Lutherans march against gender based violence

Today I participated in a march organised by the South Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA-SED) in cooperation with the KwaZulu Natal Christian Council (KZNCC). There were approximately 200 Lutherans who marched. Most of them were dressed in their uniforms. The march started at Shoprite in Stanger and ended at the City Hall, where the deputy mayor received a petition, signed by Bishop P P Buthelezi.

The petition was quite long. It can be summarized in these sentences:

We are deeply concerned with these countrywide increase of violence against women, the girl child and lesbians. As Church we believe that we cannot sit back whilst our young women are abducted, raped and murdered at pandemic rates.

While we walked we sang church hymns and choruses. I was amazed that one of the hymns was number 31 in Incwadi Yokuhlabelela yeBandla lamLuthere (the Zulu hymnbook). This hymn is a translation of the old hymn ‘Te Deum’.

Many of the placards picked up the theme from the
500 Years of Reformationanniversary: Liberated By God's Grace.

Bishop P P Buthelezi signs the petition.

KwaDukuza deputy mayor Dolly Govender recieves the petition.

It's easy to rekognise the Lutheran Prayer Women in their black and white uniform.