World Council of Churches

Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, WCC moderator, have strongly condemned the act of violence perpetrated against people visiting a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on 20 December.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will take place from 18-25 January, and churches and Christian communities worldwide are invited to use the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 resources in seven languages, including a child-friendly version.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) welcomed an array of visitors during Advent season, including delegations from the Presbyterian Church (USA), World Communion of Reformed Churches, Nordic churches, and the Conference of European Churches.

On the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Chilean military coup, Marta Palma, former staff of the World Council of Churches (WCC), remembers the WCC’s extensive support for Chilean churches and communities during one of the darkest periods in the nation’s history. 

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay was invited by Yerlan Alimbayev, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and permanent representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations 

In a lecture delivered in Oslo, Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Nihon Hidankyo called on all governments to take their stories as a call to action—and to immediately eliminate any activities that give nuclear weapons legitimacy. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Gender Justice Reference Group met in Harare, Zimbabwe from 7-12 December, marking its first in-person gathering. Hosted by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the meeting brought together church leaders, theologians, and gender justice advocates to reflect on the critical importance of gender justice in the life and mission of the church.

A recent event, “Post-Humanism and Artificial Intelligence International Conference,” organized in Athens by Saint Maxim the Greek Institute and the Office of the Orthodox Church at the European Union

Athena Peralta, director of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, answers frequently asked questions about the outcomes of Biodiversity COP16 and Climate COP29—and why churches have a crucial role now and in the future.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended warm greetings to Jewish communities around the world as they celebrate Hanukkah. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) joined diplomats, faith-based organizations, and leading experts at a roundtable discussion celebrating Geneva’s legacy in global environmental governance. Organized as part of the Geneva Environment Network's 25th-anniversary series of events, the discussion focused on the vital role of faith-based organizations in tackling the triple planetary climate change crisis, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Academic dialogue and the experience of churches both play a vital role in the search for Christian unity, according to representatives of the World Council of Churches Faith and Order commission and Munich university when they met to discuss the 2025 anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. 

Peter Prove, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, offered a reflection at the 5th Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide, held 12-13 December in Yerevan, Armenia. 

The 11th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in International Affairs will take place on 3 April 2025, in New York City, exploring the vital role of faith-based organizations and civil society in shaping multilateral solutions to global crises. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee met in Cyprus from 21-26 November at the invitation of the Church of Cyprus, Holy Metropolis of Constantia and Ammochostos, extended by H.E. Metropolitan Dr Vasilios of Constantia - Ammochostos, Church of Cyprus, WCC president. The metropolitan reflected on the history of conflict and occupation, and the ongoing hope for peace, in Cyprus. 

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem shared a Christmas message amid continuing conflict and uncertainty in the region.

A webinar held 5 December debuted a new World Council of Churches (WCC) publication, “Love, Justice, and Reproductive Health: A Framework for Churches.”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is seeking nominations from its member churches for delegates to the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, to take place in October 2025 in Egypt.

An international conference, “Orthodox Theology in the 21st Century: Challenges and Perspectives,” organized by the School of Theology of the University of Athens, was held recently in Greece.

A World Council of Churches (WCC) visit to Canada from 4-9 December brought a sense of mutual support and collaboration among those gathered as they discussed the Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity.