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Palestinian to lead Lutheran World Federation

Bishop Younan

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Palestinian Bishop Munib A. Younan was elected president of the Lutheran World Federation today.

Younan, 59, is head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land. He was consecrated a bishop in 1988.

He was elected by 300 votes to 23 at LWF assembly in Stuttgart, Germany.  The federation includes 145 member churches from 79 countries.

Bishop Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has served as LWF president since 2003.

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RELATED LINKS

Jewish Press: “Anti-Zionist Palestinian bishop elected to top Lutheran post”

Lutheran World Federation: “Chocolate milk nurtures lifelong relationship with LWF”

DPA: “Palestinian elected head of global Lutheran church body”

Gettysburg Seminary blog: “Palestinian bishop elected president of the Lutheran World Federation”

Lutheran World Federation Youth blog: “Dr. Munib Younan elected president of the Lutheran World Federation”

Islamic Republic News Agency: “Palestinian bishop voted as new head of Lutherans”

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This entry was posted on Saturday, July 24th, 2010 at 12:14 pm and is filed under NALC, CORE, LCMC. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

4 Responses to “Palestinian to lead Lutheran World Federation”

  1. Susan Hogan Says:
    July 24th, 2010 at 12:44 pm

    Readers,

    Does anyone know if the president of the Lutheran World Federation receives a salary?

    Also, what was the financial arrangement for Bishop Hanson? Did he draw a full-time salary from the ELCA when much of his time was spent with the Lutheran World Federation? Did he also receive a salary from the LWF?

    I’m not suggesting that anything is amiss. I just want to understand how the duties and salaries are worked out. Can anyone shed light on this?

    Kind regards,
    Susan

  2. Chris Duckworth Says:
    July 24th, 2010 at 4:11 pm

    Question: What do you mean by saying that “much” of his time was spent with the Lutheran World Federation? Do you have a sense of how much time he spent in his capacity as President of LWF?

    Every rostered leader in the ELCA experiences the tension of service to the local congregation and service to the broader church (which is usually not compensated). How much time should a pastor of St John’s by the Gas Station spend on synod committees, or at the local soup kitchen, or in interfaith dialogue with local or regional leaders of other faiths, work that may or may not directly relate to her call at St John’s but which directly supports the mission of the broader church?

    I’m not sure this is something we can quantify by sounding hours or days. Rather, I would look at how, if at all, a pastor’s work beyond her/his primary call may have resulted in neglect of that call. Was the external work a distraction, or a faithful execution of one’s call to serve the broader church, and thus ultimately complementary of the primary call?

    I have no way of knowing if Bishop Hanson’s role as LWF President in any way distracted from his call as Presiding Bishop of the ELCA – I don’t follow his schedule or church operations that closely to really evaluate. My sense is that the Presiding Bishop’s service as LWF President was worthwhile, and the ELCA should be glad that its Presiding Bishop served the broader church in this capacity.

    Blessings to Bishop Younan in his new role.

  3. Susan Hogan Says:
    July 24th, 2010 at 4:56 pm

    Hi Chris,

    You’re reading negativity into something that wasn’t a negative statement. No one said being LWF president was a distraction.

    I’m asking a finance question. Does the LWF president get paid? How is that balanced financially with the salary they already draw? Do their denominations scale back payment?

    Nothing in those questions implies that being an LWF president isn’t worthwhile.

    Susan

  4. Susan Hogan Says:
    July 24th, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    Dear Readers,

    A reader in a position to know has sent a private note about the finances. The reader, who wishes to remain private, says that the president of the Lutheran World Federation does not receive a stipend. The president, however, is usually provided with travel and lodging expenses.

    The reader said it takes tremendous dedication for someone to take on the role of president because of the obligations of time and travel. The reader said most denominations see it as an asset for their head to serve as LWF president.

    Some Lutherans have said having Hanson in that role after the 2009 national assembly in Minneapolis was critical to maintaining global unity.

    Here’s a link to more information on the Lutheran World Federation Council: http://www.lutheranworld.org/Who_We_Are/LWF-Council.html