 | 2009 |
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| 26.06.2009 |  | | Two candidates nominated for WCC general secretary
The World Council of Churches' search committee for a general secretary met 23-26 June 2009 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The committee was elected by the Central Committee in February 2008 and led by the moderator, Dr Agnes Abuom. Read more
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| 18.06.2009 | | | International church anti-racism conference sees time for change
"We believe that this is a moment where we are invited by God to commit ourselves to be instruments of change in the church and the wider society," participants in an international conference on "Churches against Racism" have said, 17 June. The message was read in the presence of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands during a closing worship service. Read more
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| 15.06.2009 | | | Bible is the "ultimate immigration handbook"
In a worship service opening the "Churches against Racism" conference in Doorn, Netherlands, 14-17 June, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia said the Bible was the "ultimate immigration handbook". Read more
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| 11.06.2009 | | | Over 100 theologians to gather for ecumenical "landmark" event
An upcoming meeting of 120 theologians from nearly all Christian traditions will be looking at what churches consider to be their mission in the world and how they come to decisions on theological, ecumenical or moral questions. Read more
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| 10.06.2009 | | | Peru: WCC laments loss of life, condemns attempts to abrogate indigenous peoples' rights
The recent incidents of violence in Bagua, Peru are "but one instance of a series of government actions to abrogate the rights of the Indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon over land and resources", stated the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a 9 June letter to President Alan García Pérez. Read more
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| 08.06.2009 | | | Change is in the air, as churches do week for Middle East peace
Change is in the air as churches in many parts of the world hold a "World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel" that began on 4 June 2009. New voices are advocating steps toward peace that churches have been promoting for years. Read more
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| 04.06.2009 | | | Churches reaffirm 40-year struggle against racism
The Dutch queen will be the guest of honour at a conference seeking to take on the legacy of the World Council of Churches' (WCC) historic anti-racism efforts. Read more
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| 04.06.2009 | | | WCC officers voice concern over report on candidates for general secretary
The World Council of Churches (WCC) officers who are meeting in Geneva this week have expressed concern and regret over the release of a short list of candidates reportedly being considered for WCC general secretary. Read more
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| 03.06.2009 |  | | Ecumenism is a way of life
Sister Pina Sandu says that in her Orthodox monastery, in the mountains of Romania, they practise "touristic spirituality". With a resort built up around the monastery, "like it or not" the tourists "hear the bells, hear the services three times a day… They hear, they feel, they know that something is happening." As a result, their curiosity leads them into the yard and into the church – "small, sure steps towards something beautiful." Read more
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| 28.05.2009 | | | Message of the presidents of the WCC at Pentecost 2009
The year 2009 began with grave concern about the catastrophic economic situation of the world of wealth. Towards the end of 2008, in the midst of a life that to many was apparently without problems, disastrous financial and economic difficulties suddenly came to light. Read more
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| 27.05.2009 | | | A "World Week" has churches working for peace where there is no peace
Australia is focusing on Gaza, Austria has town pilgrimages. Brazil has seminary students debating conflict over "holy" land. Canadians, Scots, Norwegians, British and French are making contact with lawmakers. Directors of church-related aid agencies are visiting Israeli and Palestinian partner organizations. And on the high Wall that hems in Bethlehem, Palestinians are "showing" prayers at night. Read more
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| 27.05.2009 | | | A common date for Easter is possible
The hope that all Christians will be able to celebrate Easter on the same day in the future was reaffirmed by an international ecumenical seminar organized by the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, 15 May. Read more
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| 26.05.2009 | | | Palestinian Christians want a Peace Lamp in every church
Its population may be dwindling, but the Palestinian village of Taybeh is striving to maintain normality in the midst of conflict, and hope in the midst of oppression. Read more
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| 25.05.2009 | | | North Korea nuclear test highlights need to abolish all nuclear weapons
At a time when the international community is re-kindling the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons, the North Korean nuclear test is a source of profound concern, stated the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia. Read more
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| 20.05.2009 | | | Health not a commodity but a right, also in times of influenza A
What do you think about when you hear the word "health"? A doctor with a stethoscope, lab testing tubes, coloured pills? Wrong answer, grassroots health activists say. You should be thinking first of clean drinking water, nutritious food, a safe work environment and essential health care made accessible at the community level. Yes, even in times of influenza A. Read more
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| 18.05.2009 | | | After communal violence, Indian Christians draw hope from elections
According to an Indian church worker, the violence against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa last year was not a one-time event but the consequence of a fragmented society. However, the results of the recent general elections are heartening. Read more
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| 14.05.2009 | | | World churches to mark 100 years of landmark mission event
As the centennial of a landmark mission event approaches in 2010, a global study process is mobilizing churches, theological institutions and mission bodies around the world. Read more
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| 13.05.2009 | | | Indigenous peoples seek political affirmation
"Being indigenous peoples is not about wearing colourful garments but about being engaged in the political struggle towards an alternative to the current, crisis-laden model of civilization", says María Chávez, an indigenous person from Bolivia who is a consultant for indigenous issues at the World Council of Churches (WCC). Read more
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| 13.05.2009 | | | Conscientious objection sees positive global trend but serious problems remain
In spite of a global trend to better recognize the right to conscientious objection – which is marked with an International Day on 15 May – those who exercise that right are often discriminated against, persecuted, repeatedly punished or sent to prison in many countries, first results of a study being conducted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) show. Read more
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| 05.05.2009 | | | Churches in many countries preparing “World Week” of action for peace in Israel and Palestine
World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel, 4-10 June 2009 is intended to generate joint church action for a just peace. Churches in 20 countries have already sent news of their plans to the convenors, the World Council of Churches (WCC). A Palestinian community organization is offering a way for many more countries to join – by sending peace prayers to Bethlehem. Read more
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| 29.04.2009 | | | A pastor testifies he was tortured in the Philippines
Claims made by the Philippines government to a good human rights track record "are utterly false", Rev. Berlin Guerrero told the United Nations Committee against Torture this week. A victim of torture himself, Guerrero said the government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is "remiss in its responsibility to prevent torture". Read more
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| 29.04.2009 | | | Palestinian Christian family counters harassment with openness
"A land is nothing without people, and people are nothing without a land." That's the maxim followed by Palestinian farmer Daoud Nassar. And when he speaks of the intimate connection between people and their land, he is talking from hard-won experience. Read more
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| 24.04.2009 | | | Global church groupings welcome Durban II outcome, with some regrets
Two global church organizations have congratulated the Durban Review Conference on the adoption of its outcome document, while regretting that the latter makes no mention of the plight of hundreds of millions of people affected by caste-based discrimination. Read more
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| 22.04.2009 | | | WCC demands release of Sri Lankan ecumenical official
The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has urged the government of Sri Lanka to immediately release from detention Santha Fernando, an ecumenical official who has been under arrest for nearly a month. Read more
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| 15.04.2009 | | | Dalits' inner strength defeats caste-based discrimination
Caste-based discrimination in India may be 3,500 years old, but something new is unfolding. An emerging liberation movement has consciously chosen not to focus on Dalits' victimhood, but on the latent strength of the Dalit people, drawn from their own history and culture. Read more
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| 09.04.2009 | | | Sri Lanka, a "humanitarian crisis exceeding all imaginable proportions"
An international ecumenical consultation has appealed to the government of Sri Lanka and the rebel movement Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to halt fighting in order to free tens of thousands of civilians trapped in a war zone in the north of the country. Read more
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| 09.04.2009 | | | Accompanying Dalits in their journey to liberation
When Elske van Gorkum took up her first job in a Dalit community in India, her hosts could hardly believe what they heard when she said there were no castes in her native Netherlands. "For them, a society without castes is unthinkable," van Gorkum says, "but coming from an egalitarian society, I also had difficulty at first understanding 'untouchability'." Read more
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