Search results

As a retired person in his late 60s, Frederick “Fred” Rainger often asks himself: ”what can I stop doing?” His days are filled with engagements in community activities and it hasn’t gotten any less busy since he became more involved in the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network (PIEN), a network of Australian Christians seeking lasting peace for the people of Palestine and Israel.

The Philippines has long been noticed for crimes committed against its people, but now human rights violations of the government of President Roderigo Duterte are coming under scrutiny at the Human Rights Council after submissions made by church-backed civil society groups.

To galvanize the international community on the worsening human rights situation in the Philippines, the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, hosted a photo exhibit on 4-5 May.

Eighteen representatives from theological institutions in Asia met in Bangkok, Thailand, from 17-20 April at a consultation on “Ecumenical Theological Education and Contextual Theologies in Asia” convened by the Ecumenical Theological Education department of the WCC with the support of the Foundation for Theological Education in South East Asia, and in collaboration with theological associations and institutions in Asia.

Eighteen women theologians from Africa and Asia began a journey of reflection and action around the theme “Women’s Mentoring for Ecumenical Leadership” in a 20-22 April consultation in Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting was convened by the WCC department on Ecumenical Theological Education and supported by the Foundation for Theological Education in Southeast Asia.

Dieciocho teólogas africanas y asiáticas emprendieron un viaje de reflexión y acción en torno al tema de “La orientación de las mujeres en el liderazgo ecuménico”, en una consulta que tuvo lugar del 20 al 22 de abril en Bangkok (Tailandia). La reunión fue organizada por el departamento de Educación Teológica Ecuménica del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) y contó con el apoyo de la Fundación para la Educación Teológica de Asia Sudoriental.

Athena Peralta is dedicated to observing and encouraging people who are defending their livelihood and defending creation across the world. “There is so much injustice in this world that it is really something beautiful to learn about and be able to accompany, even in tiny ways, struggles of communities and churches,” she said.

Religious leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region met in Bangkok on 6 and 7 December to develop a regional strategy for the prevention of incitement to violence that could lead to atrocity crimes. Religious leaders and actors from thirteen countries took part in the meeting from the Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim faiths. The meeting was organised by the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect in collaboration with the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Religious leaders, scholars and representatives of faith based organizations from the Asia-Pacific region will meet on 6 and 7 December 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss the role of religious actors in preventing and responding to incitement to violence that could lead to atrocity crimes, and develop a regional plan of action for the prevention of incitement.

The upcoming 500th anniversary of the Reformation represents a chance for the church to reflect on the lessons of past and take a critical look at what may be barriers to relationships between different denominations, according to general secretary of the World Council of Churches.

Four short videos sharing challenges and examples of how churches and church leaders can make a profound difference in global efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat are now available for individual inspiration and group discussion.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit completed his visit to Australia this week, where he offered a sermon at St Stephens Uniting Church in Sydney.

The general secretary of the WCC, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, opened his ecumenical and interfaith tour of New Zealand and Australia on 6 October. The first stop was Auckland with a powhiri at Te Karaiti Te Pou Herenga Waka Maori Anglican church in Mangere. Tveit will visit the region between 6-17 October.

"We worship in different languages and cultures, yet all one in Christ. This is an immensely enriching experience,” said Dr Jude Long, principal of Nungalinya College, in Darwin, Australia, as she explored spirituality with indigenous people from across the world this week.

“Practicamos el culto en diferentes idiomas y desde diferentes culturas, pero todos somos uno en Cristo. Y esa es una experiencia muy enriquecedora”, afirmó esta semana la Dra. Jude Long, directora de la Escuela de Nungalinya, en Darwin, Territorio del Norte (Australia), al hacer un análisis de la espiritualidad junto a poblaciones indígenas de todo el mundo.

The “Exclusion and Embrace Conference: Disability, Justice and Spirituality” was held in Melbourne, Australia 20-24 August. The multi-faith conference explored the issues of faith and meaning in the lived experience of disability. Participants discussed ethics, care, inclusion in faith communities, friendship, discrimination, love, justice and liberation. Dr Samuel Kabue, executive secretary of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, gave a presentation entitled “Disability/Theology in curriculum of Theological Institutions.”

La conferencia “Exclusión y acogida: discapacidad, justicia y espiritualidad” tuvo lugar en Melbourne (Australia) del 20 al 24 de agosto. La conferencia multirreligiosa analizó cuestiones relacionadas con la fe y el sentido de la experiencia de vivir una discapacidad. Los participantes hablaron sobre ética, asistencia, inclusión en comunidades religiosas, amistad, discriminación, amor, justicia y liberación. El Dr. Samuel Kabue, secretario ejecutivo de la Red Ecuménica de Defensa de las Personas Discapacitadas (EDAN) del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), hizo una presentación titulada “Discapacidad/teología en los programas de estudios de las instituciones teológicas”.

At a time when Indigenous communities worldwide struggle for recognition, survival and the right to exist as distinct and self-determined peoples, the WCC convenes a consultation on Indigenous Spirituality and Theology, in Darwin, Australia (NT).

En un momento en que las comunidades indígenas del mundo luchan por el reconocimiento, la supervivencia y el derecho a la libre determinación como pueblos distintos, el CMI organiza una consulta sobre espiritualidad indígena y teología, en Darwin (Australia).

Thirty-five years into the response to HIV and AIDS, it remains a disease that not only thrives on, but exploits the lines of exclusion and inequality in society. In the Philippines, where there has been an alarming increase in people testing positive for HIV, the country’s National Council of Churches recognized that more than words were needed. While dialogue and debate were important, they needed to translate into action, given the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor in Filipino society, and a faith-based and societal milieu still dominated by a sex-negative theology.