message from John 15. These are words of mutual comfort and mutual resilience, but they are also words that seek to move us into active participation. We abide in Christ to bear the fruits of justice, love, and reconciliation – to not simply lend a hand in the vineyard, but to cultivate, through Christ, the fruit that brings transformation and renewal. This year’s National Workshop (April 12 -15) sought to look at the myriad of ways in which we are being called as Christians into this season of cultivation, to roll up our sleeves, ask the difficult questions, and then dig into the soil around us. Themes of Christian hospitality, human fraternity, racial justice, immigration, and care for creation were the seeds for our week of listening, learning, and engagement.

Abide in my love … you shall bear much fruit.

Leaders and musicians from various churches joined together for a stirring opening worship. The Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, delivered a sermon that framed the important work of introspective evangelization noting that, “it may well be that our great evangelistic task will be the re-evangelization of Christianity itself.”

Participants were welcomed into morning meditations on various aspects of Christian hospitality led by Fr. William Skudlarek, OSB, Associate Professor of Theology at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minn. His sessions for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are available for further reflection and usage.

The theme of Christian hospitality continued with sessions centered on our call to respond to the needs of immigrant communities and those seeking asylum. Wednesday’s Bishops at the Border conversation brought together four bishops serving geographic areas along the southern border of the United States, including Bishop Sue Briner of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the ELCA. On Thursday, a session titled Human Migration, Asylum, and the Church, assembled practitioners from three churches, including Christopher Vergara from the ELCA, to discuss grassroots responses to the challenges faced by immigrants and those seeking safety and a new beginning in the United States.

Other themes highlighted throughout the week included a keynote on human fraternity, and sessions on care for creation, countering racism, and exploring new ways for religious exchange in digital spaces.

The entire playlist of sessions from the 2021 NWCU can be viewed through the Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (EDIEO) YouTube channel.

Abide in my love … you shall bear much fruit.

This year has forced us all to see life and relationships in new ways, to see opportunities in unlikely places, and to find ways to continue to gather despite out physical separation. As the NWCU looks toward the future, we hope to carry the lessons of this year forward as we continue to broaden engagement in the workshop. The Rev. Tura Foster Gillespie, chair of the 2021 National Planning Committee for the NWCU reflected on this year’s workshop and the doors that it opened with the following, “We were blessed that the online platform afforded us new opportunities. Attendants and speakers were no longer geographically limited.  This made some normally unattainable speakers a reality and I am overwhelmed with how gracious and inspiring they were.  It was amazing to see God work in wonderful ways to make some positive things come out of such a hard year.”

While we hope to gather in-person for the 2022 NWCU in Garden Grove, Calif., there are plans currently being developed for a hybrid model that will continue to allow for further expanding participation.

In addition to all of the content from this year’s NWCU,  be sure to check out Rev. Paul Benz’s post reflecting on this year’s Ecumenical Advocacy Days, which also gathered digitally in April, under the theme Imagine God’s Earth and People Restored.

Kristen Opalinski serves as manager for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations for the ELCA.

By Rev. Protopresbyter Nicolas Kazarian

The Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America welcomes the opportunity to share its Greening the Parish Resource Page with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Designed for both the parish and home, this page provides resource material for navigating and fulfilling our vocation as stewards of creation and working towards greening our churches together on a personal level.

Especially featured are the ecological initiatives and activities of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, renowned as “The Green Patriarch” for his proclamation of “the primacy of spiritual values in determining environmental ethics and action.” Included are the September 1st Encyclicals for the Feast of the Indiction (beginning of the ecclesiastical new year) and Day of Prayer for the Protection of the Natural Environment, along with His All-Holiness’s works in global environment advocacy and action such as the Halki Summits.

Exploring a variety of practical and theological perspectives regarding environmentalism, the Creation Care Toolkit consists of Creation Care resources along with the Greening the Parish webinar series and manuals. Additionally, a variety of Orthodox perspectives are featured on the webpage including youth initiatives, books, and films along with a diverse resource section featuring the works of various Christian traditions, organizations, environmentalists, and academics.

“Defining environmentalism as a spiritual responsibility,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has explained “Our sin toward the world, or the spiritual root of all our pollution, lies in our refusal to view life and the world as a sacrament of thanksgiving, and as a gift of constant communion with God on a global scale.”

As we continue to cultivate this green ministry, the Department will begin publishing its “How-To” video series featuring lessons and practical guides on creation care and sustainability on Earth Day (April 22). We welcome this opportunity to partake in the protection of the natural environment as a chance to bear witness to our ecumenical desire to be one.

The webpage and additional information may be found here.

Rev. Protopresbyter Nicolas Kazarian serves as Ecumenical Officer and Director of the Department on Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. He is also the parish priest of St. Eleftherios Greek Orthodox Church in Manhattan.

©UNESCO

The UN General Assembly resolution 2142 (XXI)(link is external), adopted on 26 October 1966, proclaimed 21 March as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to be commemorated annually.

Statement for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The statement follows:

From Churches Beyond Borders: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Anglican Church of Canada, The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

In Advent 2020, Churches Beyond Borders expressed a commitment to dismantling racism, combating white supremacy and actively seeking opportunities to engage more deeply on these important issues. In this season of Lent, we continue our journey as we join together in observing the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This is an annual day of recommitment in remembrance of the day police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960. (www.un.org/en/observances/end-racism-day) Recognizing that the March 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is a calling to be lived out every day, we offer this reflection as encouragement to continue the journey with renewed determination.

I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them
(Exodus 3:7-8a, NRSV)

How do we lament the sin of racism?

Racism and xenophobia have a painful, violent, deadly history that traverses all borders. The institutional church shares in the complicity of the legacies of the Doctrine of Discovery colonization, forced removal and genocide of Indigenous people, the enslavement of African and Indigenous Peoples and injustices  perpetrated against all people of color. The sin of racism is structural, institutional, interpersonal and internalized. It lives in communities inside and outside the church; it continues to inflict harm on a daily basis and generate new history. How do we repent of all of this?

At the burning bush, Moses hears God say, “I have heard the cries of my people.” We who follow the God of Freedom must also hear the cries of God’s people, of each other, and especially those among us who live under the constant threat and violence of racism and white supremacy. For those of us who have the privilege of closing ourselves off, we need to open ourselves to feel the painful truths of the sins of racism and white supremacy in our hearts and bodies and minds and souls. We must create spaces and structures that welcome and include the voices of those most directly impacted by the sins of racism. This message is being shared during the season of Lent, a period of self-examination, reflection, and making amends. We need to lament, repent and be transformed.

Moses is told to take off his sandals. We need to lament in worship: to remove our shoes, to stand in humility, to feel the ashes on our foreheads, to be honest in the presence of God about our sins and shortcomings. Holy Ground is a gift that supports lamentation, repentance, transformation and discernment.

Moses is sent to work for the freedom of people. Oppression is not inevitable or insurmountable. Things can change. Challenging racism and white supremacy calls each of us to deep and honest consideration of perceptions, biases, behaviours and systemic patterns. We echo the United Nations call to take the strongest possible stand against racism, discrimination and intolerance of every kind, to spread the word to fight racism and to take stock of the state of human rights and hate speech today and reflect on how each of us can stand up for rights. In lamentation and repentance, we hear God’s call to act for the dismantling of racism.

Moses admits his own fears and reluctance. God directs Moses to connect with his siblings. God provides Miriam and Aaron to make up for Moses’ weaknesses and to enhance his strengths. The journey is long and the work is hard, crossing many difficult borders in our lives, communities, and our churches. We give thanks for the gift of community on this journey and in this work.

We invite you to join us in prayer:
God of Holy Ground, move us to lament and repent. Open our hearts, bodies, minds and souls to the cries of your people. Transform us by your presence. Drive us into action for the dismantling of racism in relationships, communities and societies. Bless us with companions who support us, challenge us and help us keeping going. We pray for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We commend to you these resources for further reflection and discernment:

Suggested action from the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights to #FightRacism
Fight Racism | Stand up for human rights | UN Human Rights (standup4humanrights.org)

Explanation of the Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent
https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Slavery_Apology_Explanation.pdf?_ga=2.160292863.337082937.1614267858-176581130.1609883917

“Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen lands, Strong Hearts” is a film about a devastating decision, made over 500 years ago, which continues to profoundly impact Indigenous and Settler people worldwide. https://www.anglican.ca/primate/tfc/drj/doctrineofdiscovery/

Call to Racial Reconciliation: “Litany of Repentance” and “Commissioning for the Ministry of Justice and Reconciliation” from the “10th Anniversary Celebration of Full Communion” between the Episcopal Church and the Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bTb_fguBnZJO2xLiPjwpLmSLWYeihNnA/view

Sacred Teachings Podcast: Indigenous Elders all across Turtle Island share teachings, languages, traditions and stories of the Ancestors.
https://www.anglican.ca/im/podcasts/

The Ecumenical Conversation on the International Decade for People of African Descent
Recordings of November 26, 2020 online event and companion study guide.  https://www.interculturalleadership.ca/news/study-guide-recognition-justice-and-development-peoples-of-african-descent-and-canadian-churches

“With Love Before Us, We Are Walking” recoding of Gospel Jam 7 (February 13, 2021) with Archbishop Mark MacDonald and special guest Bishop Michael Curry
https://www.anglican.ca/im/gospeljam/

ELCA Anti-Racism Pledge – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Episcopal Church Report for the House of Bishops from its Theology Committee: White Supremacy, the Beloved Community, and Learning to Listen (Fall  2020)
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/bbc_hob_theo_cmte_report_on_white_supremacy.pdf

Anglican Church of Canada House of Bishop’s Statement on Confronting Racism
https://www.anglican.ca/news/our-own-house-is-not-in-order-bishops-issue-statement-on-confronting-racism/30026802/

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada Pastoral Letter regarding the ongoing sin of Racism.
https://www.elcic.ca/news.cfm?article=570

In Christ – Shalom,

National Bishop Susan C. Johnson
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Archbishop and Primate Linda Nicholls
Anglican Church of Canada

Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry
The Episcopal Church

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

– – –

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 worshiping communities 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:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org

By: Kristen Opalinski

“We are at a 1945 moment” — Those words from António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, came in a speech on January 10, 2021, marking the 75th anniversary of the first meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. Referencing the moment when the world, emerging from the horrors of World War II, took their first steps into a new era of global cooperation and unity.

It was at this moment, in the midst of one of humanity’s darkest hours, that leaders began to see the world for what it was — an interconnected web of people who possessed similar needs, but also similar hopes and dreams. It was the first time in human history that a unified body representing a majority of earth’s inhabitants would gather under one roof with the purposes of solving its most pressing challenges — the spirit of which is needed now more than ever.

Since 1948, the work of the U.N. has been grounded in one of its most important documents, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A professor and dean of the graduate school at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia at the time, Otto Frederick Nolde, was tapped by Eleanor Roosevelt to assist in the drafting of the declaration. 1  Authoring article eighteen, which states that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, Nolde helped ensure that faith had a seat at the table. He quickly became the most influential nongovernmental organization representative at the U.N., serving for over two decades in various diplomatic capacities that took him from Manhattan to Moscow.

As the world envisioned new ways of engaging diplomatically, the ecumenical movement was also gaining renewed energy and sense of purpose. A year prior to the start of World War II, 100 churches voted to found what would become the World Council of Churches (WCC) . Its inauguration would be delayed because of the war, eventually launching in 1948. Nolde was selected to lead a new WCC working group called the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, which advocated for the protection of religious liberty in the broadest possible terms within the U.N. and beyond.

Around the same time, Lutherans throughout the world were embarking on a new journey to become a federated body. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) was founded in Lund, Sweden, in 1947, taking the place of its predecessor body, the Lutheran World Convention. It was founded to provide a forum for theological and organizational dialogue, but also to coordinate the rebuilding and refugee resettlement efforts in post-war Europe. These founding aims continue to propel the LWF’s work today in responding to the needs of people around the world.

In 1973, the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) was formed to both convey the social policy views of the LWF and eventually the ELCA (after its formation) to the U.N. and, in turn, keep LWF and ELCA members informed about U.N. responses to those issues. Along with the ELCA advocacy, LOWC works to cultivate a publicly engaged church, one that can respond holistically to promote peace and the dignity of all people.

Globally, the LWF, WCC, and other partners continue to serve as catalysts for action and transformation. From the LWF’s Waking the Giant, an ecumenical initiative aimed at building capacity in churches to contribute effectively to the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, to the WCC’s Thursdays in Black campaign advocating towards a world without rape or violence, churches are building upon past successes with renewed focus.

Moments like these require new thinking that pushes us beyond current realities. Youth and young adults are staking their role in this process. A recent webinar organized by the LWF, the WCC, and the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers (NRTP), brought together three young interfaith experts to discuss best practices learned during the pandemic. Mr. Fernando Sihotang, human rights and advocacy coordinator for the LWF’s National Committee in Indonesia, spoke about the ways in which the pandemic was pushing people towards a newfound awareness of their interconnectedness, “People joined hand in hand to support each other, to look for undeniable commonalities, instead of debating our differences.”2

Rev. Dr Sivin Kit, LWF Program Executive for Public Theology and Inter-religious Relations, reflected on the importance of this youth-led engagement, “Youth are able to connect the gains we have learned from history and reframe it in more ‘current’ and ‘future’ terms. Current because they are living in such complex world with such intensity that they may alert us to some blind spots… although revisiting and critically reviewing the past is necessary, often youth nudge us all – especially leaders, to be creative, draw on our imagination, and become more action oriented in shaping the future.”

As nations continue to scramble to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the inequalities present in our societies and their intersectionality have grown evermore clear. Ecumenical and inter-religious organizations are calling for the needs of the most vulnerable to remain front and center, as their lives and livelihoods are under the greatest threat. The Geneva Interfaith Forum for Climate Change, Environment and Human Rights (GIF), to which both the WCC and LWF are members, submitted a written statement to the 44th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council which called for the recognition, monitoring and addressing of “the intersections between the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights.” Whether in our own community, across the country, or around the world, the need for ecumenical and inter-religious collaboration and participation in the public sphere continues to grow.

In the midst of a pandemic, rising tides of religious extremism and nationalism, political unrest, and racial injustice, the U.N. has designated 2021 as the ‘International Year of Peace and Trust.’ It is a time for us to look back and learn from these 75 years of global cooperation and ecumenical and inter-religious collaboration. It is a moment to ask ourselves what God is calling us to next, to seek out new paths that will continue to build trust, unity, and peace in the face of forces that seek to divide. Indeed, we find ourselves at a 1945 moment, a moment that requires us to move more urgently to mutual approaches to common challenges.

The U.N., like any institution, has at times fallen well short of it’s clarion call. And while its missteps in seeking justice and building peace must continue to be critiqued and studied, so too must its successes be celebrated. For progress has taken root over these 75 years, progress that will continue to evolve upon many different paths moving forward. Likewise, ecumenical and inter-religious partners must consider which paths to journey upon together. Wherever these roads lead us from here, may we work to ensure that truth-telling is paramount, that empathy is our guide, and that the dignity of all is recognized as we continue to name and celebrate that which unites us.

1. Faith-driven diplomacy in the wake of war – Living Lutheran

2.  Young peacemakers key to post-pandemic world | The Lutheran World Federation

Kristen L. Opalinski serves as the Manager for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations for the ELCA

The Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU) will partner with Augsburg University’s Interfaith Institute to hold a webinar on January 26, titled Neighbors Together in a Divided Nation: An Inter-Religious Conversation.

Students, faculty, administrators and staff at our member institutions across North America are invited to join in this important conversation. Together we’ll reflect upon religious and secular traditions and the ways in which they call for our engagement to love and serve the neighbor, work for healing, justice, peace and mercy, and care for creation in a divided nation and world.

The 27 colleges and universities of NECU have a shared mission to empower students to serve the neighbor so that all may flourish. That mission will falter if we fail in these troubled times to foster interreligious understanding in our communities of teaching and learning. NECU thanks Augsburg for offering this webinar to our colleges and universities. We hope you will join us — register in advance at this link or by clicking on the poster below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Following the presentations we will hear from student respondents, and there will be time for questions and conversation.

About our presenters:

Farhan Latif is a philanthropic leader, social entrepreneur and cross sector mobilizer on minority inclusion.  His work is inspired by democratic values and universal norms shared by faith traditions and his leadership has challenged global extremism and ideologically motivated hate.  He is the President of the El-Hibri Foundation, focused on cross sector approaches to foster inclusion across religious and political divides. His work focuses on investing in Muslim leaders in partnership with allies to build capacity and resilience.  

Imam Makram El-Amin has worked for  more than two decades as a religious and community leader, firmly rooted in the principle of our inherent human dignity. In addition to his weekly teaching duties, Imam El-Amin leads Al Maa’uun (Neighborly Needs) Community Outreach Services (almaauun.org) that addresses food insecurity, affordable housing, career services, and mentoring. A student of the late religious leader and scholar Imam W. Deen Mohammed, his thoughtful and moderate approach to Islam has afforded Imam El-Amin opportunities to share the stage with Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. He was a delegate to a historic interfaith event in Rome with Pope John Paul II and member of an interfaith clergy delegation to the Holy Land.

Lori Brandt Hale is Professor and Chair of Religion and Philosophy at Augsburg University, where she has taught since 1998. She holds degrees from the University of Iowa, the University of Chicago Divinity School, and the University of Virginia. Brandt Hale has devoted her academic career both to teaching and to studying the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Rabbi Arielle LeKach-Rosenberg serves as Assistant Rabbi, with a focus on music, prayer and activism.  She was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in June 2017.  She spent her final two years of rabbinical school working as a full-time rabbinic fellow at B’nai Jeshurun in New York City, where she developed innovative initiatives for people of all ages and backgrounds to deepen their relationship with prayer, music and spiritual practice.