Rev. Dr Lydia Mwaniki believes her call from God to serve actually began when she was in her mother’s womb. “When my mother was four months pregnant and was splitting firewood, she said to God, ‘if you send me a baby boy, he will serve in your house."
In a joint message on gender-based violence, sexual abuse, and faith communities, 26 World Council of Churches (WCC) Thursdays in Black ambassadors lament that the scourge of sexual and gender-based violence continues unabated—and call on faith communities to prevent such violence in their own spaces.
In a joint message on gender-based violence, sexual abuse, and faith communities, 26 World Council of Churches (WCC) Thursdays in Black ambassadors lament that the scourge of sexual and gender-based violence continues unabated—and call on faith communities to prevent such violence in their own spaces.
Prof. Dr Sarojini Nadar is director of the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice, University of Western Cape, South Africa. Below, she reflects on outcomes from the inaugural “Ecumenical Women’s Initiative for Leadership and Learning” held in May.
Rev. Prof. Dr Heike Springhart is bishop of Landeskirche in Baden. Below, she offers reflections on her hopes for the World Council of Churches 11th Assembly and, more broadly, how ecumenical relationships can help us all sustain a sense of hope during these challenging times.
On the anniversary of Juneteenth, remembering the enslavement of African peoples in the United States and their emancipation announced in 1865, leaders from the World Council of Churches (WCC) urged an end to hate speech and to the sin of racism.
Almost 70 women—members of World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee and staff—met together on 16 June for an hour of sharing, networking, and marking “Thursdays in Black,” the growing global campaign for a world free from rape and violence.
A newly released volume, “Transformative Spiritualities for the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace,” provides a selection of reflections from indigenous perspectives to women’s voices, from black communities ́ to campesino/as ́ struggles, from specific Christian traditions to sister faiths.
At a webinar organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC), Norwegian Church Aid, and the International Partnership of Religion and Sustainable Development to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May, participants, including representatives of various faith communities, brought to light the challenges regarding access to menstrual products, education about menstruation, and period-friendly sanitation facilities.
At an online roundtable hosted by the All Africa Conference of Churches, male “champions for gender justice” shared their ideas and insights during their yearlong service as men who are helping to prevent gender-based violence.
Three World Council of Churches (WCC) Pilgrim Team Visits, one to Italy, a second to Armenia and a third to Norway, are continuing the WCC’s accompaniment for communities in their quest for justice and peace under the theme of “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity,” through the lenses of post-war trauma healing, gender justice, and migration.
Rev. Dr Hyunju Bae represents the Presbyterian Church of Korea on the World Council of Churches central and executive committees and serves on the WCC Gender Advisory Group. She is a former professor of New Testament Studies at the Busan Presbyterian University, Republic of Korea, and now a co-president of the Korea Christian Environmental Movement Solidarity for Integrity of Creation. Below, she reflects on a recent prayer vigil for peace, as well as other ecumenical activities in South Korea.
As African women church leaders gathered last week for an inaugural “Ecumenical Women’s Initiative for Leadership and Learning”, they lamented grave injustices, celebrated women pioneers, and nurtured a spirit of solidarity they hope will blaze a global trail for the future.
The Middle East Council of Churches held its 12th General Assembly on 16-20 May in Egypt, exploring the theme “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.”
A message from the gathering touches upon many challenges facing the Middle East.
Eighteen Thursdays in Black ambassadors gathered on 12 May to discuss how to build on the momentum of many creative efforts across the world to move toward a world free from rape and violence.
World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed the revulsion of the global fellowship of churches at the murder of Deborah Yakubu, a second-year college student beaten to death and burnt by a group of her fellow students in Sokoto, northern Nigeria.
An inaugural “Ecumenical Women Church Leaders Initiative Consultation” will kick off from 17-19 May as a dozen African women gather in Geneva and online to exchange experiences and critical reflections.
Recognising that we all live in multi-religious societies, African church leaders gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the 2016 World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) regional workshop on “Birth Registration and Gender Discriminatory Nationality Laws in Africa”, stressed the need to develop inter-faith strategies and affirmations in our advocacy work for the human rights of stateless people.
