'Good works' call

The president of the Lutheran World Federation, speaking at a convocation ceremony Friday, called on students, faculty and regents at California Lutheran University to be engaged in the world, both in acts of courage and in acts of reconciliation.

The Rev. Mark Hanson spoke at the annual Founders Day Convocation, where the Thousand Oaks university installed its six regents and celebrated its history.

"The church is not a refuge from the world; it's an instrument to go into the world — to strive for justice and peace," Hanson told the crowd filling Samuelson Chapel. "God doesn't need our good works, but our neighbor does."

Hanson also is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

All of us, no matter what our profession, have a responsibility to help end suffering in the world, Hanson told his audience. We also must offer public acts of repentance and reconciliation, he said, citing a graduation ceremony where he washed the feet of two American Indian students.

Americans particularly must learn to see themselves through the eyes of others, he said.

"Most Americans want to be seen as generous people, a freedom-loving people committed to democracy," Hanson said. "And we can be that. But often we are seen as a people mesmerized by our military might and preoccupied with position and profits in the globalized economy."

At the ceremony, CLU also honored the Rev. Lauren (Bud) Egdahl, presenting him the Christus Award. The award, which first was given in 1992, recognizes Egdahl's work building relationships between CLU and the Lutheran church.

Egdahl is an original member of the California Lutheran Educational Foundation, which was formed in 1957 to promote the development of the university.

Egdahl has a "deep and lifelong commitment to Lutheran education," said the Rev. Howard Wennes, interim president, in presenting the honor.

One new regent was installed Friday. He is Dennis Erickson, a retired physicist from Los Alamos, N.M. Regents, the governing body of the university, serve three-year terms. They can serve up to three terms.