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"I am delighted to present our heartiest congratulations as you gather to celebrate your 75th anniversary and to offer profound thanks for our decades of ecumenical collaboration in realizing God’s reign and serving humanity,” said Pillay. “You have graced the worldwide ecumenical movement with dedicated staff, theological enrichment, generous support, and collaborative programming.”
Pillay noted that, in an era of fragmentation and polarization, unity is indispensable.
“Meeting this moment requires not just resisting the powers but also reaching out to find and foster shared values with those with whom we may disagree,” he said. “Far from being otherworldly and divorced from politics, Christian faith is inescapably tied to the societal quest for freedom and dignity because all humans bear the image of God’s own self.”
Pillay noted that the image of God in us grounds our dignity and worth.
“Although the present crisis is in some respects unprecedented—not only for the United States but also globally—the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA has always been a moral beacon and a practical guide for Christians, for the churches, and for larger society,” he said. “It has stepped up in each era to meet the challenges posed in turn by the McCarthy era, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, the nuclear threat, the environmental crisis, the struggle for women’s rights, and so much more.”
Pillay reflected that the United States is experiencing autocratic rule. "We must not allow the message of Jesus to be betrayed, misconstrued, or twisted to marginalize the poor, deport the alien, demonize the other, or justify deep prejudice and racism,” he said. “It is a travesty for Christians to invoke God’s name as they pursue policies and plans that countenance prejudice and fuel hostility.”
