Search results

A man standing up hands a pair of woven gloves to a man sitting down, both dressed in religious garb.

Finnish bishop meets Pope Francis, gifts gloves “to keep warm in a cold world”

In an annual audience during the ongoing Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Bishop Bo-Göran Åstrand of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland gifted a pair of gloves to Pope Francis, described as “a modest gift, to warm the Pope’s hands in an otherwise cold world.”

22 January 2024

Blog post

Engaging climate justice: WCC Eco-School

Students who recently completed the WCC Eco School in Crete, Greece, took time to compile their reflections on how the experience helped them hone their messages and actions related to climate justice and a transition to green energy. This is first of a series of blog entries from Eco School students.

06 December 2023

Conor Russell

A mind blowing exposure for stewards during central committee

“There’s one thing I always say to young people when you start off in the stewards programme– be very careful, because the ecumenical bug gets you as this is a mind blowing exposure and you start to think about the church in a very different way – and this is not a bad thing", remarked World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay in his welcoming address to the young people from all over the world who were welcomed at the Ecumenical Centre on 16 June as stewards, in preparation for the upcoming central committee which is taking place 21-27 June in Geneva.

19 June 2023

Dr Stephen G. Brown delivering keynote address

Ecumenical Review editor reflects on the ecumenical theology of Joseph Ratzinger

In his first address after his election on 19 April 2005, Pope Benedict XVI pledged to work for the full and visible unity of all of Christ’s followers, Dr Stephen G. Brown, editor of the World Council of Churches journal The Ecumenical Review, has recalled in an address to a symposium in Dublin.

19 April 2023

Bossey master students pray for continued spiritual growth, lasting unity, and healing

A World Council of Churches prayer prepared by students from the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey offered voices of pain, hope, and reconciliation.

17 March 2023

11ᵉ Assemblée du COE: élection de huit nouveaux et nouvelles président-e-s

Le 5 septembre, lors d’un vote, en présence de 574 délégué-e-s, la 11ᵉ Assemblée du COE a élu huit nouveaux et nouvelles président-e-s, six régionaux et deux d’Églises orthodoxes.

07 September 2022

Karen Abou Nader perform a dance of joy during a thematic plenary

Break barriers, demand change, be different: clarion calls to the WCC 11th Assembly

Witnessing a spectacular display of movement and grace through para-dance, the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly was challenged to boldly proclaim the truth about injustices, show a commitment to transformation, and be agents of reconciliation by recognizing complicity.

06 September 2022

WCC 11th Assembly elects eight new presidents

The World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly elected eight new presidents, six regional and two from Orthodox churches, in a vote on 5 September with 574 delegates present.

05 September 2022

Boy looking out of the window of the train

As Europe feels the suffering of war, WCC Lutheran member churches share perspectives on war and peace

Sharing the concerns of World Council of Churches (WCC) Lutheran member churches around the world, a Lutheran confessional meeting took place during the recent central committee meeting at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva.

24 June 2022

Message

Message from participants in the second ecumenical round table on Ukraine

In a second ecumenical roundtable meeting convened by the World Council of Churches (WCC) on 10 June in Bossey, Switzerland, senior representatives of WCC member churches from several European countries neighboring and directly affected by the current conflict gathered to consult each other on relevant developments since the first roundtable meeting held 30 March.

10 June 2022

Ecumenical movement

Message

Message from participants in ecumenical round table on Ukraine

The World Council of Churches (WCC) convened an ecumenical roundtable consultation on the situation in Ukraine, which took place 30 March at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute.

30 March 2022

Ecumenical movement

A group of Ukrainian refugees at the Vama Siret border crossing, Romania

Youth across the world voice prayers for the people of Ukraine

Youth from the World Council of Churches (WCC) ECHOS Commission on Youth from different parts of the world met online to raise their voices in prayer and hope in light of the current situation in Ukraine.

23 March 2022

Blog post

Rev. Jebin Thankaraj and Cardinal Kurt Koch

Study trip to Rome testifies that ecumenical engagements can move forward

Our successful visit to Rome with various ecumenical deliberations itself testifies that ecumenical engagements can move forward despite the pandemic. The launch of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity document “Ecumenism in a Time of Pandemic: From Crisis to Opportunity,” followed by an ecumenical panel discussion, helped us to understand how different churches have approached the pandemic.

10 February 2022

Rev. Jebin Thankaraj

Meeting on the WCC pre-assemblies in Bossey

WCC pre-assemblies take shape with vision of working and transforming together

As preparations continue for the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany in 2022, pre-assemblies are taking shape as well. Planners are working to create an experience in which people can work together in transformational ways.

10 February 2022

WCC gravely concerned by escalation of conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh region

World Council of Churches (WCC) interim general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed grave concern over the renewed and very serious escalation of conflict in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region since Sunday 27 September – reportedly following an attack by Azerbaijan’s military forces – which has already resulted in dozens of casualties including civilians, and which risks provoking a wider armed conflict in the region.

29 September 2020

From the heart - conversations with God online, and offline

The year 2020 is one etched forever in our memories. The unimaginable happened when a virus seized the world. Vulnerability became the norm, and fiction became a reality. Overnight life became more precious for all of us, the world’s billions. Normality took a break; frustration set in. Everything we took for granted went on hold.

30 June 2020

Background document

The heart’s conversation with God online - A reflection by Marianne Ejdersten

The heart’s conversation with God online - A reflection by Marianne Ejdersten, director of Communications for the World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland. The article published in the Norwegian Magazine for pastors in June, 2020.

14 June 2020

WCC Programmes

Photo courtesy of Armenian Church Catholicosate of Cilicia

Lebanon meeting explores vision for more inclusive global church

From 31 January - 2 February in Beirut, Lebanon, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, hosted a group of church leaders at Antelias who explored a more responsive and inclusive ecumenical vision.

07 February 2020