The Faith and Order movement is integral to the World Council of Churches. Its aim has always been, and still is, "to proclaim the oneness of the church of Jesus Christ and to call the churches to the goal of visible unity".
The chief means of achieving this goal is through study programmes dealing with theological questions that divide the churches.
The Faith and Order Plenary Commission meets once every six to eight years, approximately midway between WCC assemblies, and has 120 members. These are men and women from around the world - pastors, laypersons, academics, church leaders - each nominated by his or her church. Faith and Order also enjoys full membership and participation of several churches who are not members of the World Council of Churches, among them the Roman Catholic Church.
Thirty members of the Faith and Order commission constitute the Faith and Order standing commission that meets just prior to the Plenary Commission.
The last meeting of the Faith and Order commission took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2004.
