Younan encourages the Baltic churches to cherish the interdependence of the Lutheran communion
LWF President Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan and other church leaders at the consecration of Estonian Archbishop Urmas Viilma (kneeling) at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Tallinn. Photo: Eriks Peinārs
Tallinn, Estonia/Geneva, 06.02.2015.
Estonia: Bearing the cross togetherLWF President Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan concluded his first official visit to the Baltic churches, emphasizing the interdependence among all the churches that make up the global LWF communion. The highlight of his visit to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, from 26 January to 4 February, was the consecration of Urmas Viilma as archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELC), succeeding the previous archbishop, Andres Põder. LWF Europe Region Secretary Rev. Dr. Eva-Sibylle Vogel-Mfato accompanied the President on the visit to the three countries.
The LWF President told the new EELC archbishop that his consecration offers an opportunity for Lutherans around the world to reflect on the meaning of the communion of the Christian church. “As a communion of churches we are interdependent,” Younan said, “society around the world, including in Estonia, is changing rapidly, so it is especially important for churches to offer leadership not only in their own interests, but also for the whole of society. The interdependence of our global communion and the relationships of the broad ecumenical (and even interreligious) network that we enjoy can be a powerful source of encouragement and strength,” Younan emphasized.
Among the church leaders invited to the consecration were also the LWF regional vice presidents, Hungarian Bishop Dr. Tamás Fabiny and the presiding bishop of the Church of Norway, Helga Haugland Byfuglien.
The LWF President also met with church and political leaders, preached, and took part in discussions with diaconal workers at Lutheran social ministry agencies.
Lithuania: a prophetic church
Together with the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania, Mindaugas Sabutis, Younan visited diaconal work projects, including a children’s home run by the Šakiai and Jurbarkas congregations in the western part of the country. “It is important that the church be present in the fundamental processes of people’s lives and serve their real needs. We are all called to be a prophetic church, to be a church that sees reality and acts,” he said in discussions with the workers who serve a society burdened by unemployment.
Younan also met with the President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, and the two leaders discussed the promotion of peace and humanitarian work around the world, the role of religious leaders in maintaining peace, and ecumenism in Lithuania.
His message at the service in the Vilnius Lutheran church emphasized faithfulness and faith in God in troubled times, when we are confronted with violations of human rights. “You in Lithuania were under oppression for half a century; churches were destroyed or used by others. But you kept the faith in God the Savior. You sustained Lithuania on its pilgrimage with the Lord,” said the LWF President, referring to the persecution of the church under the former communist regime in the region.
Latvia: bearing the cross together in mission
Meeting with the archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (LELB), Jānis Vanags, and other church leaders in Riga, Younan noted that “diaconia cannot be separated from mission. It is part of what we call holistic mission. Love in practice feeds the hungry.” In dialogue with the pastors, Younan answered a question about the greatest joy of the LWF over the past few years, declaring: “On my travels I find in every church deep roots of faithfulness to God’s mission. There is much joy in the communion, and I am proud to serve it.”
Meeting with the LELB Women Theologians’ Association [the Latvian Lutheran Women Theologians’ Association – trans.], Younan referred to the LWF Gender Justice Policy. He emphasized that this document [in 2013] was adopted for the whole LWF communion and its member churches, and that it serves as a call to discuss together such questions as, for example, women’s ordination.
The LWF President concluded his visit to Latvia by serving at the Sunday service and preaching at St. John’s Church in Riga on 1 February. He spoke of the ongoing task of clearly articulating the confessional identity of the Lutheran churches, which is a collaborative work in the context of the LWF communion. “We bear the cross together. We are in mission and ministry together. Although we may have differences of opinion, together we are faithful to the Gospel,” Younan emphasized.