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WCC fellowship's 60th anniversary - Making a difference together then and now

Celebrating a 60th birthday for some is a milestone marked by visions of retirement - celebrating achievements and dreaming of new endeavours. The WCC, however, on its 60th "birthday" in 2008 does not want to rest on past feats as it looks ahead to the challenges of the 21st century. The largest, most inclusive fellowship of churches in the world, and the pre-eminent face of 20th century ecumenism, is grappling with a very different world today - politically, economically, religiously - than the one it faced following the second world war.

Christian youth movements call for signs of unity

A number of major international Christian youth movements and organizations called for stronger efforts towards unity in a joint statement issued on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Addressed to the heads of the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, Christian World Communions and Regional Ecumenical Organizations, the statement asks them to "share ecumenical dialogue with young people" and expresses the commitment of the signatories to "raise awareness of the importance of Christian unity among young people".

Ecumenical movement

Prayer for unity ever more needed in the face of human suffering

A round table on the meaning of prayer for unity in situations of conflict and distress and an ecumenical celebration gathering Genevan churches marked the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the headquarters of the World Council of Churches (WCC) on Sunday, 20 January.

Aide Memoire from the Global Consultation on Genetics, New Biotechnologies and the Ministry of the Church

Aide Memoire summarizing the discussions at a 2-5 December Global Consultation on Genetics and New Biotechnologies held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants stated that "the creativity of science needs to serve the common good" and alerted about the risk of biotechnology leading to "increased dependency and threat to biodiversity". "Communities can be devastated by the intrusion of genetically modified seeds and bio-piracy", participants said. They recognized the "need for dialogue with scientists", so as to move "beyond a reactive mode", and called for the "restoration of the churches' prophetic voices and public witness in the growing debate regarding the ethical use of genetics and biotechnologies".

WCC Programmes

Latest AIDS figures: Church advocates call for renewed action, not complacency

Revised figures for the HIV epidemic which drop the estimated number of people living with HIV worldwide to about 33 million have been welcomed by church workers active in the response to HIV and AIDS around the world as a sign of hope and a challenge to keep promises. The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) collected their views.

Let's take risks, Kobia tells Global Christian Forum

"Some would have said that this event was not possible, but here we are - and the world wonders what will come next," said the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia at the opening of the Global Christian Forum taking place in Limuru, near Nairobi, Kenya, from 6-9 November.

African Women's Statement on Poverty, Wealth and Ecology

We, African women of faith, church leaders, theologians and activists, enriched by contributions from our sisters from Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America, have gathered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 05-06 November 2007 to analyse the links between poverty, wealth and ecology in Africa, in deepening study and theological reflection on neoliberal economic globalisation, as part of the Alternative Globalisation addressing People and Earth (AGAPE) process.

WCC Programmes

Trade Week of Action galvanizes churches

Calling for alternatives to enforced free trade, churches and church-related organizations world-wide, along with other religious groups and community partners, are gearing up for the Trade Week of Action, 14-21 October.

African women theologians address children issues

Orphans and vulnerable children are one focus of the 4th Pan African Conference hosted by the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 3-8 September 2007. Topics include sexual abuse, child-headed households, the role of faith based organizations in child care, and many more.

Kobia calls for "Christ-centred approach" to HIV/AIDS, "with love as its language"

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has challenged his fellow men to join the efforts of women, especially grandmothers, in dealing with the immune deficiency pandemic. During a panel at the International Women's Summit convened by the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) in partnership with the International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW) and other international organisations in Nairobi on 4-7 July, he declared that Christian doctrines should be "applied to edify life and not to condemn and judge."