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The World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order will begin an 8-day meeting this week in Pretoria, South Africa, dedicating an opening ceremony to youth, reflecting on their struggles with past injustices and noting their key role in opening gateways to the future.

Church leaders, led by Pope Tawadros II and Pope Francis, were gathered to pray for the people of Egypt, for unity, for peace and justice in St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, the chapel next to Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral that was bombed in December 2016, now restored.

Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt have taken a significant ecumenical step by signing a common declaration that Roman Catholics and Copts may recognize each other’s baptisms. The agreement is, in the eyes of the World Council of Churches (WCC), a “sign of hope”.

"Günther Gassmann's life and work reflect the ecumenical ideals of theological reflection based deeply in careful historical understanding of the Christian tradition, combined with sincere and open-minded work to address and overcome the historic divisions within the church”, wrote the general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, upon the passing of Prof. Dr Günther Gassmann, on 11 January.

He earned the title “Green Patriarch” as a religious leader addressing alarming environmental issues over at least two decades. In 2008, Time Magazine named His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as one of 100 Most Influential People in the World, for “defining environmentalism as spiritual responsibility”.

Il a été surnommé le «patriarche vert», car cela fait au moins 20 ans qu’il aborde les questions environnementales préoccupantes depuis au moins vingt ans dans son rôle de responsable religieux. En 2008, le magazine Time a classé Sa Toute-Sainteté Bartholomée Ier, patriarche œcuménique, parmi les 100 personnes les plus influentes du monde pour «avoir défini l’écologie comme une responsabilité spirituelle».

Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Christian and Buddhist religious leaders met this week in Assisi to discuss peace, while across the ocean in New York City global political leaders assembled at the United Nations also focussed on a troubled world.

Cette semaine, à Assise, des responsables musulmans, juifs, hindous, chrétiens et bouddhistes se sont réunis pour parler de paix, tandis que de l’autre côté de l’Atlantique, à New York, les leaders politiques du monde entier, rassemblés aux Nations Unies, discutaient d’un monde agité.

„Die Menschen in der Karibik können aus einem umfassenden Fundus an Erzählungen schöpfen, die das spirituelle Leben von Menschen christlichen Glaubens auf der ganzen Welt bereichern können“, sagte Anthony Currer vom Päpstlichen Rat zur Förderung der Einheit der Christen.

“The people of the Caribbean have a rich story to tell, one that can enrich the spiritual lives of Christians around the world,” said Fr Anthony Currer of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. That very story was shared in a heartfelt way this week at an ecumenical gathering to create the first draft of the text that will be used for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2018.

«La population des Caraïbes a une histoire très riche à partager, une histoire qui peut enrichir la vie spirituelle des chrétiens autour du monde», a déclaré le père Anthony Currer, du Conseil pontifical pour la promotion de l’unité des chrétiens.

Researchers around the world have a new resource for studying the history of the ecumenical movement — the personal papers of Philip Potter, general secretary of the WCC from 1972 to 1984. “We hope that the WCC Archives will receive many researchers from around the world who will learn more about the ecumenical movement to which Philip significantly contributed throughout his life,” said Hans von Rütte, WCC archivist.

Les chercheurs du monde entier disposent d’une nouvelle ressource pour étudier l’histoire du mouvement œcuménique: les documents personnels de Philip Potter, secrétaire général du COE de 1972 à 1984. Ces documents sont désormais disponibles sur demande écrite ou peuvent être consultés dans la salle de lecture des archives du COE à Genève.

The Faith and Order Commission’s convergence text “The Church: Towards a Common Vision” continues to be discussed by churches on a journey toward revealing the unity of the church and how it is inextricably bound on a pilgrimage of justice and peace.

Well over 250 young people came to Taizé from 30 August to 6 September 2015 to participate in the first theological symposium on “Brother Roger's Contribution to Theological Thought”. Those invited to this time of reflection and sharing were theological students and young theologians under the age of 40 engaged in research as well as those preparing for service in the church or those already involved in ministry. A wide range of speakers from all over the world aroused a great deal of interest, with contributions offered from a Protestant, Orthodox and Roman Catholic viewpoint, coming from Western and Eastern Europe as well as from Asia, North America, Latin America and Africa.

A message focusing on the theme “Ora et labora”, meaning “pray and work”, was shared by the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, at the 75th anniversary of the Taizé Community, commemorating the life of the community’s founder Brother Roger.

„Der ÖRK ist dankbar für die neue Dynamik in den gemeinsamen Anstrengungen, unserem geteilten Glauben an Gott den Schöpfer und unserem Engagement zu gemeinsamem Dienst Ausdruck zu verleihen“, erklärte ÖRK-Generalsekretär Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit in einer Rede auf einem Treffen zum 50-jährigen Bestehen einer gemeinsamen Arbeitsgruppe des ÖRK und der römisch-katholischen Kirche.

“The WCC is grateful for new momentum in collective efforts to manifest our common faith in God the creator and our commitment to common service,” said the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, as he spoke at the 50th anniversary gathering of a joint WCC-Roman Catholic group.

«Le Conseil œcuménique des Églises rend grâce au nouvel élan donné aux efforts collectifs visant à manifester notre foi commune en Dieu le créateur et notre attachement au service commun», a déclaré le pasteur Olav Fykse Tveit, secrétaire général du COE, lors d’une réunion organisée pour le cinquantième anniversaire du Groupe mixte de travail de l’Église catholique romaine et du COE.