World Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is celebrating the life of H. E. Ambassador Yoftahe Demetros, former general administrator of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church. 

In one of the largest dioceses of the Church of South India, climate justice begins in a vegetable garden

During a panel discussion on “Shared Sacred Flourishing,” religious leaders reflected on why words aren’t enough, what it means to exercise a prophetic voice, and the issue of the misuse of religion. 

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended joyful greetings upon the 50th Jubilee of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians.

Rev. Wilfred Dimingu, a Methodist Church minister, is leading the Zimbabwe Council of Churches as its general secretary at a time when the signing of a controversial amendment has radically altered the political, judicial, and electoral processes in the southern African country.

Christian and Muslim leaders in Nigeria, with the support of the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace and International Dialogue Centre – KAICIID, launched the Interfaith Code of Conduct at the Abuja Peace Conference. 

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay strongly condemned the reported drone strike on the Abbay Giyorgis St Arsema Unity Monastery in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region on 22 July. The strike reportedly killed two civilians and injured several others, including women who had gathered to prepare food for a religious commemoration.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed grave concern over the seizure of the St Peter’s Evangelical Church and Synod Secretariat compound in Tehran, the eviction of its residents, and the reported interruption of worship at this historic church.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended greetings to the Multistakeholder Interfaith Dialogue on Forced Displacement and Shared Sacred Flourishing, which will take place at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees headquarters on 28 July.

Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee, will participate in a Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on Displacement and Shared Sacred Flourishing on 28 July, organized by Religions for Peace and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 

Rev. Canon Dr Carlton Turner of the Church in the Province of the West Indies serves with the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education Birmingham, UK, and is a member of the World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission. He took time to reflect on an international colloquium, "Decolonizing Ecumenical Hermeneutics,” held in June.

As an ecumenical solidarity visit to Zimbabwe drew to a close, a delegation led by World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay reiterated the importance of human rights, Christian unity, and the work and witness of churches. 

Materials for the North America-Turtle Island Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute are ready for the gathering, which will convene in Detroit and Toronto 3-16 August under the theme “Where Now for Visible Justice?”

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, with other churches and individuals across the world, are calling for the release of Natalie Abudayyeh, a 21-year-old university student who has now been held in Israeli prison for nearly two months. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) hosted a consultation for Ethiopian church leaders from 6–10 July at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. The meeting aimed to strengthen church cooperation in Ethiopia and foster fellowship among WCC member churches in the country.

An ecumenical delegation led by World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay met with the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, as well as officials from the Zimbabwe Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is poised to offer key input at the upcoming International AIDS Conference in Brazil, which will convene from 26-31 July.

Marianne Ejdersten, director of communication for the World Council of Churches (WCC), traveled with a WCC-led delegation to Ukraine for a solidarity visit on 14-17 July. She took time to reflect on the communications operation, on the prophetic voices that touched her heart, and what we can pray for the communicators that remain in Ukraine.

House of Sarah works every day in Fiji to promote gender justice, empower women, and prevent gender-based and domestic violence. Mereani Nawadra, researcher and advocate with House of Sarah, took time to explain how the organization became involved with Thursdays in Black, and how House of Sarah continues to inspire reflection, challenge harmful norms, and encourage collective action towards ending violence.

On 5 June, churches and faith-based organizations from Colombia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, together with investment and ecumenical partners, submitted a complaint under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct concerning HSBC Holdings plc and its financial relationship with Glencore, the company operating the Cerrejón coal mine in La Guajira, Colombia. This is the first of a three-part feature story that illustrates the grave effects of the Cerrejón mining operation on human rights for Indigenous people, on children’s health, and on the environment, water access, and pollution.