World Council of Churches

Speaking at the Monastery of Bose in Italy, His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East called for a new approach to the Christian presence in the Middle East—one that moves beyond narratives of decline, survival, and minority protection, and recognises Christians as full citizens and active partners in building peaceful and inclusive societies.

On 8-9 September, senior Christian and Muslim leaders, policymakers, and peacebuilding practitioners from across the Arab region gathered in Rome for the 2026 Steering Committee Meeting of the Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab World, supported by KAICIID and co-hosted with COREIS, the Italian Islamic Religious Community. 

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay met with Prime Minister Han Seongsook of the Republic of Korea on 11 September in Seoul, where they discussed ways churches and the wider ecumenical movement could help reopen pathways for dialogue and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The opening session of the World Council of Churches (WCC) webinar series “Theology of Companionship – Foundations: Why Companionship Now?” was held on 9 September.

The academic year began at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey with an opening ceremony for 33 students from 21 countries and 28 churches. 

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay offered the opening sermon on 9 September at the 2026 International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Institute at Bossey marked its 80th anniversary with a second webinar on 7 September exploring the institute’s history and continuing contribution to the ecumenical movement through the lives and theological legacies of key figures.

During the funeral of King Harald V at the Oslo Cathedral on 9 September, Most Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, Church of Norway presiding bishop, offered a sermon with a message of hope: love never ends.

Rev. Dr Antti Laine, head of Church and Ecumenical Relations at Finn Church Aid, looked back at his time at the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Institute at Bossey.

Climate finance, the money that helps countries cut emissions and cope with impacts, should come as grants, not debt-creating loans, demanded faith-based organizations at the UN Human Rights Council as COP31 in Antalya, Turkey approaches. "Climate Finance for Human Rights, Resilience, and Justice", held in Geneva on 7 September, was convened by Franciscans International, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and six other partners.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) received the visit of Nini Sandborg, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights adviser on torture prevention and Dr Susan Kerr, head of the Human Rights Department at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary of the ACT Alliance, recently visited Colombia and Venezuela in the wake of earthquakes in both countries. He reflects on the humanitarian work—and why communities are ready to lead it.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute (RETI) Latin America has been announced for 2027. Prof. Dr Ani Ghazaryan Drissi, WCC programme executive for Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE) and coordinator of the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) and RETI, reflects on her hopes for the new regional initiative, and how you can get involved. 

A session at the Greenbelt Festival in the UK covered “Stop Funding the Climate Crisis: Christians Holding Banks Accountable.” A panel of speakers discussed how churches, including the Methodist Church, are turning to legal action to challenge those financing environmental harm. 

An annual gathering of World Council of Churches (WCC) retirees, along with retirees from the Lutheran World Federation and other sister organizations, was held on 7 September. Participants heard the latest WCC news, prayed together, and enjoyed a birthday cake commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. 

An International Ecumenical Peace Convocation will convene 9-13 September in Seoul, Republic of Korea, under the theme “World Peace and the Korean Peninsula: The Church as a Community of Healing, Reconciliation, and Peacebuilding.”

The third drop-in session of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Officers Network, held on 3 September, focused on churches’ engagement with climate justice and the Season of Creation. 

A communique issued at the close of the plenary meeting of the Joint Working Group between the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church explains the mandate of the working groups, marks the 80th anniversary of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, and expresses gratitude.   

Rivers that carry plastic to the sea. Wells turning salt as the ocean rises. Taps that run dry where children walk far for water. These were prayed for on 1 September, at the service opening the 2026 Season of Creation under the theme "Living Water" from Ezekiel 47. "We are surrounded by water," said Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, "but something within humanity has become dry."

For 11 days in Ulaanbaatar, the World Council of Churches (WCC) made one argument in five different events: degraded land will not be restored without the communities who already hold it. It closed on 25 August, with churches in front of investors, then farmers.