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WCC reflects on climate justice during Indian-German theological gathering

Dinesh Suna, coordinator of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network, contributed a paper to a gathering, “Indian-German Theologians Meet: Mission from Post-Colonial Perspective,” held from 4-7 September in Breklum, Germany.

11 September 2023

Interview

Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata: “God summons us to take action that is hope giving”

Below, Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, World Council of Churches (WCC) director of Public Witness and Diakonia, reflects on the relevance of ecumenical diakonia and public witness today.

16 March 2023

capacity building programme of JEL Church, India

Two-day event in India focuses on water, sanitation, and hygiene

A two-day capacity building in India held at the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC) focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Held 4-5 January, the event drew about 400 pastors and lay people.

09 January 2023

Background document

Message from the waters of Brazil to the waters of the world

Ecumenical Water Network-Brazil (REDA-Brazil) Stands in Solidarity with #FAME 2022.

28 April 2022

Background document

Council of Churches in Sierra Leone, Statement on World Water Day 2022

Today March 22 marks World Water Day – a day set aside to focus on the importance of water to everything in the world. This day was set aside by the United Nations in 1993.

27 April 2022

Bible studies

Seven Weeks for Water 2022, week 2: "Water Justice towards Gender Justice", by Nicqi Ashwood

The second reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2022 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is written by Nicole Ashwood (Nicqi).* In the following reflection , which was written around the International Women’s Day, she reflects how the women in the story of Exodus were deprived of water and how Moses came up to their defense and provided them and their flock with water. Then she highlights how developed countries in Europe, including Switzerland fares in getting access to clean water and how it affects the health, wellbeing and dignity of the people, particularly, women, everywhere.

07 March 2022

Blog post

Marine life in Sri Lanka threatened by environmental disaster

Concerns on environmental issues have become the centre of debates in many forums around the globe. There are many organisations and individuals, including religious organisations, that have engaged in the mission of protecting the environment.

16 December 2021

Rev. Prince Neushan

Feature story

“Bathroom ministry” for the homeless

Whether people have access to a safe and clean toilet has wide-reaching consequences for their dignity, health, access to education, and gender equality. Churches around the world are therefore acting as messengers, implementers, advocators, and guardians to promote better sanitation and hygiene. There are many practical and encouraging examples. One is the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew (SsAM) in Wilmington (Delaware) in the USA, which has a “community bathroom” that people from the homeless community can use.

14 December 2021

On World Toilet Day, webinar challenges churches to address world’s sanitation crisis

A webinar was jointly organised by the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Water Network and Norwegian Church Aid to mark World Toilet Day on 19 November.

24 November 2021

Moderator of Central Committee

Message

Water Justice is integral to Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, by Dr Agnes Abuom

Recently during the PJP harvest gathering meeting of WCC, at a workshop on revisiting the Seven Weeks for Water – Lenten campaign of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network, Dr Agnes Abuom was asked to reflect on the linkage between the WCC’s water justice campaign and the WCC’s overarching theme of Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace? Having attended several PJP meetings and Lenten campaigns herself, she responded in a pre-recorded video message. The following is the transcript of her video message.

30 June 2021

World Social Forum convenes to “express and practice solidarity”

The World Social Forum 2021 is taking place virtually from 23-31 January, taking into account the interlinked global crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic hardship and climate emergency. Faith groups are continuing to accompany this process by organising discussions on theologies of liberation.

28 January 2021

Combatting “blatant injustice,” religious communities work to bring safe sanitation to all

During an online gathering, religious leaders called for greater awareness around toilets and the plight of 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation.

26 November 2020

Webinar explores "Reconnecting in faith with creation, land and water”

A 28 July World Council of Churches (WCC) webinar entitled "Reconnecting in faith with creation, land and water” explored the ways in which we tie our faith to living responsibly on earth. Participants explored together why and how a sustainable future must be based on the interdependency of the whole creation, not an anthropocentric understanding in which human beings are the dominant species.

29 July 2020

“When Nature Calls”…WCC joins in commemoration of World Toilet Day

On 19 November, the World Council of Churches (WCC) commemorated World Toilet Day with reflections about the human right to a dignified sanitation. In a morning prayer led by the WCC Ecumenical Water Network (EWN), those gathered drew attention to the global sanitation challenge.

19 November 2018

Prof. Dr Isabel Phiri giving the keynote address in the Eco-school. ©Dinesh Suna/WCC

African youth takes stand at first ever WCC Eco-School

“It is imperative for churches to invest in the youth of Africa so they can take leadership in addressing these issues in the timeframe of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals”, said Prof. Dr Isabel Phiri, World Council of Churches (WCC) deputy general secretary for Diakonia and Public Witness as she spoke to young people attending the first-ever WCC Eco-School in Blantyre, Malawi.

03 August 2017

Children at the WCC event. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC

Global water rights advocates support WCC joining Blue Communities

When the WCC joined the Blue Communities Project on 25 October, water and eco-justice advocates from around the world offered congratulations, while at the same time urging WCC member churches to join the quest for global water and sanitation rights.

27 October 2016

Bible study

Seven Weeks for Water 2016, week 6: "Palestinians deprived of clean water, an essential human right", by Simona Abderhalden

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed….” (Isaiah 1:17)

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come… ”(Isaiah 55:1)

“Access to water and sanitation is a human right. This human right is in itself essential for life and dignity, but it is also the foundation for achieving a wealth of other human rights, including the right to health and the right to development.”

(Navanethem Pillay^{^[1]} United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014)

06 March 2016

Bible study

Seven Weeks for Water 2016, week 5: "When Israel uses water as a tool of coercion, churches must act decisively", by Ranjan Solomon

In Gaza, 30 to 40 percent of all disease-related deaths are caused by bad water. The multiple cases of kidney and liver diseases Gaza have to do with salts and minerals in the water. 95% of the water that Palestinians in Gaza have been consuming for decades has been proven unfit for human consumption.

05 March 2016