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By Fredrick Nzwili*

By Fredrick Nzwili (*)

As Kenyan churches are struggling to help prevent the country from descending into genocide, they envision a long term healing effort that will require the sustained engagement of international ecumenical partners.

Churches working for peace amidst a wave of post electoral violence in Kenya will receive a pastoral and solidarity visit of an international ecumenical delegation sent by the World Council of Churches (WCC) from 30 January to 3 February.

The news of the death of His Beatitude Christodoulos, Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, who died yesterday at his home in Psyhico (Athens) at the age of 69, was received with "deep sadness" by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia. In a condolence letter to the Church of Greece, which the late archbishop had led since 1998, Kobia paid tribute to "a gifted head of church, an Orthodox primate looking at the modern world in an interesting and challenging way, a church leader committed to walk the path of Christian unity with courage and vision, perseverance and patience, care and humility."

Celebrating a 60th birthday for some is a milestone marked by visions of retirement - celebrating achievements and dreaming of new endeavours. The WCC, however, on its 60th "birthday" in 2008 does not want to rest on past feats as it looks ahead to the challenges of the 21st century. The largest, most inclusive fellowship of churches in the world, and the pre-eminent face of 20th century ecumenism, is grappling with a very different world today - politically, economically, religiously - than the one it faced following the second world war.

"With his analytical mind, great theological knowledge and deep engagement for the unity and common witness of the church, which was always combined with his passion for justice and peace, [Konrad Raiser] has made significant and remarkable contributions to the development of the World Council of Churches and the ecumenical movement in the last four decades," wrote WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a letter of congratulation to the organizers of a Symposium honouring Raiser on his 70th birthday, which he celebrates today, January 25th.

At today's ecumenical Vespers service presided by Pope Benedict XVI, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia underlined the importance of "a church that is one and united in its witness" to a world marked by violence and disunity.  The service in Rome marked the conclusion of the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

A number of major international Christian youth movements and organizations called for stronger efforts towards unity in a joint statement issued on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Addressed to the heads of the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, Christian World Communions and Regional Ecumenical Organizations, the statement asks them to "share ecumenical dialogue with young people" and expresses the commitment of the signatories to "raise awareness of the importance of Christian unity among young people".

In a statement issued yesterday, the heads of churches in Jerusalem and the Holy Land called on the international community and the state of Israel to end the current siege on the Gaza Strip which has caused most recently cuts in electricity and limited the shipments of medicine, fuel, food and other goods across the border.

Pope Benedict XVI and Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, the general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), along with high-level representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC, will meet in Rome on Friday, 25 January 2008, at the centennial of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

In order to serve the Indian church and the people more effectively, Dalit theology needs to re-invent itself as a theology of life for all. This was one of the findings of an international symposium that brought together some 30 Dalit theologians, social activists and academics from around the globe in Kolkata, India, last week.

A round table on the meaning of prayer for unity in situations of conflict and distress and an ecumenical celebration gathering Genevan churches marked the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the headquarters of the World Council of Churches (WCC) on Sunday, 20 January.

[Joint release with the Association of Churches and Christian Communities of Geneva.]

The liberation of Clara Rojas and Consuelo González "is a sign of hope that shows that a negotiated solution to the situation in Colombia is possible", stated today Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) programme on Public witness: addressing power and affirming peace . Expressing joy at the liberation of the two women held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for about six years, Giddings Ivory congratulated the mediators and called on the Colombian government and the FARC "to look for peaceful ways of ending the long lasting violent conflict", in which "civil society has suffered the most", with hundred of civilians "victimized by the ongoing military operations". Giddings Ivory also affirmed that a "humanitarian agreement is still possible and urgent to put an end to the hostage situation". Several hundreds of people are believed to be held hostages by the FARC.

By Kersten Storch (*)

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has called on Kenyan political leaders to keep moving towards dialogue while praising the countries' churches for their role in peacemaking.

The World Council of Churches president from Europe, Dr Mary Tanner, was recently rewarded with the title of Dame in Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honours list. As one of eight presidents of the WCC, she serves as an "ambassador" to the ecumenical movement in general and the WCC.Â

Churches in Pakistan have condemned the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto while appealing for international help in eradicating terrorism in their country.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has called on the leaders of Kenya's two main political parties to "turn urgently from partisan postures and negotiate in good faith to reach a non-violent, political solution" to the country's electoral dispute. In a statement made public on 2 January, Kobia affirmed that "an independent investigation of the electoral dispute is necessary and should be monitored by international observers".