In a special prayer for closure and transitions, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and World Council of Churches (WCC) reflected on the move of LWF out of the Ecumenical Centre after nearly 60 years.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is mourning the loss of Dr William Stanley, who passed away on 11 December. Stanley contributed to the WCC’s work on economic and ecological justice especially during the period between the WCC 8th Assembly in Harare in 1998 and WCC 10th Assembly in Busan in 2013.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) came together for a dialogue titled "Encountering Faith and Science." The session featured Ramon Pichs-Madruga, one of the three vice-chairs of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sharing key insights from the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report.
Speaking at a workshop on “Churches becoming Blue Communities” during the ongoing Lutheran World Federation Assembly on 16 September, World Council of Churches (WCC) moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm introduced the concept of Blue Communities, emphasizing the importance of respecting the human right to water, resisting water privatization, and reducing the reliance on bottled water.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) congratulated Danish Bishop Henrik Stubkjær, who was newly elected as the next Lutheran World Federation president.
In a joint greeting to the Lutheran World Federation Assembly, gathered in Krakow, Poland from 13-19 September, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Pillay and WCC moderator Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm reflected on the assembly’s theme, “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope.”
The World Council of Churches (WCC) joined Caritas Internationalis, ACT Alliance, World Evangelical Alliance, and Lutheran World Federation in signing a joint letter to USAID administrator Samantha Power expressing concern over the suspension of food aid in Ethiopia.
The World Council of Churches (WCC), in collaboration with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Soka Gakkai International, and Brahma Kumaris, convened a side event titled "Deliver climate action: Support a Robust Global Stocktake from a human rights and Ethical perspective," on 5 June in Bohn, Germany. The event brought together experts and stakeholders to emphasize the importance of integrating human rights, ethical considerations, and climate justice into the forthcoming Global Stocktake process.
Faith-based and humanitarian groups across the world were setting in motion appeals for aid and prayers as response expands in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on 6 February.
The World Council of Churches joined other global faith-based organizations in sending a letter to G20 leaders—a letter urging an economic system that looks after the wellbeing of all.
Bridging economics and theology, the 5th edition of the Ecumenical School on Governance, Economics and Management for an Economy of Life (GEM School) concluded on 8 July in Berlin, Germany.
World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca sent joyful greetings to the Lutheran World Federation Council, convening under the theme “In Christ, all things hold together.”
Hosting refugees, providing food, helping in hospitals, and ringing church bells as a warning when shelling starts—these are some of the many ways churches are responding in Ukraine and bordering countries as the war continues. More than two million people have poured out of Ukraine, and estimates from relief groups show that 18 million people—a third of the country’s population—will need humanitarian assistance.
The scope of human need is growing exponentially as the war continues between Russia and Ukraine — despite an international outcry for peace — and churches are offering vital assistance to thousands upon thousands of people.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, one of the people who followed in the footsteps of Desmond Tutu as archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa announced the death of “the Arch” as he was affectionately known on 26 December, fittingly celebrated in South Africa as the “Day of Goodwill.”
As Rev. Dr Martin Junge ends his tenure as the head of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed thanksgiving for Junge’s gifts and his many years of service.
The World Council of Churches and Lutheran World Federation will host a joint webinar, “Stop the Flow: Let’s End Human Trafficking,” at 13:30 CEST on 30 July, the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
In a letter to the G20 finance ministers before the International Tax Symposium on 9 July, organizations representing a half billion Christians worldwide urged that it has never been more urgent and necessary to fix our broken global tax system.
Meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican on 25 June, both the Lutheran World Federation president Archbishop Dr Panti Filibus Musa and Pope Francis expressed the hope that the 500th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession in 2030 can become common ground on which to strengthen the commitment of Lutherans and Catholics to unity and reconciliation.
Addressing the upcoming G20 International Taxation Symposium, a webinar brought together economists, activists, and church representatives to explore how tax justice and reparations – as called for in the ecumenical Zacchaeus Tax (ZacTax) campaign – could help the world attain a just and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
