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Calgary, Alberta, Canada was the site of a consultation on poverty, wealth and ecology that has issued a series of calls to action and reflection in a time of global financial crisis, environmental threat, and resistance to the ways of Wall Street and its allied economic structures. Representatives of North American churches urged their ecumenical and interfaith partners

By Mathews George Chunakara (*)

On 3 November, the Rev. Dr Walter Altmann, moderator of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), met with the Brazilian minister for human rights, Maria do Ros

Metropolitan Damaskinos of Andrianople, who died on 5 November at the age of 75, has been described as a world-renowned theologian, eminent professor, prolific writer, respected church leader, beloved pastor and esteemed ecumenist. This tribute appears in a memorial letter from the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Dr Marlon Weichert, a prominent Brazilian human rights advocate, visited the World Council of Churches (WCC) offices in Geneva on Tuesday, 8 November. In an interview, he appreciated the role of churches in assisting Brazil as it comes to terms with its painful past and envisions a better future. A truth commission in Brazil, he says, will start to make sense when churches continue using faith values in protecting human rights.

Dr. Sarojini Nadar ist eine Theologin und Wissenschaftlerin aus Südafrika, die sich seit vielen Jahren mit den Themen Geschlechter, Religion und Gesundheit beschäftigt. Derzeit arbeitet sie als Dozentin und Direktorin des Programms Gender and Religion (Geschlecht und Religion) der School of Religion and Theology an der Universität von KwaZulu-Natal. Nadar hat sich sehr stark bei den Kirchen dafür eingesetzt, das Bewusstsein für die Gesundheit von Frauen in den Gemeinwesen zu stärken, patriarchalische Werte zu hinterfragen und für Geschlechtergerechtigkeit zu arbeiten.

Representatives of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Roman Catholic Church met in Malta from 31 October to 5 November in the final consultation of their Joint Working Group before the 10th Assembly of the WCC convenes at Busan, Republic of Korea in October 2013. The group is preparing a report on relations between Roman Catholics and the WCC since the 9th Assembly in February 2006.

With environmental disasters impacting community lives in acute ways around the globe, churches from India and other countries gathered in Chennai, last week to reaffirm their commitment to climate justice.Â

Reflections on the recent “Arab spring” and young people’s involvement in the challenges of a changing ecumenical landscape were the focus of discussions in a recent meeting of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Echos – Commission on youth in the ecumenical movement.

Whether facilitating training, translating information, or distributing printed materials, Deolinda Dorcas Teca is determined to help craft the tools people in the Portuguese language region of Africa will use to face the challenges of HIV and AIDS.

From Durban in South Africa to Busan in South Korea, water must be high on the agenda of international summits, conferences and church assemblies, according to participants in the Ecumenical Water Network Forum.

Dr Sarojini Nadar is a theologian from South Africa working on the issues of gender, religion and health for many years. She is currently serving as senior lecturer and director of the Gender and Religion programme, School of Religion and Theology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Nadar has been deeply involved with churches to raise awareness about women

Given the significant role played by the young people in pursuit of peace in communities, the WCC features reflections from eight young people from around the world in its new book Echos for Peace, addressing the issues of global peace, justice and nonviolence, launched recently at the meeting of Echos Commission on Youth in the Ecumenical Movement in Lebanon last week.

Der Ökumenische Rat der Kirchen (ÖRK) lanciert eine Reihe von Bibelmeditationen über geschlechtsspezifische Gesundheitsfragen sowie über reproduktive und sexuelle Gesundheit. Er lädt alle Gemeinden und Christen ein, den November zu einem Monat des Nachdenkens über Gesundheit und Heilung zu machen.

Dr. Rommel F. Linatoc äußerte sich anlässlich des Globalen Forums des Ökumenischen Wassernetzwerks in einem Interview zu Fragen des Wassers und der sanitären Grundversorgung in den Philippinen und stellte das kirchliche Engagement in einen ökumenischen Kontext. Das Thema des Forums, das vom 25. bis 27. Oktober in Kenias Hauptstadt Nairobi stattfand, lautete „Wie ein Baum, am Wasser gepflanzt“.

A series of Biblical meditations on gender, reproductive and sexual health is being launched by the World Council of Churches (WCC), inviting congregations and individual Christians to make November a month of reflection on health and healing.

Participants in the second Africa Human Rights Defenders Training in West Africa organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) have called on faith-based institutions to use their constituencies to uphold human rights and dignity. They have expressed concern on failures in the justice system and denial of human dignity to the majority of people in the Mano River Union countries.

Wilhelm Pierola Iturralde is the president of the Bolivian Association "Joining Hands for Life", an initiative of the Presbyterian Hunger Programme which works closely with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to address water problems in Bolivia. Iturralde was one of the participants at the Global Forum of the Ecumenical Water Network in Kenya, Nairobi.

Während eines interreligiösen Treffens in Assisi, das von Papst Benedikt XVI einberufen wurde, erklärte der Generalsekretär des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (ÖRK): „das Kreuz ist nicht für Kreuzzüge da, es ist vielmehr ein Zeichen für Gottes Liebe, die allen gilt“. Er würdigte die Rolle „junger Menschen für Wandel“, die nach Frieden streben, und rief religiöse Führungspersonen auf, sich für Dialog einzusetzen, um Konflikte anzusprechen und „den anderen“ zu akzeptieren.

Rev. Canon Dr Ezekiel Olusegun Babatunde, a theologian from Immanuel College of Theology and director of the Institute of Church and Society of the Christian Council of Nigeria speaks about the attempts to provide clean and safe drinking water to communities seeking partnership with the government in Nigeria.