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Faith communities at COP27

COP27 is being held 7-18 November, in the cradle of civilization: the magnificent Egypt. Behind the backdrop of ancient pyramids, the Red Sea, Mount Sinai, and the Nile River, numerous heads of states and world leaders descended upon COP27 at Sharm El-Sheikh to negotiate and act upon climate change policies which affect us worldwide.

One month later: the assembly at a glance

I still recall how athletes took turns to ensure the Ineos marathon was a success. Men and women. For a moment, I thought they would lose the plot and render the race a failure. They were not elderly, just athletes accustomed to running different races, from different parts of the world, united in helping one man send the “no human is limited” message to the whole world. 

Pentecostals at the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany 2022

As a Pentecostal, I have dreamed dreams” and had visions aplenty, but often it has been the WCC that brought those dreams and visions to life. What is found in this report fulfills a vision that I took with me to Geneva in 1989 in a meeting with then-general secretary Emilio Castro. During that visit, I called on the WCC to bring together 120 Pentecostal scholars from around the world to the WCC 7th Assembly known as Canberra 91.

Vatican conference and ecumenical echoes on nuclear arms and human development

A ground-breaking pontifical critique of nuclear weapons affirms the new treaty to ban nuclear weapons. By linking possession and use, Pope Francis is offering a new standard for Catholic debate over nuclear weapons. By offering it now, the pope is making a moral affirmation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons adopted at the United Nations in July. The new treaty--which bans the possession, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons--is cited in this year’s Nobel Peace Prize award to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The World Council of Churches is a member of ICAN and shares the same moral and spiritual critique of nuclear armaments.

Africa churches unite behind a nuclear weapons ban treaty

Africa space is a religious space, a combination of 54 states from North to East, West to South. Differences in culture and religious persuasion exist, but a unity of purpose is always on peace and development. What is not negotiable is the strong believe in God, the piousness of Africans. That's why we boldly and unanimously walk on the common ground to say this weapon of mass destruction remaining unbanned is totally unacceptable.

Porto Alegre +10: pilgrim’s memories from the 9th Assembly of the WCC

I was standing in the control booth at the back of the auditorium when the moderator of the WCC Central Committee declared the 9th Assembly open, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on 14 February 2006. My friend Jean-Nicolas Bazin and I were surrounded by light and sound technicians and we had our eyes on the script of the opening plenary, making sure everything was flowing smoothly and according to plan.

Seven Weeks for Water 2015, week 6: "Bringing Paradise Closer to Earth", by Susan Smith

The 6th biblical reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2015 is by Susan Smith, a Professor of Law and Director of the Certificate Program in Sustainability at the Willamette University, USA. She teaches environment law, including water law and is a water activist. She represents the United Church of Christ at the International Reference Group of the Ecumenical Water Network of the WCC. In this reflection she highlights that the kingdom of God/ paradise can be witnessed here on this earth, if we make water available for all for their basic sustenance with dignity, contrary to the model where water is “harnessed as fuel for the engine of economic growth to serve the twin gods of economic efficiency and profit”.

WCC Programmes

Seven Weeks for Water 2014, week 4: "Water – A Gift of God and a Human Right: A Critique of Anthropocentrism", by Geoff Davies

The fourth Biblical reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2014 is by the “Green Bishop” Geoff Davies, executive director of the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environmental Institute. Citing several examples from the Bible, he brings a strong critique of the anthropocentric  understanding of our theology  and  encourages us to become “earthkeepers”. He also strongly advocates that water  is a gift of God and no one should be denied of this life giving resource.

 

WCC Programmes

Seven Weeks for Water 2011, week 3: "The Earth is the Lord’s", by Linwood Blizzard II and Shantha Ready Alonso

The psalmist once declared, “The Earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it” (Psalm 24:1). From generation to generation, we have a lifespan to enjoy and steward God’s Earth. However, in recent decades, industries that unsustainably extract from God’s Earth have been spinning out of control. Their actions challenge God's sovereignty over the gifts that were created for sharing by  all Creation and for all generations. Extractive and other industries have been privatizing the natural gifts of God’s Earth and have excluded local communities from sharing in these gifts.

WCC Programmes

Seven Weeks for Water 2011, week 1: "Adamah – the land we come from", by Ani Ghazaryan

The Bible begins with the story of creation by God, with the Genesis of the Earth. Before the creation of humankind, God creates the heaven and the earth; he then separates the earth from water which he called “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas” (Genesis 1:9). God then plants a garden and puts humankind in the middle of this garden to live there and to cultivate the land and take care of it and his creation (Genesis 2:15). Land is the place where humankind is invited to live and called upon to be its stewards.

WCC Programmes