World Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches, along with ecumenical and civil society partners, are preparing for the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, convened by the United Nations and being held in Geneva, 6-7 July. Participants in a symposium on "Our Common Future: Advocating for Digital Rights and AI Accountability" held in mid-April in Berlin reflect on some of the issues that will come to the fore in the Global Dialogue.

A webinar on 16 July will review outcomes of the Patmos Global Summit for Bible Engagement, which occurred in June in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

Dr Mathews George Chunakara served as general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) from 2015 to 2026. He reflects below on his tenure; on the challenges, witness, and mission of churches; and on his vision for the future.

Rev. Dr Kirsten L. Guidero serves as ecumenical and interreligious officer for the Division of Public Policy, Partnership, and Witness for the Episcopal Church. She visited the World Council of Churches (WCC) and came away with inspiration and ideas for deepening engagement and collaboration in many ways. 

Teams from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its sister organizations completed the Bike to Work Challenge—and their commitment to good health and care for creation keeps going. 

Community leaders on 3 July met with WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as he reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to community leadership and meaningful engagement.

Min. Shermara JJ Hoyte is principal officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Multicultural Relations at Churches Together in England. She reflects below on the development of the new resource, Kingdom Over Nation, that invites Christians to pause and ask what is forming their vision of the world. Hoyte is executive editor of Kingdom over Nation, which was co-edited by Rev. Dr Ben Aldous and Sarah Ball with a foreword by Churches Together in England general secretary, Bishop Mike Royal.

Rev. Dr Meehyun Chung, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Ecumenical Education and Formation (EEF), and Rev. Dr Teddy Chalwe Sakupapa, vice-moderator, visited the WCC offices in Geneva this week focusing on ongoing projects and upcoming initiatives of the commission.

The general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, met on 7 July in Geneva with the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Elders, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, to discuss strengthening collaboration between faith communities in addressing today's global challenges.

Dr Humberto Martín Shikiya, from the Evangelical Methodist Church in Argentina, was named 2026 World Methodist Council Peace Laureate, for his acts of courage, creativity, and consistency in efforts to promote peace and justice.

Bishop Ingeborg Midttømme, Norwegian Lutheran bishop for the Diocese of Møre in the Church of Norway, visited the World Council of Churches (WCC) on 22-23 June to receive an introduction to the WCC, and to more deeply explore programmes related to Unity, Mission, and Ecumenical Formation; Life, Justice, and Peace; and the Office of the General Secretariat.

Admir Skodo is the new coordinator of the “Changing the Narrative” migration and media project organized by the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, World Association for Christian Communication, and World Council of Churches. He took time to reflect on how the media landscape is changing in the representation of migrants and refugees, and how churches can be involved.

During a conference exploring “Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs in Europe: Building Fraternity through Dialogue and Collaboration,” held 23-24 June, interreligious leaders reflected on what fraternity means to them—and why it’s crucial for healing in today’s world.  

A webinar, “Holy Blood, Hidden Shame: Reclaiming the Sacred Dignity of Menstruation in the Body of Christ,” held 3 July, examined, from a biblical perspective, women’s capacity for decision-making and the societal origins of stigma.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is commemorating the life and mourning the passing of theologian and clergy Dr Wolfgang Schmidt at age 93.

On 7 June, Nigerian Patriarch, His Holiness Most Rev. Dr Rufus Okikiola Ositelu, who is also the World Council of Churches president from Africa, led prayers for the release and protection of children in captivity in his country, where abduction and kidnapping of civilians are surging.

A group of vocational training students from German-speaking Switzerland visited the World Council of Churches (WCC). Led by Florian Schmid, cofounder and president of the Society for the Promotion of Cross-Border Cooperation, the group expressed appreciation for the interesting introduction and overview of the WCC.

Prof. Dr Ulrich Becker, a German Protestant theologian, religious educator, and ecumenical scholar who played an important role in the educational work of the World Council of Churches (WCC), particularly in the area of Christian education, ecumenical formation, and renewal, passed away on 26 June. 

A webinar, “Nuclear disarmament in times of increased militarization - the experience from Nordic countries,” held 30 June, offered a history and reflections of the nuclear disarmament movement and how churches are called to respond. 

A webinar on 7 July will explore “Human Rights and Health Equity: Addressing Stigma and Neglect Faced by Vulnerable Populations.”