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Inter-religious call to climate action ahead of UN summit

On the eve of the 22 September United Nations Summit on Climate Change representatives of faith communities around the world called on world leaders and on "all people of Earth to accept the reality of the common danger we face, the imperative and responsibility for immediate and decisive action and the opportunity to change."

Living Letters team to visit India

A team of church representatives from Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia will pay a solidarity visit to churches, ecumenical organizations and civil society movements in India from 21 to 27 September.

Caste-based discrimination challenges Christian witness

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has called on member churches to "recognize that the continued discrimination and exclusion of millions of people on the basis of caste" is a "serious challenge to the credibility of their witness to their faith in God".

WCC calls for solidarity amid anti-Christian violence

The WCC Central Committee on Wednesday, 2 September adopted a minute on the responsibility of churches for communities enduring anti-Christian violence. Numerous central committee members brought the concern to the body's public issues committee.

WCC calls to freeze and dismantle Israeli settlements

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee called on the Israeli government to freeze and begin to dismantle settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. It also encouraged a commitment to non-violence and peace negotiations, and reiterated the need for an international boycott of products and services from settlements.

WCC upholds right to refuse military service

The World Council of Churches Central Committee on Tuesday, 1 September, adopted a minute on the right of conscientious objection to military service. It cites a recent WCC study showing "that in many places churches face challenges of conscientious objection", which allows those whose conscience prohibits them from military service to engage in alternate means of service.

WCC makes new call for peace in Darfur

The World Council of Churches Central Committee again took up the issue of Sudan at meetings in Geneva this week, issuing a “Statement on the Darfur crisis in the context of Sudan”. Since early 2003, the statement says, “the conflict in Darfur has unleashed an overwhelming wave of violence resulting in the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians and an immense humanitarian crisis”.

Churches must be "salt of the earth"

How does the church interact with a rapidly changing society? On 31 August, members of the World Council of Churches Central Committee spent much of the morning discussing this question in a pair of plenary sessions in Geneva.

IEPC plans practical approach to peace

“Tears are not enough.” Fernando Enns spoke that phrase in introductory remarks to the World Council of Churches central committee on 28 August. It was repeated several times during a morning plenary session on the WCC’s upcoming International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC).

WCC considers three sites for 10th Assembly

Central committee members will choose between three potential sites for the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, to be held in 2013: Busan, South Korea; Damascus, Syria; and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Kobia urges the "courage to hope"

Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia sounded notes of hope as he delivered his final address as general secretary to the World Council of Churches central committee on 26 August.

Compliance with Geneva Conventions a priority, WCC says

As the world faces an "unprecedented situation of increasing violence, proliferation of non-state armed groups, and non-international armed conflicts", the "effective compliance with the Geneva Conventions" appears as an "urgent priority", said the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia. In a public statement marking the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, Kobia stressed that "the complexity of today's armed conflicts" requires the international community "to think of new ways to strengthen effective mechanisms to ensure respect for the Geneva Conventions".