Hundreds of worshippers gathered 16th of June in the historic cathedral of the Protestant Church of Geneva to commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Joint Declaration of the Doctrine of Justification.
In a meeting on 12 June in Geneva with World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit and Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe general secretary Torsten Moritz, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi said the role of churches in Europe is “phenomenal” when it comes to helping refugees.
As the council of the Lutheran World Federation met on 12 June, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit shared greetings and appreciation.
A Christian and a Muslim scholar have told a seminar at the World Council of Churches (WCC) about their work in an annual “Building Bridges” seminar with “freedom” as the theme, as participants described what they do as a process, not an event.
Many from the global circle of the World Council of Churches (WCC) fellowship and friends are praying for Christian unity as they also celebrate Pentecost.
At a conference with the theme “Promoting Peace Together” held in Geneva on 21 May, religious leaders focused on two historic documents related to peace-making. The first, “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” was jointly signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Abu Dhabi in February. The second, “Education for Peace in a Multi-Religious World: A Christian Perspective,” jointly prepared by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Council of Churches (WCC), was officially launched at the conference.
The Arusha Call to Discipleship is at once exhilarating, transformative and challenging to the point of discomfort for some, reflected leaders of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) during a 20 May press conference and book launch in Helsinki, Finland.
As a meeting of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism convened in Helsinki, Finland on 16-22 May, leaders reflected on the way forward for the ecumenical movement after the commission’s Arusha conference in March.
In opening remarks, Dr Agnes Aboum, moderator of the WCC Central Committee, reflected on what she described on as “landmark” conference in Arusha, which drew together more than 1,000 people and resulted in an Arusha Call to Discipleship.
“Come and See - A Theological invitation to the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace,” a text newly published by the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission, draws from different traditions in order to make the case for common witness. The document was presented and launched at the meeting with the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME). The CWME Commission gather in Helsinki, Finland 16-22 May, 2019 to evaluate and reflect on the Conference of World Mission and Evangelism that took place in Arusha (Tanzania) and its future work.
A Theological Invitation to the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace.
Faith and Order Paper No. 224.
This document invites the churches to explore the ways that “pilgrimage” can help the churches deepen and express the commitment to oneness in their work.
The headline for a newspaper letter extolling a man who lived what he espoused, engaging with shunned people often unable to effectively communicate verbally, said, "Jean Vanier was a living saint".
“What are some of the future directions that we can derive from reflections that we’ve had in Arusha so that the energy and the enthusiasm that we created in Arusha cannot be lost?” This key question was posed by Metropolitan Dr. Geevarghese Mor Coorilos, moderator of the World Council of Churches Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME), during a recent working group meeting on discipleship at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, Switzerland.
As an early and eager pioneer in the ecumenical movement, Archbishop of Uppsala and the Primate of Sweden, Dr Nathan Söderblom (1866 -1931) earned worldwide recognition. His dedication to ecumenical work for peace earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930. On 3 June, the WCC invites all interested to a half-day seminar at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva.
As he delivered the Inaugural Michael Huffington Lecture at Loyola Marymount University on 1 April, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit spoke on “Christ's love moves the world to reconciliation and unity,” the theme of the WCC 11th Assembly in 2021 in Karlsruhe, Germany.
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit was visiting Los Angeles this week from 30 March to 4 April, preaching at the Hollywood United Methodist Church, delivering a lecture at Loyola Marymount University, and meeting with various ecumenical organizations and groups.
Ma’alul, a Palestinian village destroyed in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, saw a visit by ecumenical accompaniers in mid-March. “I would have liked to invite you to a real home, not just as a refugee,” said Jad Saba Yusef Salem as he received the group of accompaniers to the village. Today, 95-year-old Salem is one of few remaining survivors from the 75 families who used to live in the village back in 1948.
It is with deep shock and indignation that the World Council of Churches received the news that 49 people have been killed and at least 20 were wounded in terrorist attacks at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch and at the mosque in the suburb of Linwood in New Zealand.
