World Council of Churches

Rev. Prof. Dr Stephanie Dietrich, moderator of the World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission, took time to reflect on the upcoming meeting in Lund, and how the outcomes from the world conference in Egypt will inform the gathering. 

An interreligious dialogue on “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World” on 28 September—the third in a series—offered a focus from Roman Catholic and Anglican perspectives. 

A new Global Ecumenical Indigenous Women’s Theological Network has been launched within the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE) programme, creating a dedicated global space for Indigenous women theologians, scholars and emerging leaders to connect, collaborate and strengthen their contribution to theological education and the ecumenical movement.

The Arab Educational Institute and Pax Christi, through special activities for women and children, connected the World Council of Churches World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel with the Season of Creation.

Students and faculty joined a local parishes and surrounding communities to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. 

World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee moderator Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm and WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pilly sent a hearty congratulations to Rev. Dr Gabriele Hoerschelmann, who was appointed as the new general secretary of the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag.

In a video message shared with the Communion of Churches in Indonesia, World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee moderator Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm reiterated the WCC’s solidarity with the people and churches of Papua. 

During an International Ecumenical Conference at Pannonhalma, Hungary, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay attended Holy Mass in St Martin’s Basilica, visited with students in the Assembly Hall of the Benedictine Secondary School, participated in a roundtable discussion with Hungarian bishops, and offered a lecture as well as a homily. 

Members of the World Council of Churches (WCC) commissions and reference groups working on Life, Justice, and Peace will gather in Chiang Mai from 4 to 10 October to discern how churches can respond together to the defining challenges of a fractured world.

World Council of Churches staff gathered on 22 September to share and connect current initiatives addressing artificial intelligence. They discussed how the WCC uses AI, how to productively bring the discussion to WCC commissions and reference groups, and how to form a WCC staff task force on AI. They also discussed how best to contribute to planning a multidisciplinary symposium set for 15-19 February 2027.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Staff Planning Days, scheduled for 28 September through 2 October, will focus on implementing a new structure together. Setting aside regular work, the WCC staff will gather as a community to strengthen collaboration and renew their common commitment to engage the WCC fellowship of member churches on a Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity.

The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, on 19 September, issued an appeal to the World Council of Churches (WCC), Pope Leo XIV, the World Evangelical Alliance, and other religious leaders to raise their voices and use every available means to save several thousand residents of the occupied Oleshky in the Kherson Region of Ukraine, from death by starvation.

In a video message, World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee moderator Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm reflected on the theme of the World Week for Peace in Israel and Palestine, “Behold the children are a heritage from the Lord,” Psalm 127:3.

A panel discussion held at a conference organized by the Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies on Racism and the Church of Sweden, in Uppsala, Sweden on 17 September covered “Faith, Race, and Practice: Religious Engagement in the Global Context.”

The Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity Reference Group of the World Council of Churches (WCC) concluded its meeting in Vancouver, Canada, held from 17 to 22 September, affirming a strategic direction to broaden and deepen the pilgrimage across the life of the fellowship.

A UN Human Rights Office report published 18 September says sexual violence has been used against civilians and prisoners of war in Ukraine in a pattern of torture, intimidation, and coercion since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale armed attack on its neighbour more than four years ago.

World Council of Churches general secretary began a visit to Hungary by offering a lecture in Debrechen on 24 September. Exploring “Church in Changing landscapes: God’s Mission and Our Own,” Pillay reflected on how the current context should influence the mission of the churches.

As the Holy Land goes through one of the darkest periods in its history, the local Christian community feels abandoned by the international community. Faced with widespread destruction and forced displacement, the local churches are issuing an appeal: to see reality as it is experienced, beyond diplomatic and media filters.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay shared warm greetings for the 180th anniversary of World Evangelical Alliance. 

For Rev. Dr. Manhong Lin, Bossey was more than a place of study. The General Secretary of the China Christian Council and Professor and Doctoral Advisor of Christian Ethics, Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, reflects on what she valued about her experience—and why Bossey still matters today.