Gender as a new dimension of ecumenical work and engagement in the Lutheran World Federation

Gender justice is needed to secure development, future steps ahead – this is more and more a common conviction – but that the LWF changes the constitution and is adding gender justice as one of the Nature and Functions of the LWF in the constitution next to social and economic justice is indicating that the LWF is indeed striving for is a new dimension and values the importance of the issue on a constitutional level. As long as women have not the same changes, as long as no gender sensitive perspective is added to the implementing factors in the diaconical work, as long as a gender policy is just on the paper, nothing has changed. Against these realities the 12^th assembly of the LWF took this bold steps. It goes along with a clear 40-40-20 presentation in elections to the bodies: 40% women and men and 20% youth. So the LWF sets a clear and profound gender agenda to improve not only the work in the world wide diaconical programs but also in the programmatic departments e.g. education as well as in the leading structures. The LWF women group and the gender desk have taken up the issues, they are helping churches to translate the gender policy and is open even encouraging churches and members to take the LWF policy and either to adapt it as the own one for to change is accordingly to the respective situation of the own church. There is no “must” – that churches have to accept it, but it is a friendly reminder and offer to take it and to join in the gender discussions - to take up the drive… Different to UEM this approach might be successful on a broader level – already more than 30 translations of the policy are there - that the policy is spread and more and more are talking about gendered approaches. With the gender talk - and this was mentioned as well – the special focus on women, the still unequal distribution of positions, wealth and influence has to be discussed and addressed and not forgotten over any general gender talk! In this sense it would be good if LWF and UEM and perhaps also the WCRC can join forces and power and creative minds to organize a workshop together to establish and discuss a possible curriculum for a course on gender and theology. – in some colleagues we are teaching such kind of courses, but everyone is doing this more on her/ his own – a greater church/ mission organizational gender network would make sense. And: together we can make it to gain more gender justice! Rev. Ute Hedrich (MÖWe, Protestant Church from Westphalia, Germany)