Lutheran World News in Brief

New Indian Church Leader Seeks More Active Role for Congregations

The new leader of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) hopes to see the Indian church become more vibrant in its mission. In office since 1 June 2009, AELC president Rev. Dr Suneel BhanuBusi, says it is time to reinvigorate local congregations in their commitment to the gospel.

Karl-Hinrich Manzke Elected Bishop in Schaumburg-Lippe

The superintendent of Aurich Dr Karl-Hinrich Manzke has been named bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany. The 51 year-old was elected on will be installed on 17 October, replacing the retiring head of the church Bishop Jürgen Johannesdotter.

Canada's Lutherans Resolve to Advocate for Peace in the Holy Land

Delegates attending the 2009 National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) passed a multi-point resolution to support peace in the Holy Land.

The resolution, which inspired much discussion on the convention floor, recognized the ongoing divisions between Muslims, Jews and Christians in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

It lamented violence and oppression in that area, and directed the ELCIC to support a secure Israeli state and a viable state for Palestinians.

Asian Churches Grow Despite Adversities

Lutheran church representatives from across the globe attending the annual Mekong Mission Forum (MMF) and the three-yearly Partners’ Consultation heard how churches in South-East Asiaare growing despite political and economic adversities.

The 50 delegates participating in the meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, listened to reports about some churches in the region that are able to work with government permission but with limited scope.

They are sometimes allowed to have a dedicated building for worship, but are forbidden to publicly evangelize. Many others must work secretly, meeting in private homes and moving locations to avoid government scrutiny.

Autumn Synod Will Elect New Bishop to Lead Polish Church

The Twelfth Synod of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland decided in April that this year's autumn synod will elect a new bishop to lead the church.

The synod said the current church leader Bishop Janusz Jagucki will retire in January 2010, following revelations about his cooperation with the secret service of the People’s Republic of Poland during his ministry as a pastor in Gizycko.

In a letter to clergy, the church Synod Council said investigators working on a historical commission set up by the bishop in 2007 to examine infiltration of the church by security organizations from 22 July 1944 to 31 July 1990, had discovered files on Jagucki himself, which prompted him to resign from the commission.

Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission Begins Discussion on Reformation Anniversary and "Baptism and Growth in Communion"

The fifth round of the Lutheran - Roman Catholic Commission on Unity had its first meeting, 19-24 July 2009 at the ChristianJ ensen Kolleg in Breklum, Germany. The commission’s work will focus first on the ecumenical significance of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and then on the topic "baptism and growth in communion."

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