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New Year’s resolutions: a biblical reflection

The year often begins with making firm resolutions, taken with earnestness and commitment. The following weeks and months are familiarly littered with broken promises and failures. Successful and consistent adherence to new yearsresolutions is, from my experience, rare. To change this pattern of failure, I look to the holy scripture for help.

ZacTax Toolkit

The Zacchaeus Tax Campaign calls for a global tax and economic system that acts like Zacchaeus, the tax collector who repented of his wicked ways, which delivers equity and makes reparation for exploitation and injustice.

This ZacTax Toolkit aims to educate and enable churches to organise around the issue of tax justice, the campaign has recently released the ZacTax Toolkit. It is published by the New International Financial and Economic Architecture initiative (NIFEA), a joint effort by the Council for World Mission, Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches, and World Methodist Council. Funding is provided by Otto per Mille.

Groundbreaking global conference opens gates to a Pan-Africanism for all and with all to finally defeat scourge of racism

Over 23-29 October, a Global Conference of Africa and Africans in the Diaspora (AAD) revisited the historical 1945 Manchester Pan-African Conference and critically reviewed progress made since then. Speakers and participants also worked to determine and develop effective global strategies to radically change the lot of Africans and people of African descent globally—and thereby defeat the scourge of racism in the world.

Walk the Talk

A Toolkit to Accompany the "Roadmap for Congregations, Communities and Churches for an Economy of Life and Ecological Justice"

“Walk the Talk” builds on Roadmap for Congregations, Communities and Churches for an Economy of Life and Ecological Justice,” a 5-step programme to change the way we deal with the economy and our ecological surroundings.

This toolkit aims to enthuse congregations and churches through concrete examples of communities in action as well as offer good practices and practical materials to “walk the talk” on economic and ecological justice, in each of the areas:

  • Living in Accordance with the Covenant with God and Creation
  • Renewable Energy and Climate Protection
  • Just and Sustainable Consumption
  • Economies of Life

In Argentina, “Serving a Wounded World” is a hopeful call to collaborate

Prof. Dr h.c. Humberto Martin Shikiya, vice president of the Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Center (CREAS) In Argentina, reflects on how Serving a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian Call to Reflection and Action During COVID-19 and Beyond” is being received as a hopeful call to collaborate ecumenically and interreligiously. The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue jointly published Serving a Wounded World” to encourage churches and Christian organizations to reflect on the importance of interreligious solidarity in a world wounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because God Loves Me - Affirming My Value in Christ

“Because God Loves Me—Affirming My Value in Christ,” a new curriculum written in French that is designed to help children ages 7-12 address gender-based violence.

Though the curriculum, edited by Yvette A. Kelem and Blandine E. Ackla, was developed for use primarily with churches and church groups in Africa, it is relevant and accessible for other French-speaking populations as well.

The Christian education programme encourages the full involvement of children, adolescents and youth in becoming early proponents of nonviolence. Developed for children's Bible study leaders, teachers, parish volunteers, and others who work with children, the curriculum serves as a guide to help churches live into their responsibility to protect all children, girls and women from gender-based violence.

Arctic communities to WCC pilgrims: “We need your voice”

Lorraine Netro, who was raised in the Gwichin First Nation of Old Crow, Yukon (Canada), is part of an indigenous community—but shes also a global citizen.

Todays Arctic peoples are important members of global society,” Netro said. The survival of Arctic cultures and communities remains tied to the wildlife and landscape of the Arctic Refuge.”

As repeat hurricanes threaten, churches offer vital services in Nicaragua, Honduras

Two weeks after Hurricane Eta struck, Nicaragua and Honduras are now bracing for another massive storm, Hurricane Iota. Eta killed at least 120 people in flash floods and mudslides. By 15 November, ahead of Iota’s landfall, some 63,500 people had been evacuated in northern Honduras, and 1,500 people in Nicaragua had been moved from low-lying areas of the country's northeast. Carlos Rauda, a regional officer with ACT Alliance, offers a glimpse of this unfolding situation, and the important role of churches.

For International Orthodox Christian Charities, global partners build “information sharing, collaboration, and funding”

The World Council of Churches is publishing a series of interviews that portray insights and reflections from the leaders of faith-based global and regional humanitarian and development organizations. Constantine Triantafilou is executive director and CEO of International Orthodox Christian Charities, which offers emergency relief and development programs to those in need worldwide, without discrimination, and strengthens the capacity of the Orthodox Church to so respond.

Treatment Adherence and Faith Healing in the Context of HIV and AIDS in Africa

Training Manual for Religious Leaders

This series of manuals emerged out of the realization that exclusive claims of faith healing in the context of HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are compromising adherence to antiretroviral therapy. It recognizes that religious leaders are strategically placed to promote adherence (following through on the use of medication as suggested by a treating doctor) to antiretroviral therapy and to challenge stigma and discrimination.

The manual consists of practical, user-friendly units designed for use with faith communities, theological institutions, and theological education by extension. It is a living document and is adaptable to different contexts.

Positive Masculinities and Femininities

Handbook for Adolescents and Young People in Faith Communities in Nigeria

Continuing its mission of providing practical pastoral resources to counter HIV and AIDS, WCC’s Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Advocacy and Initiatives (WCC EHAIA) has published a half dozen manuals for addressing key concerns of those most affected by the disease. Context-driven and language-specific, the six pieces yet tackle topics pertinent to the whole of Africa and beyond and can be employed to structure workshops and to inform resource persons themselves. 

Healing Together

A Facilitator’s Resource for Ecumenical Faith and Community-Based Counselling
Fulata Lusungu Moyo

Up to 80 percent of Africans are estimated to be traumatized as a result of violence, poverty, disease, natural disasters, and other causes. As a continent where the majority of the population are young people, Africa’s adolescent population is particularly affected. Along with common causes of trauma, youth also experience many other struggles related to growing up. But this trauma often goes unaddressed, not only because sexual and gender-based violence become normalized, but also because of the lack of specific services and awareness. 

This book addresses this lack. It is an important gift to enhance the role of churches to provide wholeness.

Food and Finance

Toward Life-Enhancing Agriculture

The growing effects of global finance—both financial and philanthropic—on the sustainability of agriculture are explored in the new World Council of Churches publication “Food and Finance: Toward Life-Enhancing Agriculture,” developed together with "Bread for all" and edited by Athena Peralta.

Abundant Life

The Churches and Sexuality

Often perceived as conservative and rigid, the churches have sometimes been barriers to people’s claiming their sexuality. Yet, in their response to the crisis posed by AIDS and HIV, Christian churches have also often challenged harmful cultural practices and surmounted that stereotype. Focusing on sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), especially in African settings, this volume seeks to identify and cultivate the positive, indeed liberating, role that the churches must play.