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Together in the Mission of God

Jubilee Reflections on the International Missionary Council

What is so important in the International Missionary Council (IMC) and its historical successor, the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, that they will have their own centennial volume?

By reading this book, the reader will gain a better understanding of how important and crucial they have been in the development of the ecumenical movement and of what today is often called World Christianity.

This volume aims to highlight how, in the course of the past century, structured efforts to foster unity in mission cooperation have shaped not only Christianity but even the world.

Strengthening Christian Perspectives on Human Dignity and Human Rights

Perspectives from an International Consultative Process

The WCC, the Protestant Church in Germany and the United Evangelical Mission, initiated a two-year process of ecumenical study and reflection on the relationship between human dignity and human rights from biblical, theological, and victims’ perspectives, culminating in a Conference on Christian Perspectives on Human Dignity and Humans Rights held in Wuppertal (Germany) and online from 9–12 April 2022.

This publication consists of papers received from theologians, people with different academic backgrounds, experts in ethics and human rights, and human rights defenders—together with the joint message of the conference participants.

Our Feet into the Way of Peace: PJP Series 6

Holistic Approaches to Peace-building in the Context of the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace

Within the framework of the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, this publication is a reflection on the lived experiences of the pilgrimage from the perspective of the people and churches from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Korean Peninsula, Palestine and Israel, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Colombia.

It consists of an overview of the peace-building process in each country since the 10th Assembly and practical steps churches can take together toward the 12th Assembly.

Hate Speech and Whiteness: PJP Series 5

Theological Reflections on the Journey Toward Racial Justice

During the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, initiated in 2013 at the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, the issue of racism has emerged as one of the pilgrimage’s four common themes. The chapters that make up this publication represent a selection of the papers presented at a series of webinars organized in late 2020 by the Theological Study Group of the Pilgrimage. Organized around three major themes—whiteness, including its relationship to slavery; racism; and hate speech—the contributions represent an invitation to the ecumenical fellowship to engage in self-critical examination of how practices, orders, configurations, methodologies, and structures of the church(es) have perpetuated the discrimination, xenophobia, and racism that counter unity in Christ.

Towards an Ecumenical Theology of Companionship: PJP Series 3

A Study Document for the Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace

During the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, four central themes emerged: Truth and Trauma; Land and Displacement; Gender Justice; and Racism. During the  COVID-19 pandemic that revealed so much injustice in our world, a fifth theme was added; health and healing.

After listening carefully during the various Pilgrim Visits, the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace-Theological Study Group (PJP-TSG) and the Reference Group of the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace (PJP-RG)-revisited the themes and reflected on them theologically in light of an emerging Ecumenical Theology of companionship.

Tenth Report Study Documents

Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches

Peace is a Treasure for All: An Ecumenical Reflection on Peacebuilding in Situations of Conflict and Violence

Migrants and Refugees: Ecumenical Challenges and Opportunities

These Study Documents to the JWG 10th Report—Walking, Praying and Working Together, together with the report, encourage intensive ecumenical cooperation of all Christians and people of goodwill, with a particular emphasis on the contributions that can be made by the WCC and the RCC together.

Walking, Praying and Working Together

10th Report of the Joint Working Group of the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church

The JWG offers this report and two study documents to the 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe in 2022 with recommendations for the parent bodies. The study documents address two critical areas of ecumenical cooperation in today’s world:

Peace Is a Treasure for All: An Ecumenical Reflection on Peacebuilding in Situations of Conflict, and

Violence and Migrants and Refugees: Ecumenical Challenges and Opportunities Together, these documents encourage intensive ecumenical cooperation of all Christians and people of goodwill, with a particular emphasis on the contributions that can be made by the WCC and the RCC together.

Cooler Earth - Higher Benefits (Third Edition)

Actions by those who care about children, climate, and finance
Frederique Seidel
Emmanuel de Martel
Eric Begaghel

This document was developed by the WCC’s Child Rights programme in response to requests by children and youth urging adults to find solutions to the climate crisis. This is the third updated edition.

The research examines the impact of financial choices on global warming and reviews related solutions which can bend the CO2 emissions curve (also called the “Keeling Curve”). It shares information, good practices, and suggestions on the efficiency of financial measures to address global warming. It aims to support discussions and discernment among working groups and decision-makers who want to consider influential strategies to address the climate crisis.

Christ’s Love (Re)moves Borders

GETI 2022 Prayer Booklet

The spiritual life during GETI 2022 embodies the WCC ethos of holding spirituality and critical reflection together as parts of an integrated whole. In that regard, this Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) is envisioned as a holistic process encompassing formative and informative dimensions of learning. This prayer booklet contributes to holistic learning. It is a resource for spiritual life, a formative dimension of the GETI 2022 experience and learning. It illuminates the theme “Christ’s Love (Re)Moves Borders” liturgically. This, therefore, serves as a resource for (spi)ritual and prayerful reflection for all during the residential phase of the study process that was also anticipated during the online phase.

 

When He Saw the Crowds - Bible Studies

When He Saw the Crowds - Bible Studies 

Und da er das Volk sah - Bibelstudien 

Voyant les foules - Études bibliques 

Al ver las multitudes - Estudios bíblicos

The plenary Bible studies are an important aspect of the work of the assembly. They give participants an opportunity to meet daily around a Bible passage to reflect on the theme and the experience of the assembly. Participants can discern together God’s purposes for themselves and the ecumenical movement. They meet in groups which are small enough to allow everyone to contribute and large enough to give a range of perspectives. The Bible study sessions provide an opportunity for participants to explore the assembly theme together in the light of the biblical texts, knowledge, and experience. To be involved in group Bible study is to be open to one another, to the Bible passage and to the Holy Spirit. It is not to win an argument or to persuade others to a particular point of view. These sessions should be a place where the participants can integrate all they have heard and done in the assembly and discover together the possibilities of transformation that God offers us.

Conversations on the Pilgrim Way

Invitation to Journey Together on Matters of Human Sexuality

This document was received at the meeting of the central committee held from 9-15 February 2022 by video conference.

The Report of the Programme Committee underlined in the introduction that this is a resource document for those member churches that are interested in deepening the discussion. It was requested by member churches for information and guidance. While it remains clear that human sexuality is a sensitive topic and that some churches may have objections to even discussing this topic, the Busan Assembly stated that controversial themes, like human sexuality, should have a safe space for conversation.

The programme committee, while aware that human sexuality could be a divisive topic in churches and in our fellowship, underlined the importance of ecumenical dialogue in a safe space on topics that could be divisive and welcomed the invitation in this document to journey together in ethical dilemmas.

Ecumenical Youth Gathering Songbook

This collection of songs will be used during morning and evening prayers at the Ecumenical Youth Gathering to be held on 27-30 August before the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, which aims to bring together around 400 young people from various churches and ecumenical partners to discuss a common message. The event is designed to provide an opportunity for young people to participate in intergenerational dialogue and develop a more inclusive agenda for the movement.

Oasis of Peace

Spiritual Life Resources

Oase des Friedens: Gottesdienstbuch

Oasis de paix: Ressources pour la vie spirituelle

Oasis de Paz: Recursos para la vida espiritual

This multilingual volume of spiritual life resources is meant to inspire the collective prayer and praise of participants at the WCC’s 11th Assembly, taking place in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 31 August to 8 September 2022, where Christians from around the world, the whole oikoumene, are uniting to rejoice in the love of God in Christ.

Resource Book

World Council of Churches 11th Assembly, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2022

This assembly Resource Book, a documentary collection published in four separate language editions, is meant to orient assembly delegates and participants to the assembly process, convey documents and reports upon which the assembly will act, and also link participants to a variety of important background documents about the many substantive matters that will engage the gathered fellowship there.

To that end, the Resource Book will function as a ready documentary reference and resource for assembly delegates as well as other participants.

Ecumenical International Youth Day 2022 Event Toolkit

Indigenous Youth and Land Rights Activism

The theme for the fourth International Youth Day commemoration and toolkit, Indigenous Peoples and Land Rights Activism, arose out of several recommendations from young people within and outside WCC networks as one of the pressing issues that young people would like to explore.

This toolkit provides background information, resources and guidelines for advocacy by young people.

The WCC programmes on Youth Engagement in the Ecumenical Movement and the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples (IP) Network, through its IP Youth network, have collaborated on this year’s focus.

GETI 2022: Christ’s Love (Re)Moves Borders

An Ecumenical Reader

GETI 2022 at the 11th WCC Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, is the third instalment in the succession of WCC Global Ecumenical Theological Institutes (GETIs) under the auspices of the Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE) programme.

Christ’s Love (Re)moves Borders: An Ecumenical Reader as the study guide for GETI2022 brings together scripture, theology, and social science into a single compilation to facilitate intercultural academic study, ecumenical learning and sharing. Derived from the WCC 11th Assembly theme, “Christ’s Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity”, the GETI2022 theme locates love and reconciliation at the heart of the gospel.

GETI brings together young and emerging ecumenical theologians and educators from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions and all eight regions of the WCC to engage with one another on current critical theological themes. The GETI2022 Reader is a key resource compilation to enable participants to: • Strengthen knowledge of current local and global ecumenical themes. • Engage with past, present and future issues in ecumenical discourse. • Utilize interdisciplinary approaches for ecumenical studies. • Express a theologically informed and contextually grounded ecumenical theology. • Seek constructive solutions for challenges in changing religious and societal landscapes.

Her-Stories of Transformation, Justice, and Peace PJP Series

Report on the Women of Faith Pilgrimages

This publication is the report of the Women of Faith Pilgrim Team Visits for Justice and Peace carried out between August 2017 and July 2020 as part of the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace. This pilgrimage report allows church women worldwide to draw inspiration and strength from the spiritualities of resistance, biblical reflections, and successful struggles of women against violence and injustice and to feel empowered to become agents of transformation and hope in their own contexts.

Called to Transformation - Ecumenical Diakonia

A joint publication of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ACT Alliance, this study document aims to clarify the understanding of ecumenical diakonia and to provide a common platform for acting and reflecting together for the churches and ecumenical partners worldwide. 

The major publication outlines the theological components of diakonia and offers practical content for those engaged in the service of diakonia. The study document is intended to be used for formation and training in ecumenical diakonia, to strengthen the institutional capacity of those involved in diakonia, and to foster dialogue and cooperation between churches, ecumenical partners, ACT Alliance and the WCC.