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Blogger and political analyst Hany Fawzy from the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt – a member church of the WCC, reflects on the killing of 21 Christians by the “Islamic State” in Libya.

Violence perpetrated in the name of religion was highlighted as “a defining issue of our generation” by Canon David Porter when he spoke to members of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the WCC.

Churches and religious leaders are at the forefront of efforts to mobilize action for a legally binding agreement on world’s climate at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris at the end of 2015. The motivation of the WCC for its role in this arena is summarized in the title of its environmental programme: Care for Creation and Climate Justice.

As the WCC promotes the vision of a “pilgrimage of justice and peace”, four students from the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland, share their understanding of justice and peace and how they embarked on a pilgrimage of their own.

Attacks last week on French newspaper Charlie Hebdo, along with attacks on Paris police and shoppers at a Jewish grocery there, triggered vigorous reflections on freedom of expression, religious values and the role of churches in a WCC Communications Forum.

Reacting to news of the deaths of twelve persons in an armed attack on the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches Georges Lemopoulos said: "The fatal attack that has taken place today in Paris against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo is an attack on human life, human dignity and the human rights of all."

Indigenous peoples have a role to play in the struggle against climate change, indigenous faith leaders said during a panel at the Interfaith Summit on Climate Change held at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York City.

Even as hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militant attacks find refuge in the towns of the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, agencies assisting these internally displaced persons warn of a huge unmet humanitarian need exacerbated by the looming onset of winter.

Bishop Duleep Kamil de Chickera was the Anglican Bishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 2001 to 2010. He is an Asian theologian with a profound interest in justice, peace and interfaith collaboration.

At a WCC consultation in Hong Kong participants reflected on “Asia’s human security challenges” today and how to strengthen efforts of working towards “sustainable peace with justice in Northeast Asia.”

A conference held by the WCC and the Focolare movement founded by Chiara Lubich addressed the theme of “Peace and justice, fruits of unity” on the 10th anniversary of Lubich’s last visit to Geneva and the fifth year after her death.

The Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches invoked theological reflections on Colossians 1:15-20 in his sermon at the Ecumenical Centre chapel on 14 January in Geneva, Switzerland.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a global organization with many skills and experiences. As such it can create added value for the United Nations system, the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit said in a recent interview for the United Nations Special magazine and website.

In a world where understanding of Christian mission is changing rapidly, Bishop Geevarghese Mor Coorilos, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) explains what new visions the WCC mission statement will bring to the churches.

With the rise of religious fundamentalism and religious extremism in the world, as well as recently emerging tensions in India over the issues of conversions, a genuine need exists to review Christian -Hindu relationships afresh, according to the participants of a consultation organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) on Christian self-understanding in the context of Hindu religion.

Climate change is impacting human life and nature in severe ways. Yet it is the vulnerable who suffer most. As the life of such people is dependent on eco-systems for survival, churches join hands with other faith based organizations to support their cause, stressing an ethical aspect in the debate on climate change.

By Manoj K. Das (*)

What does it mean for the church to call for peace in a world where many forms of racism persist? This is one of the questions a World Council of Churches (WCC) conference on racism tried to answer.

A group of Palestinian Christians representing a variety of churches and church-related organizations have issued an animated and prayerful call for an end to occupation of Palestine by Israel.

By Konrad Raiser (*)