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West Papuan Council of Churches issues a 'moral call’ for their people

For the people of the Indonesian province of West Papua, human rights have significantly deteriorated throughout 2019 and 2020, as demonstrated by the latest biennial report issued by the International Coalition for Papua. In this context, the West Papuan Council of Churches issued a moral call to the international community on behalf of their people.

WCC mourns loss of Rev. Dr Soritua Albert Ernest Nababan

Archbishop Rev. Dr Soritua Albert Ernest Nababan, a global ecumenical leader, passed away on 8 May in Jakarta, Indonesia, at the age of 88. He was the World Council of Churches (WCC) president from 2006-2013 and served as the former Ephorus (Archbishop) of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan, the largest Protestant church in Indonesia and the largest Lutheran church in Asia with a membership of 4 million people.

Indonesian Presidential Special Envoy visits WCC to promote interreligious dialogue

In an encounter with Dr Syafiq A. Mughni, Special Envoy of the President of Indonesia for Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue and Cooperation, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit expressed his appreciation for the Special Envoy’s promotion of human rights, and stressed the WCC’s commitment to cooperation in confronting xenophobia and Islamophobia. “We have to see human rights as universal principles”, said Tveit. “It is our duty as human beings and also as Christians to fight for the rights of everybody”.

Peacemakers at work in Sri Lanka

In the wake of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, the Omnia Institute for Contextual Leadership, based in Chicago, lifted up points of hope that peace will win in the end. In a 25 April message, Shanta Premawardhana, president of the institute, wrote that every person of every faith of every nation deserves to wake up in peace. “Every child deserves to feel safe, welcomed, and alive to the promise that each day brings,” Premawardhana wrote. “I'm sure you know that this is why we build Interfaith Peacemaker Teams in Sri Lanka.”

Workshop in Bangladesh links climate, economic justice

From 29 January to 1 February, 30 representatives from various faith traditions gathered in Dhaka, Bangladesh for a workshop on “Interfaith Reflections on Just Transitions: Linking Climate and Economic Justice”. The workshop was organised by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Council for World Mission and was hosted by the National Council of Churches in Bangladesh.

Rev. Dr Shanta Premawardhana: ‘Seeds of peace come from the ground’

“The seeds of peace come from the ground.” That is the vision that Rev. Dr Shanta Premawardhana, former director of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation at the World Council of Churches and now president of OMNIA Institute for Contextual Leadership, tries to follow with his organization.

In the ecumenical movement to stay

Since a small scholarship got her involved in the ecumenical movement, Sana Jennifer’s future has been staked out. She started as a bishop’s secretary and office administrator at the Diocese of Raiwind, Church of Pakistan, in Lahore three years ago and was appointed youth programme coordinator this year.

Unifying faiths in peace and harmony through dialogue

In a plenary discussion titled ”Light and Truth in Pluralistic Asia” held at the Asia Ecumenical Youth Assembly (AEYA) in Manado, Indonesia last Monday, religious leaders from different faiths shared perspectives. They agreed that continuous interfaith dialogue is key to better mutual understanding, tolerance and respect.

Global evangelism group explores “the hope within us”

A group of 25 evangelism practitioners, scholars and church leaders from Orthodox, Pentecostal and Protestant perspectives gathered in Bangkok, Thailand from 26 November to 1 December to reflect on evangelism at a time when religious faith is often accused of - and guilty of - stirring up intolerance, suspicion and even violence.