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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..." 

(Matthew 5:6a)

The justice and righteousness of the fourth beatitude are presented by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew as a necessity. This justice is the way to happiness promised by the fourth beatitude: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Only those who hunger and thirst for divine justice will be satisfied and filled with happiness. However, for centuries, a major question arises over the meaning of this justice: what is the justice that Matthew presents? Why, contrary to the evangelist Luke who presents a physical hunger and thirst (Luke 6:21), does Matthew emphasize the need to suffer hunger and thirst for righteousness? What kind of justice does the first Gospel present?

Salaam and grace to you from Jerusalem, the Holy City. As an Arab Christian, I am thankful for the opportunity to write a reflection for this year’s “Seven Weeks for Water”. Of course, this part of the world always has been dealing with water issues because of its dry climate and few water resources. Today, however, the Palestinian people face an even greater water challenge. It is a crisis that grows worse year after year.

Presentation by Dr Clare Amos, WCC programme executive for Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation, at the Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in International Affairs 2016.

Statement from the WCC/UN High Level Conference: Refugee Crisis in Europe.

Opening remarks from the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit

In a statement issued by the WCC Executive Committee on 18 November 2015, the WCC expresses its grave concern at recent developments in Israel and Palestine.

8th Meeting for Dialogue between the Centre for Interreligious Dialogue (CID) from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the WCC

A letter of solidarity following terrorist attacks in Beirut.

This consultation on "Discrimination, Persecution, Martyrdom: Following Christ Together" comes therefore timely. It is very much needed that we come together as Christians from different confessional families and discern how we can work together in supporting those sisters and brothers that go through these challenging times. The suffering of so many makes all of us sad and vulnerable.

The WCC, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and the Evangelical Church in Germany jointly hosted a Church Leaders' Consultation on the European Refugee Crisis, on 29 October 2015.

Letter to WCC member churches in Israel and Palestine, by the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, expressing concern over the renewed wave of violence in Jerusalem.

Speech by Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, WCC general secretary, delivered at the international conference on “Religious and Cultural Pluralism and Peaceful Coexistence in the Middle East” held in Athens, Greece.

Speech for the public event in Lengerich, Germany, delivered by Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the WCC.

WCC statement calling for an end to foreign military interventions in Syria

Message for World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel 2015 by the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

Reducing the gap: Interfaith riches, a common message prepared by participants of Building an Interfaith Community Summer Course,
held from 27 July – 14 August 2015, Chateau de Bossey, Switzerland

It is with concern that we hear of the outbreak of MERS in South Korea following the identification of the first case on 20th May 2015, coming from an unfortunate traveller who had recently visited an affected area in the Middle East.

Remarks by Olav Fykse Tveit, as part of the Spiritual Centre event on the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace at the German Protestant Kirchentag, Stuttgart.

“Our life and our death are with our neighbour” – this is a spiritual affirmation from the Christian tradition which we owe to Saint Anthony, a monk from Egypt of the third and fourth century. This is our common legacy from the early years of Armenia and its Christian history. To be human is to be part of the one humanity. From the first day of our life we depend on others. Today we are reminded in a dramatic way that belonging to one another is our destiny, for better or for worse. The gift of life together includes our responsibility for one another. This is a matter of being human, created by God for fellowship and unity.

Letter from Georges Lemopoulos, WCC deputy general secretary, to Mar Aprim Mooken on death of Patriarch Mar Khanania Dinkha IV, head of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East.