Search results

Churches in Africa agree on guidelines for disability inclusion

“I have cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia, meaning all of my limbs are severely affected by my cerebral. However, I am not defined by my cerebral palsy. There's much more to me than my cerebral palsy,” Julius Van Der Wat, a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Pretoria, South Africa, told a recent churches’ disability conference in South Africa.

19 December 2023

Blind man on muddy street in camp for displaced in South Sudan

Faith leaders in Tanzania vouch for disability health rights and services

As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism on Gender Based Violence, religious leaders, human rights activists, and development partners in Tanzania joined on 5 December to discuss the human rights of girls and women, including those with disabilities, in a forum titled “Wealth of Knowledge and a Wealth of Care.”

14 December 2023

Address by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the WCC Town-Hall Discussion on Interfaith Dialogue, Climate Change, and Refugee Displacement

Address by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the WCC Town-Hall Discussion on Interfaith Dialogue, Climate Change, and Refugee Displacement - at the Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees, Ecumenical Center, Geneva, Switzerland 12 December 2023.

12 December 2023

Ecumenical movement

Message of the H.E. Archbishop Dr Aykazian Vicken at the Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees

Message of the H.E. Archbishop Dr Aykazian Vicken, Vice-moderator of the WCC central committee at the "Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees" event at the Ecumenical Center, Geneva, Switzerland 12 December 2023.

12 December 2023

WCC Officers

Youth with disabilities want churches to train more ordained ministers

Churches should promote disability studies in theological institutions and recruit persons into ordained ministry, youth with disabilities urged after attending the 12^th General Assembly of the All Africa Conference of Churches in Abuja, Nigeria.

08 December 2023

Message CCME General Assembly 2023: Protect people, Protect our humanity

The Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, at its General Assembly held in Rome on 6-8 November, published a message entitled “Protect people, protect our humanity." The message acknowledged the immense work being done by churches and other people of good will all over Europe.

23 November 2023

WCC Programmes

Interview

Dr Andrej Jeftic reflects on history and future of WCC Faith and Order Commission

In a video interview, Dr Andrej Jeftic, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission, reflects on the commission’s history—and why the commission is relevant today.

21 September 2023

Group photo of the workshop participants

Seminar in Portugal, “Making the last FIRST,” widens perspectives on decolonization

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, in partnership with the Portuguese Council of Churches, hosted a seminar in Lisbon, Portugal, on 5-9 June entitled “Making the last FIRST,” relating this theme to decolonization.

16 June 2023

Interview

Ecumenical theology at chapel, classroom, and office: Odair Pedroso Mateus reflects on serving the WCC

Rev. Dr Odair Pedroso Mateus began to teach at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute in 2004 and joined the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 2007. Most recently he served as WCC interim deputy general secretary and Faith and Order director. Below, he reflects on his fondest memories, accomplishments, and hopes.

08 February 2023

Message of the WCC Indigenous Peoples Pre-Assembly

Message of the WCC Indigenous Peoples Pre-Assembly, 28-30 August 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany.

31 October 2022

WCC Programmes

WCC 11th Assembly: safe and welcoming environment for all

Whether in the plenary hall, restaurant, prayer tent, or in different meeting places, delegates and participants of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11^th Assembly held from 31August to 8September in Karlsruhe, Germany would be greeted with a warm smile and the words “are you doing good?” by men and women in orange vests who formed the pastoral care and solidarity team. This was one of the ways that the assembly ensured a safe and welcoming environment.

19 September 2022

WCC expresses solidarity, urges advocacy for the human rights and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples across the world

In a public statement released by the leadership of the WCC central committee, the WCC encourages continued advocacy, “with Indigenous Peoples and on their behalf in defence of their human rights, to protect the use of human rights language, to promote Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination and the right to participate in the decision making process within churches and in society.”

16 September 2022

Statement: public statement

Statement on Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

‘Behold I create new heavens in which life, justice and peace are possible for all’.

(Isaiah 65:17-25)

Indigenous Peoples are created with God-given identities that are beautiful. God was present in their lands and among their peoples before colonizers arrived. When Christians brought the Bible, Indigenous People recognized the voice of their Creator in Jesus’ teachings. They did not hear a call to reject their identities.

16 September 2022

Assembly

A woman sings during a joint opening prayer for pre-assemblies

Choose the power of love: Pre-Assemblies deliver powerful calls

Karlsruhe, a city built over 300 hundred years ago without walls, open to friends and guests —at a time where other cities still hid behind their fortifications —welcomed people from all over the world to four pre-assemblies that are bringing forward powerful calls to the 11^thAssembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

31 August 2022

Women joining hands in the Walk of Peace

WCC pre-assemblies will convene to harvest honest reflections, meaningful messages

Four World Council of Churches (WCC) pre-assemblies are about to convene, drawing hundreds of people eager to, in a safe space, share their honest reflections and life challenges. The pre-assemblies include Indigenous Peoples, Ecumenical Youth Gathering, Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, and Just Community of Women and Men.

25 August 2022

His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, Photo: Peter Williams/WCC

“Coexistence,” book by Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania brings a renowned voice to the human condition

A new publication from WCC, “Coexistence: Peace, Nature, Poverty, Terrorism, Values (Religious Perspectives)” by Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, is now available in hard copy and as an eBook.

24 March 2022

Webinar shows COVID-19 exacerbated caste system discrimination

A webinar on 1 March—Zero Discrimination Day— explored the theme “COVID-19, Casteism and Caste discrimination: How to mitigate pandemic-reinforced inequality and discrimination.”

03 March 2022

A lighted cross shines at night on the small island in Papua

WCC shares greetings with the Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared greetings with the Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua upon its “167 mission day anniversary celebration.”

04 February 2022