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Christmas Message of the World Council of Churches, December 2022

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed grave concern over continued recurrent attacks by Russian forces on energy facilities and other civilian infrastructure and areas in Ukraine, including most recently a maternity unit in which a newborn baby was killed.

Jerusalem, 22 November 2022

Statement on attacks by Myanmar military on theological seminary and churches in Kachin and Kayah States by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).

“Compassion beyond boundaries—and the bridges that get us there”

Building bridges of justice, reconciliation, and peace is a call for all people of faith, and caring with compassion for those who suffer and are in need is part of our very vocation as children of one Creator and brothers and sisters in one humanity.

The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love (Psalm 33:5)

New technologies are transforming our world and the multiple spaces in which we live, work and witness. These technologies offer us new ways to create, to heal, to communicate, and to navigate the world. However, many such technologies, while undoubtedly offering actual or potential advances in human wellbeing, have also raised concerns regarding their social and environmental impacts and ethical implications, especially in light of the rapidity of their development and application.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

When approaching the issue of health and wellbeing, we as Christians and churches affirm that the giver and sustainer of life is our Lord Jesus Christ, the healer of our bodies and souls, the one who heals our diseases, who redeems our life from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion (Ps. 103:3-4).

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

(Luke 4:18-19)

The current global context is marked by escalating conflicts, divisions, inequalities, resurgent racism, xenophobic attacks on migrants, antisemitism, violations of the rights of women and other forms of discrimination, threats against human rights defenders, as well as authoritarianism, populist nationalism, and religious and other forms of extremism, that threaten grave peril for the physical security and human dignity and rights of diverse communities and individuals around the world.

As Christians we confess that “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it” (Ps 24). We acknowledge our responsibility as stewards and caretakers of God’s unique and abundant Creation of which we human beings are part. And yet we look around our world today, and see that due to our greed and negligence the entire living planet is threatened by accelerating climate change. “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers…”, “The earth is defiled by its people…” (Isaiah 24:4-5).

Report of the moderator of the WCC central committee, bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, to the executive committee of the World Council of Churches, Bossey, 7 November 2022.

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca delivered a lecture during the first edition of the “Bahrain Dialogue Forum: East and West for Human Coexistence” held 3-4 November. Sauca’s lecture took place during a forum session entitled “Experiences of Promoting Global Coexistence and Human Fraternity.”

Message of the WCC Indigenous Peoples Pre-Assembly, 28-30 August 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany.

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared greetings with the Evangelical Church of the River Plate in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared greetings the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil.