WCC mourns the passing of Bishop Flavio Irala
In a letter to the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and the National Council of Christian Churches, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay shared condolences on the passing of Bishop Flavio Augusto Borges Irala on 9 January.
Scottish Episcopal Church launches international scholarships
[Scottish Episcopal Church] The Scottish Episcopal Church has undertaken a new initiative that will offer two scholarships to applicants from the Global South, aimed at building and strengthening relationships within the Anglican Communion. Successful candidates will be active members of an Anglican Church in the Global South – which covers the regions of Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Middle East and Pacific – who have been offered a place in a relevant Ph.D. program at a university in Scotland. The Scottish Episcopal Church will offer financial support of up to approximately $18,500 per year to assist with living costs, with the funding designed to complement other grants or awards. The scholarships in Divinity, Theology and Religious Studies have been developed by the church’s Global Partnerships Committee. Each scholarship lasts for up to three years and must be undertaken in Scotland. As well as strengthening ties within the Communion, it is expected that the new program of financial support for students will assist theological research and encourage theological discourse. Successful candidates will also act as ambassadors of their local church and engage with the theological community, including the Scottish Episcopal Institute. As part of their integration into the local Scottish Episcopal Church community, scholars will also be mentored during their studies. “The GPC is delighted to introduce this new scholarship aimed at strengthening our international relationships,” the Rev. Hamilton Inbadas, convener of the Global Partnerships Committee, said. “After reviewing its existing approach, the committee identified a need to reimagine its purpose and function. Engaging in meaningful conversations with global partners and the wider church led to a strategy focusing on relationship building and mutual learning. The development of this scholarship program is part of this approach. “In the past, the church facilitated scholarship schemes that brought individuals from other continents to Scotland to study theology. However, with the growing availability of theological education within their own countries, those programs came to an end. Through this renewed initiative, we aim to rebuild strong connections and foster greater mutual understanding with our partners across the Anglican Communion.” Applications close on March 31, 2025, with recipients notified by May 1, 2025. More information about applying for the scholarships is available here.
New primate for the Anglican Church in the Indian Ocean is installed
[Anglican Communion News Service] The Most Rev. Gilbert Rateloson Rakotondravelo was installed as archbishop and primate of the Province of the Indian Ocean during a Jan. 19 service at the Cathedral Church of St. Mark in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar. Rakotondravelo served as bishop of Fianarantsoa before he was elected archbishop on Dec. 14, 2024. Rakotondravelo said of his new role, “I have a big vision for our church here. We want to unite our three countries – Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar – because we have differences in culture, but we need to work together for the kingdom of God, for evangelism, for mission and in the Anglican Communion.” He succeeds the Rt. Rev. James Wong, who was archbishop from 2017 to 2024. The Province of the Indian Ocean covers three countries – Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles. It was founded in 1973, combining two bishoprics. The Anglican mission began in Mauritius in 1810, after the capture of the island from the French. Among those attending the service was the Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo, secretary general of the Anglican Communion. After the service he said, “The Anglican Church in this province has been thriving these past 51 years. It has been very good to be in Madagascar for the second time and to witness firsthand what the church is doing in meeting the needs of the people they serve. I am overjoyed to be present at the enthronement of Archbishop Gilbert. My prayers go with him and his family and the entire province as he takes on the helm.” Reflecting on his ministry as primate, Wong said, “I am thankful for God’s love, thankful for God’s provision and for everything he has bestowed on my ministry and the people around me… especially the people of God here in Madgascar. God has used a lot of my context, my friends and my ministry… together with… the house of bishops we have been able to ease the burdens of many people. “My prayer is that the journey will be continued as the people grow with the word of God and share the word of God. One of the last things I have been able to share and to accomplish is to establish a grassroots theological education commission. … The ministry is to give training to evangelists… to the people in the pews, to enable them to be evangelists … to empower them to be on the field and to shine the light of Jesus Christ. So this is also the vision that the new archbishop has shared in our meeting just after the ceremony of installation – he will continue with this journey so as to enable the church in Mauritius, the Seychelles and in Madagascar to be nearer to the grassroots people.”
Behind the scenes: preparing for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invoked hope in a common faith
As the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity takes place from 18-25 January, Br Guido Dotti from the Monastic Community of Bose, Italy, reflects on what it was like to prepare the materials for the largest global prayer gathering.
Moment of Reflection: A Poem for a Day Like This
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You must be willing / to dream a dream / that carries forward / your community
Rev. Andreas Fuog: Our doubt can be a source of faith
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, staff of the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva joined a Monday morning prayer at the Chapelle des Crêts of the Protestant church of Geneva, reflecting on the theme of the 2025: “Do you believe this?”
During a defining moment in the USA, “we’ve got to give ourselves to the struggle”
During an interfaith service in Memphis, Tennessee, on 20 January at the Healing Cathedral Christian Church, hundreds of people gathered in-person and online to commemorate Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy and to respond to deep injustices plaguing the United States.
Geneva Climate Forum focuses on moral and multilateral action to tackle global crises
At the 25th anniversary celebration of the Geneva Environment Network, global leaders and advocates gathered to address pressing climate and environmental crises under the theme, “Multilateralism Looking at the Future – Protecting the Environment with Humanity at the Center.”
WCC celebrates exchange of hostages and prisoners, prays for those still unjustly detained in Gaza
World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay celebrated with families to whom loved ones have been restored in an initial exchanges of hostages and prisoners in Gaza. “We pray that all the remaining hostages and all those unjustly detained will soon be released,” he said.
WCC welcomes U.S. rescission of Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism
The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay has warmly welcomed President Biden’s decision of 14 January to remove Cuba from a list maintained by the U.S. Department of State that designates countries accused of supporting terrorism.