News
See WCC Press Update pu-04-45 of 1 October 2004
An intensive schedule of meetings between Dr. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and the Canadian churches culminated on Sunday 2 October in Ottawa. Speaking at a city-wide ecumenical service in Southminster United Church, Kobia outlined his understanding of a changing ecumenism which, he said, is characterized by increased bilateral dialogue, fewer multilateral structures, the shift of Christianity from North to South and a growing hunger for spirituality. He also emphasized that ecumenical worship is a concrete manifestation of the movement towards unity.
On his last full day in Canada before leaving on 4 October for Atlanta to meet with US churches, Kobia earlier celebrated Global Communion Sunday in Parkwood Presbyterian Church in Ottawa.
Kobia’s visit to Canada began in Toronto on 1 October, where he made a major presentation on the "Impact of Interfaith Relations on Ecumenical Theology and Practice" to mark the 40th anniversary of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism.
"Greater awareness [in the last three decades] of religious plurality invited a new approach to the realities of our world. It has questioned some of our theological categories and language and put to the test the commitment of Christians to the common good of their societies," the general secretary said.
Kobia said efforts to prevent polarization between religious communities at an international level are more important than ever before. The global media encourage people to perceive conflict in one place as conflict everywhere, causing enmities to spill over into other regions. "There is a need to de-globalize situations of conflict and to analyze each one within its own context."
He told the audience of clergy, theologians and students that "we [Christians] are not to stand in judgement of others. We need to reassure our partners in dialogue that we are sincere and open in our wish to walk together towards the fullness of truth… as we struggle together with others in a world torn apart by rivalries and wars, social disparities and economic injustices."
Kobia urged the Canadian ecumenical community and the council of churches not to be discouraged when dialogue fails to meet their highest wishes. "The impact of dialogue in the context of conflicts may disappoint high expectations. When it is unable to quell conflict, its relevance is questioned. However, by its very nature interreligious dialogue is not an instrument to resolve problems instantly in emergency situations,” Kobia stated.
The general secretary, making his first official visit to Canada 30 September to 4 October, spent the day of 1 October with the leaders of three large member churches of the WCC - the Anglican Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church in Canada and the United Church of Canada - and their staff members in Toronto. He also addressed an ecumenical dinner, where he praised the Canadian Council of Churches’ (CCC) model of collaboration between Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Roman Catholic churches and similarly the ecumenical justice coalition "Kairos", where economic, social and environmental issues are addressed and acted upon only with the full support of all denominations.
During the following two days Kobia met with students of African descent attending several of Toronto's well-known theological colleges, which work together through the Toronto School of Theology. He told the students, from Africa as well as from other countries of the South, about the Focus on Africa programme of the WCC, the Decade to Overcome Violence, and the programme dealing with issues of racial violence and the African-American contribution to non-violent change.
On 4 October, before leaving for the United States, Kobia will take part in an all-day forum on dialogue in Ottawa organized by the CCC, which counts 19 member churches including the Roman Catholic Church.