Gemensamt uttalande.

Följande uttalande gjorde de samlade evangelisk lutherska biskoparna från Tanzania och svenskkyrkliga biskoparna som var samlade till 5 dagars samtal och gemensamma gudstjänster mm. Utgångspunkten var texter från Apostlagärningarna. Uttalandet formulerades på engelska för att alla skulle kunna vara med och kommentera och publiceras i detta fall i sin helhet nedan:

Joint statement
by Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania and the Church of Sweden.

We, 14 Bishops out of 24 from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania and the 14 Bishops from the Church of Sweden, representing two of the largest member churches of the Lutheran World Federation, have spent 24-28 August 2015 together at the Diocesan Centre in Rättvik, Sweden. The goals for our Common Bishops’ Meeting were:
To get to know each other as leaders in the one Church of Jesus Christ
To understand how context shapes our churches
To strengthen trust between church leaders and between our churches

During these days we worshipped and prayed, listened and talked to each other in smaller and bigger groups. A study visit to the Copper Mine and the Recycling Station in the city of Falun reminded us of our responsibility to be faithful stewards of creation and the resources of planet earth.
Before we leave the Common Bishops’ Meeting for visits of the ELCT bishops to the dioceses in Sweden we want to give this report:
The themes we have discussed cover leadership, common challenges facing our churches and how to maintain and promote cooperation as well as partnership between our churches. This has been done with the guidance by texts from The Book of Acts of the Apostles which describe the life of the first Christians. We focused on the following challenges for both our churches: teaching and education, poverty, discipleship, modern communication and being a church in dialogue – in society and with other religions.
We call on our churches
to give thanks to God for the gift of communion and for our journeys of learning
to persevere in mutual prayer, ministry and diaconia to the world and care for the creation
to renew and deepen our relationships being mindful of generational inclusiveness
to encourage interfaith dialogue and friendly co-existence, especially between Christians and Muslims
to give priority to education and teaching the Christian faith
to promote women in leadership
As leaders of our churches we commit ourselves
to promote mutual learning through exchange of groups, personnel and programs at national, diocesan and parish levels
to nurture discipleship and ministry of all the baptised in accordance with the principles of the Lutheran Reformation
to fight poverty, both material and spiritual
to share and respect theology shaped by our traditions and the contexts in which we live
Rättvik August 28, 2015

On behalf of
Bishop Andrew Gulle Bishop Fredrik Modéus
Bishop Job Mbwilo Bishop Ragnar Persenius
Bishop Solomon Massangwa Bishop Sven-Bernhard Fast
Bishop Fredrick Shoo Bishop Eva Brunne
Bishop Owdenburg Mdegella Bishop Eva Nordung Byström
Bishop Levis Sanga Bishop Per Eckerdal
Bishop Michael Adam Bishop Hans-Erik Nordin
Bishop Lucas Mbedule Bishop Martin Modéus
Bishop Elisa Buberwa Bishop Åke Bonnier
Bishop Stephen Munga Bishop Johan Tyrberg
Bishop Jacob Moreto Bishop Hans Stiglund
Bishop Charles Mjema Bishop Thomas Söderberg
Bishop Ambele Mwaipopo Bishop Esbjörn Hagberg

Presiding Bishop Alex Malasusa Archbishop Antje Jackelén