Churches and ecumenical organizations discuss the challenges of involvement in public politics

Bottom of photo (Bishop Mauricio) The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and Pastor Carlos Möeller directed a Biblical-theological foundation to guide the discussions.

Salvador/Bahia/Brazil/ALC

Deepening the discussions and intensifying the exchange of experiences of churches and ecumenical organizations in the processes of public political involvement.

Those are some of the objectives of the “Churches and Public Involvement in Brazil” Seminar, which was held at the end of March at the Enilson Rocha Souza Auditorium, by the Ecumenical Service Coordinator (CESE) in Salvador, Bahia Province.  The activity is a joint program of CESE with the Ecumenical Regional Center for Advising and Service (CREAS – a South American organization whose headquarters are in Argentina) and the Institute for Communication Studies (IEC) of Peru, and forms part of a program which already had activities in Peru, Argentina, and Colombia.

Worth highlighting among the topics discussed during the first day of the meeting are: the inclusion of churches and ecumenical organizations in networks to promote and strengthen the role of civil society in the process of participation in public politics, and the more efficient use of the power of communications regarding these social subjects while being an instrument which strengthens the citizenry.

After a discussion about public involvement and churches in Latin America led by Humberto Shikiya, Director of CREAS, Mauricio Andrade, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, and Pastor Carlos Möeller directed a Biblical-theological foundation to guide the discussions.

Four experiences of activities of churches and ecumenical organizations were presented, which had direct repercussions for the sphere of public political involvement in different areas such as HIV/AIDS, collectors of recyclable material, and land and water rights.

The activity brought together close to 25 representatives and leaders of historical Christian churches and ecumenical organizations from Brazil and other Latin American countries.  The goal is to map, analyze, and strengthen the ability of boards and national councils of churches, as well as organizations linked to the ecumenical movement on the continent, to intervene, dialogue, and articulate, so that they can play an active role in the creation and accompaniment of public policies in each one of those countries.

Besides CESE, CREAS and the IEC, participants also included the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) – Brazil Region, the National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil – CONIC, the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil – CNBB, the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil – IEAB, the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil  - IECLB, the Methodist Church – IM, the United Presbyterian Church of Brazil – IPU, the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil – IPIB, the Lutheran Foundation of Diakonia – FLD, Diakonia, Koinonia – Ecumenical Presence and Service, and Red Hable – Uniting Voices for Justice.