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Churches in Africa agree on guidelines for disability inclusion

“I have cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia, meaning all of my limbs are severely affected by my cerebral. However, I am not defined by my cerebral palsy. There's much more to me than my cerebral palsy,” Julius Van Der Wat, a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Pretoria, South Africa, told a recent churches’ disability conference in South Africa.

19 December 2023

On International Women’s Day, award-winning church sign language interpreter urges space for deaf women

At the St Andrew’s Presbyterian of Church East Africa in Nairobi, Judy Kihumba is the voice between the hearing and the deaf worlds in one of Kenya’s oldest churches.

08 March 2023

During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Roman Catholic priest in Africa stresses churches’ unity for justice

As Christians in Africa joined the celebrations to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a Roman Catholic priest who is involved in ecumenism, stressed the unity of the churches as central to building a concrete response to poor people’s need for justice in the continent.

23 January 2023

Rev. Joannes Owino Siang’a: deaf Kenyan Presbyterian cleric in WCC’s executive committee

When the next World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee meeting convenes, among the members will be a deaf Presbyterian clergy from Kenya.

28 September 2022

Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca and Dr Agnes Abuom outside the Ecumenical centre in Geneva

WCC leaders recall life-changing experiences from early days

At the end of a 9 February press conference — which followed a long day of videoconference meetings — Dr Agnes Abuom and Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauce fielded a surprise question: what first got them involved in the ecumenical movement?

10 February 2022

World mourns loss of Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Today the world joins in mourning the passing of a towering figure in the struggle for freedom and for human dignity and rights.

30 December 2021

People sit in line at a table in a conference room.

African church conference tackles misleading theologies in faith and healing

A symposium exploring the complex question of misleading theologies in Africa ended here on 24 November, amid concerns that the phenomenon was harming the efforts to combat coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and other diseases.

25 November 2021

For those with disabilities, digital justice is about access, says EDAN's Waweru

Digital justice for Kenyan Samson Waweru is clear, as he believes there should be equal access to both cyber and print information for those who have disabilities and those who do not.

When using a computer, he says in a video interview with World Council of Churches (WCC) programme executive Joy Eva Bohol that it applies to social media platforms and access to them.

13 September 2021

Prayer services for South Africa will call for unity, mark Nelson Mandela’s birthday

On 18 July, prayer services in South Africa will mark Nelson Mandela’s birthday and will also be an opportunity to pray for unity.

The Religious Forum Against COVID-19 has elected to observe the day in both a nationally broadcast prayer service as well as observing 67 minutes of prayer that evening.

16 July 2021

South African Council of Churches calls for restoration, healing in wake of unrest

The South African Council of Churches, in a 15 July statement, called for supporting a campaign of restoration and addressing the root causes of the unrest that is happening simultaneously with a third wave of COVID-19.

15 July 2021

Dr Agnes Abuom: “We pray that churches will recommit to the search for visible unity”

WCC News met online with Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee, and she offers reflections on the impact of COVID-19, what gives her hope, and the future of the ecumenical movement.

17 December 2020

In a COVID-stricken world, “everyone is important”

A webinar held 22 October gave space for persons with disabilities to share their reflections. Entitled “From Lamentation to Transformation,” the event, first in a series of webinars on COVID-19 perspectives, highlighted hope through stories, practical support, and social change as experienced by persons with disabilities.

23 October 2020

Advancing a disability-inclusive response to COVID-19

Persons with disabilities may be even more vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have also shown resiliency and wisdom that can be shared across the world.

21 April 2020

World Prayer Day Ecumenical Partners gathering in Nairobi. Photo: Syovata Kilonzo/WCC

Ecumenical partners in Africa celebrate women’s achievements

Ecumenical partners in Africa convened by All Africa Conference of Churches, World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative and Advocacy, Christian Aid, and Side by Side gathered in Nairobi on World Prayer day 2020 to celebrate the achievements of women in Africa as well as to recognise men as allies. The gathering also observed the International Women’s Day under the theme #EachforEqual.

09 March 2020

"Mission for God’s people” explored at seminar in Kenya

At a seminar on African missiology held in Nairobi, Kenya on 13 February, participants gave space to theological reflections linked to the Arusha Conference.

The one-day event, “Re-visiting Arusha 2018: Highlights of African Missiology,” also created space for new reflections based on the Arusha Call to Discipleship.

20 February 2020

South African Council of Churches calls on De Klerk Foundation to retract statement about apartheid

The South African Council of Churches is calling on the De Klerk Foundation to retract and apologize in the wake of a 14 February statement issued by the foundation amplifying the position that apartheid was not a crime against humanity, but a Soviet propaganda ploy.

17 February 2020

A wooden cross decorates the door of a church in Liberia. Photo: Albin Hillert/LWF

In Africa, Christians join the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Christians in Africa have joined in ecumenical celebrations and prayer services to mark the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, observed worldwide from 18-25 January.

22 January 2020

Young Africans are eager to grapple with challenges

Young African clergy, theologians and laypersons are eager to engage with the challenging issues facing their continent and the world. This became clear in a recent essay competition for authors below 35 years by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in partnership with the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC).

09 January 2020