Lutheran World Federation shows courage

The plenary assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in the German city of Stuttgart has nominated Bishop Munib Younan to be its new president. He takes over from US Bishop Mark Hanson as the spiritual leader of 70 million Evangelical-Lutheran Christians worldwide. Younan's election was controversial but a good choice, writes the daily Südwest Presse: "It took courage for the assembly of the Lutherans to attach greater value to the peacemaking influence of the Palestinian Christian than the political damage that Younan's unbending commitment to the rights of the Palestinian people could cause. Can he be blamed for not being able to ignore the restricted freedom, the destroyed homes and the separated families? The Lutherans have decided to give the message Younan's appointment sends priority over the risks. And this is good: no one else could better represent the claim of Martin Luther's church to be a voice for global justice against oppression and exploitation."

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