Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan celebrates the Eucharist at La Resurrección Lutheran Church in San Salvador together with (l/r) ILS ministers Rev. Guadalupe Cortez, Rev. Cecilia Alfaro and Rev. Eliseo Rodriguez. © ILS/Rafael Menjivar Saavedra
Solidarity Visit Underlines Concern about Violence in the Region
The president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan has expressed the communion’s solidarity with the Salvadoran Lutheran Church (ILS) during a 21-25 June visit that underlined the LWF’s concern about rising violence in Central America.
Younan encouraged the LWF member church to continue to accompany those who live in vulnerable situations and poverty, and affirmed its prophetic ministry in response to the violence in the country.
“The pastoral accompaniment and ministry [of the ILS] speaks out of a vocation that concentrates in serving the neighbor and developing this ministry among poor people,” said Younan, who is bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.
The LWF president encouraged the communion’s Department for World Service Central America program, based in El Salvador, to continue its work upholding the rights of populations facing injustice such as small farmers, indigenous people and the Garifuna, who are descendants of Arawak, Carib and West African peoples.
“Our support is for both the member church and World Service in order to strengthen their ministries and to continue working with and among vulnerable communities,” added Bishop Younan.
In June, the LWF Council, meeting at Bogotá, Colombia, condemned the rising levels of violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in particular, calling for the formation of an ecumenical accompaniment program for human rights defenders and urging governments in the region to “hear the cries of their people” and protect human rights.
Bishop Younan’s visit to El Salvador was also an opportunity to meet with Salvadoran officials, including the president of the parliament and the vice president of the republic. While recognizing their efforts to decrease violence in the country, the LWF president challenged officials to continue investing in education because it is key to rebuilding society.
“We are concerned that in Central America rather than supporting human dignity, governments are introducing weapons. We must take command and make heard the voices of democracy and peace,” he emphasized.
In particular, the LWF president highlighted concerns about effects of the violence on youth and women, a point also made in the LWF Council statement, which called for “an end to impunity” for such violence.
ILS Bishop Medardo E. Gómez Soto underlined the significance of the visit, calling it a “milestone” in the life of his church. “The message of peace and reconciliation received from Bishop Younan encourages us to restore our task and to re-energize the ministry developed through our diverse areas of work,” he stated.
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