After returning from a visit to the Christian Conference of Asia assembly, and from visits with church leaders in India, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay reflected that the relationships he built were both enlightening and inspiring.
On a recent morning walk right before dawn, I could still see the stars. I saw the Polaris Star, or North Star, which is the brightest star in its constellation. It reminded me of the Underground Railroad and the network of people in North America who led Black people from southern bondage to northern freedom by following the North Star.
We call it Marafenfen,a small village in the South Aru Island. A small village inhabited by Indigenous people in Aru. We are also a small congregation in The Protestant Church in the Moluccas (GPM). In the midst of savannah we hunted, in the vastness of our land we cultivated. We live in harmony with the nature given by God.
Ushered into the venue of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, one finds a sanctuary, a safe space under the canopy of yellow leaves. Under the shade of trees with leaves slowly going through the withering process is the springing of hope for a better world engaged in conversations and dialogues that promote life at its fullness.
During a World Council of Churches (WCC) video interview, Peter Prove, WCC director of International Affairs, talks about the human rights and humanitarian situation in West Papua.
As many communities worldwide battle to get food to the table, a World Council of Churches (WCC) webinar titled ‘Racism, Land and Food' highlighted the intersections of food, land, and racial injustices on food sovereignty over generations of dispossessed groups.
Concerns on environmental issues have become the centre of debates in many forums around the globe. There are many organisations and individuals, including religious organisations, that have engaged in the mission of protecting the environment.
Our series of interviews with Thursdays in Black ambassadors highlights those who are playing a vital role in increasing the impact of our collective call for a world without rape and violence.
Prayers for unity took on a different look and feel this year, but they weren’t stopped by widespread restrictions on face-to-face gatherings. From prayer cards to personal reflections, online gatherings to new connections, the images worldwide convey the spiritual richness of an ecumenical family that came together in prayer.