Displaying 1 - 20 of 45

"Faith Community is a Blue Community” unfolds alongside UN Water Conference

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Water Network and its partner organizations hosted a hybrid side event, “Faith Community is a ‘Blue Community,” on 22 March in conjunction with the UN Water Conference in New York City.Prof. Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, UN Special Rapporteur, human right to water, opened the event with a video message on how this is the first time in almost 50 years that the United Nations has convened a global event to reflect on the global water crisis—a crisis that finds 2 billion people without access to clean water, and 4 billion without access to adequate sanitation.

Specialized Ministries Pre-Assembly

09 - 10 March 2022

The pre-assembly with the leadership of specialized ministries is the opportunity to articulate a common response to the most pressing issues of our time and to propose common action as we move together toward the WCC assembly in Karlsruhe.

Thursdays in Black Bible Studies Series 1

Listening, Learning and Responding to the Word of God

Led by Thursdays in Black Ambassadors – leaders in their communities committed to being visible and outspoken against such violence – a series of Bible studies are being prepared for individual and congregational reflection on sexual and gender-based violence. Such reflection will help us listen to the word of God and apply our faith and vision of justice, peace, and love in our contexts today. This first series of reflections address critical topics in our societies and Christian communities that contribute to or respond to gender-based violence and provide diverse perspectives from our wide ecumenical fellowship.

A core group of Thursdays in Black Ambassadors oversaw this Bible study series: Anders Göranzon, Claudia Bandixen, and Karen Georgia Thompson.

WCC hosts interface conference in Berlin on role of churches, faith communities in health and healing

The World Council of Churches (WCC) hosted an interface conference on 13 October between the WCC, EKD, German Federal Foreign Office, Trans-Atlantic Network and Berlin-based diplomats to discuss the vital role that the WCC, churches and faith communities around the globe play in advancing peoples health and healing, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Abuom reflects on women of faith as healers of creation

Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee, shared a message with the Conference of the World Council of Religious Leaders on Faith and Diplomacy: Generations in Dialogue, being held 4-7 October in Lindau, Germany.

“Gathering in Grief” mourns Rev. Phumzile Mabizela

More than 140 people met online in a spontaneous Gathering in Grief” to mourn Rev. Phumzile Mabizela, who passed away the morning of on 5 July. Mabizela was the executive director of INERELA+ (the International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV), co-moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance HIV Campaign Strategy Group and a member of the International Reference Group of WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy.

WCC participates in dialogue on COVID-19 vaccines with WHO director general

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca participated in a virtual “High-Level Dialogue on Multi-religious Response to COVID-19 Vaccine” on 19 March with Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as leaders from other religious groups.

Rethinking Ecological Relationships in the Anthropocene era

11 - 13 February 2021

In the age of the Anthropocene, humans as the dominant species are driving significant and even irreversible environmental changes, thereby shaping the future of all living beings and our only planetary home. The complicated relationship between humans and ecosystems has often been mediated by economics and technology. Prevailing theologies and spiritualities have also molded these interactions.

The rights and dignity of the other

In the words of Prof. Rev. Dr John Langan SJ, a human right "is a right that a human person has simply by virtue of being (human), irrespective of his or her social status, cultural accomplishments, moral merits, religious beliefs, class memberships or cultural relationships.”