Search results

This document is a summary and synthesis of policy positions on key issues pertaining to the situation in Palestine and Israel adopted by governing bodies of the World Council of Churches (WCC) from 1948 to 2016. It addresses major themes in these policy positions, but does not pretend to full comprehensiveness. The document has no official standing itself; for the official authoritative positions, the original policy documents referred to should be consulted directly.

Von Harare nach Porto Alegre heißt der Bericht des Zentralausschusses des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (ÖRK) über Aktivitäten und Dialog in der ökumenischen Gemeinschaft zwischen der Achten Vollversammlung, die im Dezember 1998 auf dem Campus der Universität von Harare in Simbabwe stattfand, und dem Zeitpunkt der letzten Vorbereitungen für die Neunte Vollversammlung, die im Februar 2006 in der Päpstlichen Katholischen Universität in Porto Alegre, Brasilien, stattfinden wird. Der Bericht erzählt einen Abschnitt im Leben des Ökumenischen Rates und spiegelt damit auch das Leben und den Glauben von Mitgliedskirchen, Partnerorganisationen und einzelnen Gläubigen wider.

"From Harare to Porto Alegre" is the report of the activities and dialogue undertaken between the WCC's eighth assembly in December 1998 in Zimbabwe and the final stages of preparation for the Ninth Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil in February 2006. In telling the story of the Council, it also reflects the life and faith of member churches, partner agencies and individual believers.

Die Achte ÖRK-Vollversammlung erörterte 1998 einen Vorschlag zur Bildung eines Forums christlicher Kirchen und ökumenischer Organisationen, das Kirchen zusammenführen sollte, die sich an der ökumenischen Bewegung beteiligen, d. h. ÖRK-Mitgliedskirchen, die römisch-katholische Kirche, andere Kirchen und die evangelikalen, pfingstlerischen und unabhängigen Kirchen sowie ökumenische und kirchennahe Gruppen.

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.

How will the eighth assembly of the World Council of Churches in Harare be remembered? This official report begins with the words of a litany used at the opening worship in which the central messages of the seven preceding assemblies were recalled. What has been and what will be received as the main message of this jubilee assembly at Harare?

The Message of the WCC 8th Assembly

The Assembly Message of the eighth assembly of the World Council of Churches, 3 - 14 December 1998.

Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, explored the implications of "anamnesis" - "remembrance" - for the church and the world, lifting up the importance of anamnesis for the ecumenical movement. Delegates were given some silent time to reflect on his words before turning their attention to the second presentation.

Wanda Deifelt, vice-rector and professor of systematic theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil, and a member of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil, spoke about "metanoia" - "conversion" - naming the ways that Christians need to repent. Following her reflections selected delegates read, in different voices and in different languages, passages of scripture related to the "jubilee year" (Lev. 25:8-17, 39-43).

The third meditation was given by Kosuke Koyama, recently retired professor of ecumenical studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York and a former missionary of the United Church of Christ in Japan. He addressed the second part of the assembly theme, reflecting on how we can rejoice in hope in the face of so much suffering and violence.