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Global Peace Prayer will draw Christians together in hope for better future

A Global Peace Prayer on 22 March will draw Christians together in hope for a better future. A communique from a prayer planning committee explained that Christians are called into prayer and advocacy for peace. “In a global context where war and violence abound, the practice of peace has become even more urgent,” reads the message.

21 March 2023

Letter

WCC general secretary’s letter to the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe

WCC letter to Revd Dr John Bradbury, Executive President and Rev. Dr Mario Fischer, General Secretary of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe.

17 March 2023

General Secretary

WCC praises 50 years of agreement between Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches in Europe

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has hailed the 50th anniversary of a landmark agreement between Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches in Europe in which they recognized each other’s baptism and ordination, and stated they were able to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together.

16 March 2023

Event

Global Peace Prayer

22 March 2023

A Global Peace Prayer on 22 March will draw Christians together into prayer and advocacy for peace, and in hope for a better future.

Online

Global greetings carry prayers, gratitude to new WCC general secretary

Immediately after the installation on 17 February of Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay as the ninth general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), church leaders, heads of ecumenical organizations, friends, family, and WCC staff shared greetings and welcoming words.

17 February 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

WCC extends warm wishes to Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser on his 85th birthday

As former World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser turned 85 on 25 January, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended warm wishes on behalf of the global WCC fellowship.

25 January 2023

Pope Benedict XVI met former WCC general secretaries Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia (January 2008) and Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit (December 2010). Photos: L'Osservatore Romano

The Ecumenical Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI

In an address the day after he was elected pope, Benedict XVI pledged to work for the full and visible unity of all Christ’s followers and to do everything in his power to promote the fundamental cause of ecumenism.

31 December 2022

Interview

Pandemic and pedagogy: what are the valuable lessons?

Rev. Prof. Dr Benjamin Simon, World Council of Churches programme executive for Ecumenical Theological Education, offered reflections after a December hybrid conference entitled “Theological Education: Pandemic and Pedagogy,” held at the Trinity Theological Seminary in Accra, Ghana. The conference was co-organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC), World Communion of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, and Evangelische Mission Weltweit. The conference drew more than 80 participants from all over the world.

21 December 2022

Event

GEM School 2023

21 August - 01 September 2023

In order to strengthen the voice of the churches with regards to global economics, a group of up to 20 current and future leaders representing the churches will have the opportunity to attend the GEM School.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Applications open for school on Governance, Economics, and Management for an Economy of Life

Applications are open for the Ecumenical School on Governance, Economics and Management (GEM School) for an Economy of Life, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 21 August through 1 September 2023.

14 December 2022

Background document

GEM School 2023 - documents

14 December 2022

WCC Programmes

World Council of Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches, and ACT Alliance commend appointment of women to negotiate Colombian peace agreement

In a letter to Colombian president Gustavo Petro Urrego, and to the high commissioner for peace Danilo Rueda Rodriguéz, the World Council of Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches, and ACT Alliance congratulated the government of Colombia for the appointment of four women to the negotiation team for a peace agreement with the National Liberation Army.

29 November 2022

Letter

Letter to Colombian president Gustavo Petro Urrego and the high commissioner for peace Danilo Rueda Rodriguéz from WCC, WCRC, and ACT Alliance

World Council of Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches, and ACT Alliance commend appointment of women to negotiate Colombian peace agreement.

29 November 2022

Ecumenical movement

Publication

Towards a Global Vision of the Church - cover

Towards a Global Vision of the Church Volume I

Explorations on Global Christianity and Ecclesiology, Faith and Order Paper 234

As a part of the reception process of the convergence document The Church: Towards a Common Vision (TCTCV), the ecclesiology study group of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order undertook a wide range of conversations on global Christianity and ecclesiology. This included perspectives from various regions (especially Asia, Africa, and Latin America), denominational families (such as evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and independent churches), and forms of being church (such as ecclesial movements, new forms of monasticism, and online churches) which have not always been clearly or strongly represented in the discussions on the way to TCTCV.

This first of two volumes offers a taste of the insights, contributions, lively dialogue, diverse perspectives, and mutual exchange of ecumenical gifts between the members of the commission and theologians from around the world, which took place through a series of international consultations between 2015-22.

The fruit of this work is offered with the hope that it will contribute towards a clearer, global vision of the Church in the 21st century.

14 November 2022

WCC signs letter to G20 leaders urging that we “recover together” and “recover stronger” from world’s intertwined crises

The World Council of Churches joined other global faith-based organizations in sending a letter to G20 leaders—a letter urging an economic system that looks after the wellbeing of all.

07 November 2022

Ecumenical panel looks ahead on ways to advocate for renewed international financial and economic architecture

From 11-13 October, experts in finance, economics, sociology, and theology from the World Council of Churches (WCC), World Communion of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, and Council for World Mission met in Bali, Indonesia, for the fifth meeting of the working group on a New International Financial and Economic Architecture.

19 October 2022

Members of World Methodist Council denominations

Assembly participants come together as church families

With over 3,500 participants from all over the world, opportunities for “encounter” are rich and continuous at the 11^th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) taking place in Karlsruhe, Germany. Intentional gatherings – from small “home” groups to regional meetings also help to connect participants and bring different perspectives to the concerns and hopes being raised under the Assembly theme, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity”.

04 September 2022