Source: World Council of Churches The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee concluded its meeting in Cyprus with inspiration and practical plans for a way forward with hope, even in a challenging world. The governing body met in Paralimni, Cyprus, from 21-26 November to focus on planning for 2025, including the budget and implementation of WCC strategies. The thematic focus of the gathering was on peace-building in the context of occupation, war, and conflicts. “At our meeting in Cyprus, I felt the heartbeat of the World Council of Churches,” said WCC moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm. “The members of our executive…
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Source: World Council of Churches The 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches will take place in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 31 August to 8 September 2022, under the theme “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity”. The WCC Assembly is the highest governing body of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and normally meets every eight years. It is the only time when the entire fellowship of member churches comes together in one place for prayer and celebration. A WCC Assembly is a special time in the lives of member churches, ecumenical partners, and other churches, as it brings together more…
Source: Public Orthodoxy by Andrew Louth The Christian world as a whole—and the Orthodox world, in particular—has been horrified by the invasion of Ukraine by the armed forces of Russia. It seems to be a distressingly indiscriminate campaign, in which thousands have been killed—young soldiers, men, women, and children—as well as hospitals, schools, homes, monasteries, churches destroyed, with millions of refugees fleeing from their homes and livelihoods. From the beginning, his Holiness, Patriarch Kirill, has spoken out in support of the military operation in Ukraine, using the same mealy-mouthed expression as President Putin to obscure the truth that a sovereign…
Source: Religion News Service The letter to the Russian patriarch comes amid calls to expel him and the Russian Orthodox Church from the WCC. By Jack Jenkins (RNS) — The head of the World Council of Churches is urging Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, to call for a cease-fire in Ukraine as Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter this weekend. “People lost their trust and hope in politicians and in a possible peaceful negotiation and a ceasefire,” the Rev. Ioan Sauca, a Romanian Orthodox priest and acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches, wrote in a letter…
Source: World Council of Churches In a 10 March letter, H.H. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia responded to a letter sent 2 March by World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca asking Patriarch Kirill to mediate so that the war can be stopped. Letter from Archpriest Ioan Sauca Geneva, 2 March 2022 His Holiness Kirill Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Russian Orthodox Church Your Holiness, It is with great pain and with a breaking heart that I am writing to Your Holiness. The tragic situation of the war in Ukraine has…
Source: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE PERMANENT DELEGATION TO THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES An International Conference on “The Theological Heritage of Fr. Georges Florovsky” is organized on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his death by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul on 1-3 September 2019. Hierarchs, clergy, distinguished university professors and theologians from universities from all over the world will attend the International Conference which will be inaugurated by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Fr. Florovsky was a groundbreaking theologian and professor, and has been described as the “Chief of the Orthodox Theologians” of the twentieth century. His inspiring appeal to…
Source: The National Herald by TNH Staff GENEVA – World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit sent a welcoming letter to Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Bursa after his election by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as the new Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Rev. Tveit wrote that “Within the joyful atmosphere of the Easter season, we welcome joyfully your election by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, one of the most prominent sees of the Church…
Source: World Council of Churches The division of Cyprus since 1974 is one of the most protracted issues in the hands of the United Nations. Despite recent peace negotiations faltering, hope still exists that the impasse on the unification of the Mediterranean island will be resolved. The Church of Cyprus, a founding member of the World Council of Churches (WCC), strives for the unity of the island, together with other churches in the country. It recognizes, however, that the challenge is first to heal the wounds caused by the Turkish invasion 44 years ago. Metropolitan Dr Vasilios, head of the…
Source: World Council of Churches Representatives of churches worldwide gathered at Geneva’s St Pierre Cathedral for a service of celebration to mark the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), at which His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew urged continued efforts for unity, justice and peace. “We celebrate a long common pilgrimage on the path to unity, Christian witness, and the commitment to justice, peace, and the preservation of creation,” said the patriarch in his homily during the service on 17 June at the Swiss city’s historic Protestant cathedral. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople was one of the founding…
Source: Ekklesia A consultation with the theme ‘Ecumenical Perspective on the Role of Women in the Churches’ brought together 28 women and men to the Monastero di Bose in northern Italy from 3-7 October 2017. Participants came from major Christian traditions including Anglican, Baptist, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Orthodox (Eastern and Oriental), Pentecostal, Reformed and Roman Catholic. There were also representatives of regional ecumenical organisations including the All Africa Conference of Churches, Caribbean Conference of Churches, Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias, Middle East Council of Churches, National Council of Churches in India, and Conference of European Churches. The event…
Source: FrontPage Mag by Susan Warner Founded in 1948, The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of 345 Protestant and Orthodox Christian churches in 110 countries. Their aim is “to support the member churches and ecumenical partners to journey together, promoting justice and peace in our world as an expression of faith in the Triune God.” To advance their “justice and peace” initiatives, they collude with Islamic and Palestinian friends in a covert scheme to sabotage Israel. Their web of anti-Zionism extends throughout Europe, the Americas and Africa. While this may seem a bold assertion, it is nonetheless worth examining some undeniable evidence. WCC is among the many coalitions of Christians…
Source: Ecumenical News World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit says the fervent prayers of Christians throughout the world were answered with the release of Greek Orthodox nuns kidnapped by rebels in the Syrian Christian town of Maaloula. News agencies reported that a group of nuns from the Convent of St Thecla, abducted in December 2013, had been freed as part of a prisoner exchange. In a letter sent to John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, on 10 March, Tveit expressed “great joy” on the news. Tveit said their release raises hope…