wfn.org | WCC UPDATE: A theology for another possible world

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World Council of Churches - Update
For immediate release - 24/01/2005

SEEKING A THEOLOGY FOR ANOTHER POSSIBLE WORLD

Free photos available - see below

"The other world we are thinking of is the one we have, not a world
beyond," said Rev. Orlando Santos de Oliveira. The primate of the
Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil was speaking at the opening session of
a theological forum on the theme of "Theology for another possible world".
Therefore "The only possible theology is one that engages with a liberating God on a concrete pastoral basis, in dialogue with new religious and
social movements and the society we live in," de Oliveira declared.
Bringing together 180 theologians from all parts of the world, the World
Forum on Theology and Liberation is taking place in Porto Alegre, Brazil
from 21-25 January, just before the 26-31 January World Social Forum
(WSF).

Being organized by ecumenical organizations in Latin America, and
supported by international ecumenical bodies including the World Council
of Churches (WCC), the Forum's theme refers both to the World Social Forum
slogan, "Another world is possible", and to that of the February 2006
assembly in Porto Alegre of the World Council of Churches, "God, in your
grace, transform the world".

According to its coordinator Luis Carlos Susin, the theological forum
offers an opportunity for "mutual dialogue for Christian theologians of
all continents" and "interfaith dialogue in a context that is marked by
violent conflict between religions".

What theological visions of a way towards another possible world will the
forum offer? "The road is made as you walk it," Susin suggested. "From our
religious experience, we can […] dedicate ourselves to justice and
compassion, or to intolerance and fundamentalism. We have chosen the first
option. In this forum, we will share our vision that another world is
possible."

"How can we live our faith in the context of globalization?" asked the
president of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba, Rev. Dr Ofelia
Ortega. "Our task is the fulfilment of the Agapeof God which is based on
grace and transforming justice," she reflected. Turning the WCC assembly
theme around, Ortega stressed human responsibility for the act of
transformation: "God, in your grace, help us to obey your call to be
agents for transforming your world."

"The community of faith is a community of hope", emphasized Dr Walter
Altmann, president of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in
Brazil (IECLB). For Altmann, the genuine Christian contribution to another
world is to live as "fruits of hope", based in God's grace, and as
"creators of hope" who hold fast to the "final, eternal hope" in the face
of all that threatens hope in today's world. His own church has adopted
the WCC's forthcoming 9th assembly theme for action and reflection over
the forthcoming year, Altmann reported.

cf. WCC press release PR-05-62 of 19 January 2005

High-resolution photos from the forum are available on our website:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/photo-galleries/meetings/possibleworldtheology.html

Media contacts in Porto Alegre:
Susanne Buchweitz subuc@terra.com.br +55 (0) 51 3342 2627 +55 (0) 51 3225
9066
Henrike Mueller hem@wcc-coe.org +55 (0) 51 8114 7833
Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363
media@wcc-coe.org

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.