Search results

This text is the outcome of more than eight years of study and consultation on the "common understanding and vision of the World Council of Churches", mandated by the WCC Central Committee at its meeting in 1989. Between the Seventh Assembly of the WCC in 1991 and the Eighth Assembly in 1998, this subject was continuously on the agenda of the WCC central committee; in addition, it was extensively discussed in meetings of WCC commissions, advisory bodies and staff. Insights were sought and received from WCC member churches, other churches and a broad range of ecumenical partners, as well as many individual participants in and students of the ecumenical movement.

"Final report of the Special Commission on Orthodox participation in the WCC" : The 60-member Special Commission was created by the WCC's eighth assembly in 1998 in response to mainly Orthodox concerns about participation in the Council. Composed of an equal number of representatives from Orthodox churches and from the other churches belonging to the WCC, the Commission submitted its final report to the central committee in September 2002.

The WCC's eighth Assembly in 1998 discussed a proposal for a forum of Christian churches and ecumenical organizations that would bring together churches participating in the ecumenical movement, e.g. WCC member churches, the Catholic church, other churches, and Evangelical, Pentecostal and Independent churches, as well as ecumenical and para-church organizations.

These guidelines - covering the roles of moderators, delegates and participants; setting the agenda; making decisions by consensus and by formal vote; election process; language and other elements - apply to the Assembly and to meetings of all bodies of the WCC.

Keynote address by Rev. Dr Samuel at NCC Korea 80th anniversary celebration, in Kobia, Seoul, 23 August 2004.

Interim Report on Consensus Procedures, reported to the WCC Central Committee, 2003

Background Document on Re-configuration of the Ecumenical Movement presented at the WCC central Committee, 2003

Second Report of the Programme Committee addresses the issues of the programmatic work and the special commission and relocation of regional desks

Remarks by the Rev. Samuel Kobia following his election as WCC general secretary

First report of the programme committee to the WCC Central Committee, 2002

Final report of the membership study group presented to the WCC Central Committe, September 2002

Presented at the Plenary on Being Church and Overcoming Racism of the WCC Central Committee meeting in 2002.