Soto Albrecht represents Anabaptist world
at global meeting on violence against women
DUNDEE, Scotland — Mennonite World Conference selected Elizabeth Soto Albrecht as its representative to a pioneering consultation here in August 2001 on violence against women.
The World Council of Churches invited 15 major Christian denominations worldwide to send representatives
to the event, a part of the Decade to Overcome Violence (2001-2010). In this decade, WCC is encouraging churches and communities to acknowledge all aspects of violence and to build a culture of peace.
MWC chose Soto Albrecht because of her links to two MWC churches, Mennonite Church USA and the
Colombia Mennonite Church. In addition, she has had training in and has worked at addressing sexual abuse and domestic violence. Under Mennonite Central Committee's Women's Concerns, she developed theological material for use in Hispanic churches, worked with Hispanic
church leaders, and served as a resource person in Central America. Soto Albrecht is currently on a new MCC assignment in Colombia as a
community worker and seminary teacher.
Soto Albrecht was the only woman at the conference with a Latin background and experience. Most of the
participants came from Europe with fewer than one third from Third World countries. They included pastors, laypersons, teachers and theologians, all chosen by their denominations.
Participants discussed how their communions were working to help overcome sexual abuse in homes and
church institutions and what can be done together and individually on these issues. Soto Albrecht read a statement produced by the MWC
Peace Council in Guatemala on working with families to overcome violence.
In her report to MWC she said: "The time is right for our members to use our wonderful Anabaptist theological
heritage of peace and nonviolence and give witness to this hurting world. … The time is fertile to work at building a peace culture that will reflect the values of the kingdom of God."
The Dundee consultation confirmed for Soto Albrecht that, while many women around the world are working
to overcome violence against women and children, some denominations do not take the issue seriously. One delegate's story of being raped by an elder in her church moved her deeply.
"It became clear to us that we must work in the preventive as well as the intervention stage so this type of
abuse does not happen in our churches," she says. She hopes the issue can be on the agenda at the Africa 2003 assembly.
MWC president gives peace statement
at international prayer gathering in Italy
ASSISI, Italy — Mesach Krisetya, MWC president, was one of dozens of leaders of world religions brought together by Pope John Paul II on January 24, 2002, for a Day of Prayer for Peace in the World. The invitation went to heads of Christian
denominations from Orthodox to Evangelical to Quaker and to leaders of the Jewish and Muslim faiths and of several Eastern religions.
At a final service in a lamp-lit tent on the hill at the Basilica of St. Francis, 10 of the leaders each read one
statement from 10 common commitments to peace in his own language. Just prior to a concluding statement from the pontiff, Krisetya, who
was selected by the Pope for the honour, made a separate declaration: "We, as persons of different religious traditions, will tirelessly proclaim
that peace and justice are inseparable and that peace in justice is the only path which humanity can take towards a future of hope. … We are
convinced that security, freedom and peace will never be guaranteed by force, but by mutual trust."
Pope John Paul II, head of the global Catholic church, then said, "Violence never again! War never again!
Terrorism never again! In God's name, may all religions bring upon earth justice, peace, forgiveness, life, and love."
Krisetya spent a day with Mennonite church leaders in Palermo before returning to his home in Indonesia. He
said he hopes that MWC, particularly by working with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, can help the Italian Mennonite
church gain official recognition. He also said his presence at the Day of Prayer for Peace in the World was to demonstrate the Mennonite
commitment to peace.
