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The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary welcomed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Dialogue on Protection Challenges with the theme of "Faith and Protection" which was held on 12-13 December 2012 at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

Clare Amos, of the World Council of Churches (WCC) staff, is the recipient of a Lambeth Doctorate in Divinity, awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. The title was recently conferred in recognition of Amos’ long-term contributions to ecumenical engagement, inter-religious relations and theological education.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit expressed “deepest sorrow” on the death of Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim) of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. He passed away on 5 December in Lebanon, at age 92.Â

The Rev. Dr Kenneth Cragg, who died on 13 November at the age of 99, is recalled by the general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) as one of the pioneers of the modern ecumenical approach to inter-religious dialogue and cooperation, and especially to improved Christian-Muslim relations.

After a four year interval the World Council of Council (WCC) and the Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue (CID) in Tehran, Iran, have recommenced their meetings for bi-lateral dialogue.

By Naveen Qayyum (*)

While accusations of blasphemy in Pakistan have once again captured the news headlines, Bishop Samuel Azariah, moderator of the Church of Pakistan, hopes for the Pakistani government to consider repealing the controversial clause in the Pakistan Penal Code which, he says, invokes misuse of the blasphemy law.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has expressed great “regret” on the making of the film “The Innocence of Muslims”. He called the film an “an insult to the heart of the Muslim faith” and “to all peoples of faith.”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary has hailed the appointment of Dr Tarek Mitri as the United Nations secretary general’s special representative in Libya, a decision announced on 12 September at the UN Security Council meeting.

The question of who is your enemy is one that touches everyone in the world particularly in a place like Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina which suffered a devastating civil war nearly two decades ago.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee has adopted a statement expressing concern on abductions, forced marriages and forced conversions of young women from Christian and Hindu communities in Pakistan.

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has expressed its support for the active participation of Christians in Myanmar who promote peace at the grass-roots level.

“Quite often, it is not the relationship between the Muslim majority and the Christian minority that was, and is, at stake but justice, political participation, human rights and national dignity,” said Dr Tarek Mitri. He added that “community-specific anxiety could not overshadow the common worries of Christians and Muslims" in the Middle East.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) “ is defined by all the three key words in our name. We are global, in all continents, and therefore also in solidarity with one another, seeking peace in all its meaning for the whole earth,” said the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

“Profound acceptance of the others, and a willingness to be open to unity in diversity will uphold values of reconciliation, peace and security in any society and community,” said Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to the participants of international consultation on “Peace, Security and Reconciliation in Myanmar”, organized by the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

“As women, we have a bond that helps us to engage in interfaith dialogue at the grassroots level in communities. Together we can identify the issues that concern all of us,” said the Rev. Krise Anki Gosal from the Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa, Indonesia.

The present issue of Current Dialogue focuses on “Christian self-understanding in the context of Islam” from diverse theological and academic perspectives. The journal features various articles offering analysis based on the outcomes of intra-Christian consultations held over the last few years.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought (RABIIT) on 12 July issued a report on their joint commitment to help in resolving the tensions in Nigeria. The report reflects a new Christian-Muslim model of cooperation for peace between religions and further interfaith dialogue.

World Council of Churches (WCC) participants in the Rio+20 Conference have joined a broad religious coalition in rejecting the official outcome document of the United Nations-sponsored event.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has been playing an active role in the two major events that are taking place in Rio from 12 to 23 June: the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as Rio+20, and the People’s Summit.