EAA - Bishop Hanson washes feet of HIV-positive women as act of humility, repentance

[Worldwide Faith News]

For immediate release
1 August 2008

Bishop washes feet of HIV-positive women as act of humility, repentance

Engaging in an act of "humility and repentance," a world church 
leader began his presentation to an international ecumenical AIDS 
conference by washing the feet of two women living with HIV.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church in America (ELCA), Chicago, and president of the Lutheran 
World Federation, Geneva, washed the feet of Herlyn Marja Uiras and 
Sophie Dilmitis.

Uiras, Churches United Against HIV and AIDS in Southern and Eastern 
Africa, and Dilmitis, World YWCA, Geneva, were presenters at the 
Ecumenical Pre-Conference taking place in Mexico July 31-August 
2.  More than 500 people are attending the conference which precedes 
the International AIDS Conference, beginning Augst 3.

Hanson was part of a plenary session addressing stigmatization and 
discrimination against people living with HIV or AIDS.  He said 
washing the womens' feet was the only way he could begin his remarks 
with integrity.

"I am absolutely convinced that we as religious leaders, and we in 
the religious community that so shunned and shamed people with HIV 
and struggling with AIDS . must begin first by engaging in public 
acts of repentance. Because absent public acts of repentance, I fear 
our words will not be trusted," he said.

Many participants expressed appreciation to Hanson for his act, but 
Hanson told the audience the point of his action was to focus 
attention on Uiras and Dilmitis, and people living with HIV or those with AIDS.

He told the story of an HIV-positive woman who became a Lutheran 
pastor. He said he hoped for the day when full participation of 
people living with HIV in communities of faith is an expectation, not 
an exception.

Male heterosexual religious leaders must be willing to talk openly 
and vulnerably about their own sexuality rather than about that of 
people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, Hanson said. 
Human sexuality must not be a "church defining, church dividing 
issue," because the "good news" of Jesus Christ defines the church, he said.

Religious leaders hold the key to doing away with stigma and guilt, 
Dilmitis said. She asked the audience to imagine high-profile 
religious leaders speaking out on proven methods to prevent HIV and 
AIDS, such as condoms.

Dilmitis who has been living with HIV for 14 years, said her faith in 
the power of religious leaders was restored when she visited a church 
in Stommen, Norway, that accepts people with HIV and drug users, and 
offers spiritual and emotional support.
"The energy of acceptance and love I felt there was godly and this is 
how relationships should be between people living with HIV and 
religious leaders," she said.

She suggested four strategies for building relationships between 
religious leaders and people living with HIV: speaking out about HIV; 
accepting, understanding and empathizing with people living with HIV; 
acknowledging that people of faith are sometimes stigmatized; and 
learning more about HIV.

Stigmatization and discrimination is "more devastating that the 
disease itself," said Emilio Alvarez Icaza Longoria, president, 
Commission on Human Rights, Mexico City. He said the exercise of 
human rights is directly affected by stigmatization and 
discrimination. Such behavior, "goes against the principle of human 
dignity," he said.

People of faith should advocate for the right to health care for all 
people, Longorias said. "The right to public health is not just about 
not getting sick.  It has to do with the best possible health," he said.

Notes for Media
Extensive coverage, including photos, news, features, video and 
audio, of faith-based participation at the International AIDS 
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Webcast: All Ecumenical Pre-conference plenary sessions are being 
webcast by Kaiser Network at: 
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/ecumenical/31jul08

To set up interviews or for more information contact Sara Speicher, 
sspeicher at e-alliance.ch ,  +521 55 1246 6140 (until 9 August)

The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance is a broad international network of 
churches and Christian organizations cooperating in advocacy on 
global trade and HIV and AIDS. The Alliance is based in Geneva, 
Switzerland. For more information, see http://www.e-alliance.ch/