On 15 April, faith-based and civil society organizations came together to engage with the theme of the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and its implications for the work of religious organizations working with and for People of African Descent.
The World Council of Churches (WCC), a global fellowship of 352 churches representing more than half a billion Christians from around the world, has been deeply involved in the work of the United Nations from as early as 1946 through its Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA). The WCC is a platform for common action by churches on issues that negate or threaten the dignity of all people.
Greetings to the 4th Global Gathering of the Global Christian Forum in Accra, Ghana by Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches.
People attending the Global Christian Forum heard the words of World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay on the opening day of its fourth global gathering, held this week in Accra, Ghana, under the theme "That the World May Know.”
A group of church leaders from Sweden met with the World Council of Churches (WCC) to prepare for the year 2025, with a focus on commemorating 100 years since the beginning of the Life and Work movement as well as the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, where bishops representing the whole of Christendom gathered together for the first time to discuss the faith and witness of the church.
The World Council of Churches (WCC), in a submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC), welcomed a policy establishing accountability for environmental crimes.
Rev. Ingrid Noren Nilsson, from the Church of Sweden, is a Masters in Advanced Studies student at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. She is currently completing a research fellowship with the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Faith and Order. She took time to reflect on what she has learned, what inspires her, and what she will take home.
World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, on behalf of the global fellowship, expressed grave concern regarding the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East following the first direct confrontation between Iran and Israel.
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, on behalf of WCC member churches, said that the WCC cannot reconcile the Decree of the XXV World Russian People's Council describing the conflict in Ukraine as a “Holy War.”
World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay sent a pastoral letter to Haitian brothers and sisters whose lives are lived in a land with hatred, violence, and suffering. “Although we might be physically distant, we are close to you in heart, in the spiritual sense,” wrote Pillay. “We all are children of God. We belong to one family, as Jesus Christ himself said.”
Radu Constantin grew up in the small hamlet of Cioatele, in northeastern Romania, a village he describes as “religious people, very involved in the church life.”
Rev. Prof. Dr Simone Sinn's international experience, gained through years of work at the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), has equipped her with a global perspective, preparing her to engage with different Christian traditions and other faiths in her new teaching post at the University of Muenster.
In a world of diversities and different contexts, the worldwide Christian fellowship represents unity in faith across national borders, cultural traditions, and ethnic backgrounds. Understanding the challenges that current developments in different parts of world pose to the ecumenical movement is vital for communicating its message of unity, justice, and peace effectively.
Mount Zion, located just outside the current walls of the Old City, via Zion Gate, is of great importance to Christians because this is the area of Dormition Abbey, the Cenacle (the traditional spot for remembering the Last Supper and washing of the Apostles’ feet), and where the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the event of Pentecost.
Recent years have witnessed a seismic shift in the global landscape of climate litigation, with youth activists taking center stage in the fight for environmental justice.
World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended condolences to the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and those who lost loved ones and invited prayer and support for the people of Taiwan in the wake of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan on 3 April.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are celebrating 50 years of collaboration. Their work together includes strategizing, publications, seminars, webinars, and responding to crises such as HIV, the Ebola outbreak, and COVID-19 pandemic.
With the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, we pray for the people and churches of Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria.
World Health Day is April 7 when the World Health Organization commemorates its 76th anniversary. This year the theme is 'My Health, My Right, which reminds us to advocate for equitable access to health services and work towards a healthier, more inclusive world.
