Global Christian Forum

The proposal for a Global Christian Forum emerged in 1998 in the context of the process of reflection on the Common Understanding and Vision of the WCC. The Global Christian Forum seeks to offer new opportunities for broadening and deepening encounters. It is especially intended to promote new relationships between and among Christian constituencies which have not been in conversation with one another. The range of Christian churches and organizations invited to participate in the Global Christian Forum includes both those who have engaged in existing ecumenical relationships, and those that are part of evangelical, pentecostal, and other constituencies. The Global Christian Forum aims at bringing together the widest possible range of Christian traditions.

The guiding purpose statement of the Global Christian Forum reads:

"To create an open space wherein representatives from a broad range of Christian churches and interchurch organizations, which confess the triune God and Jesus Christ as perfect in His divinity and humanity, can gather to foster mutual respect, to explore and address together common challenges."

In the spirit of John 17:21 "that all of them may be one so that the world may believe that you have sent me" and because of our faith in a reconciling God (2 Cor. 5:18-21) a forum could pursue the following:

• Deepen our commitment to God's word and mission in the world;
• Enhance our understanding of contemporary expressions of Christian mission;
• Pursue principles and practices that enable us to deal freely, responsibly and peaceably with our Christian differences and distinctive qualities;
• Engage in theological reflection in areas of mutual concern;
• Strengthen the wholeness of the church by encouraging communication and cooperation; and
• Foster relationships that may lead to common witness."

The first meeting on the Forum proposal took place in 1998, at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, near Geneva, Switzerland. Further consultations have been held in 2000 and 2002, at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, USA, in 2004 in Hong Kong, China SAR (Asia Consultation), in 2005 in Lusaka, Zambia (Africa Consultation), in 2006 in Warburg, Germany (Europe Consultation) and in 2007 in Santiago, Chile (Latin America Consultation).

The process of consultation has culminated in a global Forum gathering that took place on 6 - 9 November 2007 in Limuru near Nairobi, Kenya. This event brought together leaders and representatives of churches belonging to all the main traditions of the Christian family and of many international church bodies and organizations, including the Christian World Communions, the Vatican, the World Evangelical Alliance, the World Council of Churches, the Pentecostal World Fellowship, regional ecumenical and evangelical councils and alliances etc. The participants issued a "Message to all Brothers and Sisters in Christ throughout the World" strongly affirming the vision of the Forum and approved a set of proposals for the future.

The consultation process of the Global Christian Forum is under the responsibility of a continuation committee, now called GCF Committee, composed of representatives of various Christian traditions and organizations. The Global Christian Forum is not meant to become another international Christian institution. There is no organizational structure except for a small secretariat, based near Geneva, Switzerland.

The Global Christian Forum is not a membership organization. Participants in the process are churches from many Christian traditions: African Instituted, Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Disciples, Evangelical, Friends (Quakers), Holiness, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Moravian, Non- and Post-denominational, Old-Catholic, Orthodox (Eastern and Oriental), Pentecostal, Reformed, Salvation Army, Seventhday Adventist, United and Uniting (through organized Christian World Communions where applicable); regional and national councils of churches, evangelical fellowships or associations, pentecostal organizations; international ecumenical and para-church organizations; World Council of Churches, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (Roman Catholic Church), World Evangelical Alliance, Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions, Pentecostal World Fellowship etc.

The next steps in the process of the Global Christian Forum will be an evaluation of the period 1998 - 2007, including the global Forum gathering of November 2007, and a consultation to work out the plans for the five-year period 2009 - 2013.