News in brief WCC salutes Ingrid Betancourt's liberation, calls for other hostages to be released
The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia expressed "joy" at the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages in Colombia today. Welcoming the liberation "as an important step in a yet uncompleted process", Kobia called upon the FARC "to release hostages on a humanitarian basis".
1. Июля 08
Winning essays on prospects for ecumenism: "gifts of inspiration and leadership"
Ideas for "bringing unity down to earth", "communicative action" and a "theology of the wilderness" were among the winning entries submitted for an essay contest on Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century. The winners, two women and four men, come from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.
25. Июня 08
Orthodox women: church participation improved but concerns remain
Over the last decade, Orthodox women reached significant milestones regarding their participation in church life, but many of their concerns have not yet been fully addressed, an international gathering of Orthodox women stated.
World ecumenical bodies request international community to scale up efforts in Zimbabwe
Two international ecumenical bodies called on the UN, the South African Development Community and the African Union "to increase [their] efforts to address the rapidly deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe". Emergency aid, postponement of the run-off election and the responsibility of the international community to intervene in protection of the people are amongst the main concerns.
19. Июня 08
Following Jesus into virtual space
As the internet has developed into a social network where individuals as well as institutions exchange ideas via text, sound and pictures, churches face new opportunities and challenges. At the 13th European Christian Internet Conference in Lyon, France, 13-17 June, participants came from as far away as Iceland and Romania to share their views on how the churches should be "following Jesus into virtual space", as one of the keynote lecturers put...
17. Июня 08
Pray for Zimbabwe, WCC invites churches worldwide
Churches worldwide are being invited to celebrate a day of prayer for Zimbabwe on Sunday, 22 June, as the beginning of a season of prayer for the people and government of the African country, which is facing a critical time.
5. Июня 08
Greed-driven global food crisis demands immediate church attention
With an estimated 850 million people suffering from hunger worldwide, nine out of ten of which live in developing countries, "the scandal of hunger demands the immediate attention of the churches", affirmed today in a statement the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia.
4. Июня 08
Philippine government should be held accountable on human rights record, UN body is told
Philippine human rights activists reiterated their call on the UN Human Rights Council to "keep pursuing our government to stop the extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations". The UN body is meeting in Geneva 2-18 June.
29. Мая 08
Churches applaud cluster munitions agreement, expect more states to join
"Churches around the world are much encouraged" by the multilateral agreement on cluster munitions reached Wednesday in Dublin, and now look with expectation to "powerful governments that have not been at the negotiating table", said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a comment on the agreement today.
28. Мая 08
Myanmar theological education disrupted by Cyclone Nargis
Amongst the widespread devastation disseminated by Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar theological institutions were not spared their share of damage and loss.