Public Webinar on debt cancellation and reparations as tools for promoting justice, sustainability and life-affirming economies

The COVID-19 pandemic is aggravating the debt crisis, deepening socio-economic inequality. At the same time, the world continues to grapple with intertwined challenges of climate change and deep-seated-racism.

This webinar seeks to address the following questions: What do our faith perspectives have to say on the issue of debt and how it is affecting the lives of millions of people around the world? How can finance and financial structures be made to align with our faith-rooted values? Can debt cancellation and reparations serve as important tools for promoting justice, sustainability and life-affirming economies?

Speakers: 

• Yusuf JHA is author of the book, The Way of Return: Responding to Economic and Environmental Injustice Through the Wisdom Teachings of Islam.  Yusuf is a trainee Mufti and translator at the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (AWQAF, Abu Dhabi). He worked for over a decade in the Islamic finance industry.

• David KRANTZ is a co-founder, president and chairperson of Aytzim: Ecological Judaism. David serves on the board of directors of Interfaith Moral Action on Climate and on the founding team of the Interfaith Oceans.

• Dr Jahlani NIAAH coordinates the Rastafari Studies Unit and is a lecturer in Cultural and Rastafari Studies at the Institute for Caribbean Studies in the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Jahlani co-authored the book, Let Us Start with Africa: Foundations of Rastafari Scholarship.

• Lapapan (Anne) SUPAMANTA works with the Assembly of the Poor, a Thai movement of rural and urban grassroot groups organizing to collectively defend and promote the rights of the socio-economically marginalized. Previously, she served as executive director of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists.

• Rev Dr Karen Georgia THOMPSON is the Associate General Minister and Co-Executive for Global Ministries at the United Church of Christ (UCC) in the United States and leads the joint UCC and United Church of Canada committee working on the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024).

Organizers:

• World Council of Churches

• World Communion of Reformed Churches

• Council of World Mission

• Lutheran World Federation

Register for the Zoom webinar

Registration deadline: 2 October 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Head of MIT’s Social Analytics lab Sinan Aral observed, “the day the offline world stood still, the online world ignited like a digital forest fire.” In recent years, people around the world have grown in their experiences of new digital platforms that hold the potential for both promise and peril. Social media analysts have highlighted that fake news – especially political news -- spreads faster than it can be corrected, and remains hard to rectify, even with a healthy dose of the truth.  Faith communities in different contexts have adapted quickly to the information age, and yet the challenges of disinformation and misleading theologies remain a constant threat.   

This webinar seeks to address the following questions: What is the responsibility of faith leaders at local and national levels? How can we collaborate with like-minded citizens in countering falsehood by promoting media literacy and truth-telling? 

Speakers: 

• Bishop Prof Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, President, The Evangelical Church in Germany, theologian and contributor to the field of social ethics and public theology.  
• Prof Anita Cloete, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, Head of Department for Practical Theology and Missiology (2014-2017), Editor of ‘Interdisciplinary Reflections on the Interplay between Religion, Film and Youth’  
• Dina Zaman, IMAN Research, Malaysia, Journalist, researcher and author of ‘Holy Men, Holy Women: A Journey Into the Faiths of Malaysians and Other Essays’ 

Moderator:  

• Rev Dr Sivin Kit, Program Executive for Public Theology and Interreligious Relations, Lutheran World Federation.  

Closing Remarks:  

• Bishop Gilbert Filter, Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church) 

Organizers: 

• The Lutheran World Federation
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church) 
• The Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology, Stellenbosch University

Register for the Zoom webinar

Join our 3rd Waking the Giant webinar focusing on SDGs and theological reflections

Agenda for the webinar presenting theological reflections to underpin the UN Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Introductions (15min)
  • Why Churches and SDGs?
  • Professor Emeritus Dr. Kjell Nordstokke: Theological reflections on churches’ involvement with the SDGs (45min)

15 min break

• Panel discussion (1h)

  • Panelists:

    • Rev. Chad Rimmer LWF/Switzerland

    • Rev. S. Helen Chukka/India

    • Dr. Prof. Faustin Muhali/Tanzania

    • Ms. Nathaly Quito/Colombia

  • Moderator

    • Dr. Rev. Ryan Cumming

• Discussion (30min)

• Wrap up (15min)

This webinar is part of our wider 2020 SDG online training course

Register for the Zoom webinar

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Waking the Giant

An exploration of the diverse expressions and spirituality of Lutherans today

The first Wednesday of each month, you are invited to participate in "Being Lutheran", a monthly gathering for members of the Lutheran World Federation. This is an opportunity to connect with Lutheran sisters and brothers, and engage in the LWF study process on contemporary Lutheran identities. In this series, we will explore themes that emerged from the consultation in Addis Ababa, and explore the creative, vibrant, life-giving diversity of what it means to be Lutheran today. Each month will begin with a moment of prayer and spiritual reflection. We will welcome a speaker to present a topic, then break out for small group reflection and communion building among your Lutheran sisters and brothers from diverse regions and contexts around the globe.

Theme for November’s Webinar: 

• Every call is holy: we will reflect on the concept of the priesthood of all the baptized, and how this notion equips us to live out our faith in a divided world

Speakers: 

• Rev. Caroline Christopher, Arcot Lutheran Church

Moderator: 

• Rev. Dr Chad Rimmer, Program Executive for Identity, Communion and Formation 

Register for the Zoom webinar

Event languages: English (translation into Spanish, French or German as available) 

Further information:

More on Lutheran Identities Study Process

See all the Being Lutheran - webinar series videos

Consultation report

Video: To be Lutheran is …

An exploration of the diverse expressions and spirituality of Lutherans today

The first Wednesday of each month, you are invited to participate in "Being Lutheran", a monthly gathering for members of the Lutheran World Federation. This is an opportunity to connect with Lutheran sisters and brothers, and engage in the LWF study process on contemporary Lutheran identities. In this series, we will explore themes that emerged from the consultation in Addis Ababa, and explore the creative, vibrant, life-giving diversity of what it means to be Lutheran today. Each month will begin with a moment of prayer and spiritual reflection. We will welcome a speaker to present a topic, then break out for small group reflection and communion building among your Lutheran sisters and brothers from diverse regions and contexts around the globe.

Theme for December’s Webinar: 

• Spiritual gifts and discernment: Discerning the spirits of our age: 1 Corinthians 12 and Love as the measure of charisms, and moral discernment.  

Speakers: 

• Rev. Dr Simone Sinn, Professor of Ecumenical Theology, Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, WCC
• Rev. Atahualpa HERNANDEZ, Bishop President, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia 

Moderator: 

• Rev. Dr Chad Rimmer, Program Executive for Identity, Communion and Formation 

Register for the Zoom webinar

Event languages: English (translation into Spanish, French or German as available) 

Further information:

More on Lutheran Identities Study Process

See all the Being Lutheran - webinar series videos

Consultation report

Video: To be Lutheran is …

UPDATE

This event was updated from an event initially planned for 6 January 2021.

An exploration of the diverse expressions and spirituality of Lutherans today

The first Wednesday of each month, you are invited to participate in "Being Lutheran", a monthly gathering for members of the Lutheran World Federation. This is an opportunity to connect with Lutheran sisters and brothers, and engage in the LWF study process on contemporary Lutheran identities. In this series, we will explore themes that emerged from the consultation in Addis Ababa, and explore the creative, vibrant, life-giving diversity of what it means to be Lutheran today. Each month will begin with a moment of prayer and spiritual reflection. We will welcome a speaker to present a topic, then break out for small group reflection and communion building among your Lutheran sisters and brothers from diverse regions and contexts around the globe.

Theme for January’s Webinar: 

• The young theologians of the Addis consultation

Speakers: 

• Ms Novrianna Hutagalung, HKBP
• Rev. Kagiso Morudu, ELCSA
• Ms Sofie Halvarsson, Church of Sweden
• Mr Christopher MacDonald, ELCIC
• Mr Sebastian Madejski, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession Poland

Moderator: 

• Rev. Dr Chad Rimmer, Program Executive for Identity, Communion and Formation 

Register for the Zoom webinar

Event languages: English (translation into Spanish, French or German as available) 

Further information:

More on Lutheran Identities Study Process

See all the Being Lutheran - webinar series videos

Consultation report

Video: To be Lutheran is …

An exploration of the diverse expressions and spirituality of Lutherans today

The first Wednesday of each month, you are invited to participate in "Being Lutheran", a monthly gathering for members of the Lutheran World Federation. This is an opportunity to connect with Lutheran sisters and brothers, and engage in the LWF study process on contemporary Lutheran identities. In this series, we will explore themes that emerged from the consultation in Addis Ababa, and explore the creative, vibrant, life-giving diversity of what it means to be Lutheran today. Each month will begin with a moment of prayer and spiritual reflection. We will welcome a speaker to present a topic, then break out for small group reflection and communion building among your Lutheran sisters and brothers from diverse regions and contexts around the globe.

Theme for February’s Webinar: 

• The Real Presence: on virtuality and digital church in times of COVID-19 

Speakers: 

• Deanna A Thompson, Director of the Lutheran Center for Faith, Values, and Community; Martin E. Marty Regents Chair in Religion and the Academy
• Dr Andreas Wohle, Evangelisch-Lutherse Synode in de Protestantse Kerk

Moderator: 

• Rev. Dr Chad Rimmer, Program Executive for Identity, Communion and Formation 

Register for the Zoom webinar

Event languages: English (translation into Spanish, French or German as available) 

Further information:

More on Lutheran Identities Study Process

See all the Being Lutheran - webinar series videos

Consultation report

Video: To be Lutheran is …

An exploration of the diverse expressions and spirituality of Lutherans today

The first Wednesday of each month, you are invited to participate in "Being Lutheran", a monthly gathering for members of the Lutheran World Federation. This is an opportunity to connect with Lutheran sisters and brothers, and engage in the LWF study process on contemporary Lutheran identities. In this series, we will explore themes that emerged from the consultation in Addis Ababa, and explore the creative, vibrant, life-giving diversity of what it means to be Lutheran today. Each month will begin with a moment of prayer and spiritual reflection. We will welcome a speaker to present a topic, then break out for small group reflection and communion building among your Lutheran sisters and brothers from diverse regions and contexts around the globe.

Theme for March’s Webinar: 

• The Freedom of a Christian: on rights and responsibilities

Speakers: 

• Rev. Dr Carmelo Santos, Director for Theological Diversity and Ecumenical and Interreligious engagement in the Office of the ELCA Presiding Bishop

Moderator: 

• Rev. Dr Chad Rimmer, Program Executive for Identity, Communion and Formation 

Register for the Zoom webinar

Event languages: English (translation into Spanish, French or German as available) 

Further information:

More on Lutheran Identities Study Process

See all the Being Lutheran - webinar series videos

Consultation report

Video: To be Lutheran is …

Faith Actors Responding, Preventing and Advocating to End Gender-Based Violence in Uganda

This event, jointly organised by LWF, Side by Side, ACT Alliance and, Mothers’ Union Uganda, aims to amplify ecumenical partners’ work to end Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Uganda.

Speakers will share best practices and learnings from their experiences tackling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in local communities, and in regional and national policy spaces.

The event also marks the opening of the global campaign ‘16 Days of Activism to end SGBV’. It includes a video message from LWF General Secretary Martin Junge urging churches to

Target audience: Faith Actors, Policy Makers and Women Right’s Organisations.

Event Registration

A global service to mark climate advocacy leading up to COP26

Join a short service of prayer, reflection, and action on climate justice with friends from around the world.

In November, world leaders should have been gathering in Glasgow, United Kingdom, for COP26. The UN climate conference was postponed until November 2021. To mark the original conference dates and reflect on the role of faith actors in pushing for more ambitious climate action in the coming year, we will gather from all over the world for a short service of prayer and solidarity.

Speakers from every continent will lead prayers and share experiences of the struggle for climate justice. Join us at the start of this year of prayer and action.

#LWFforClimateJustice

Zoom Registration

Youtube Live-streaming

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