World Council of Churches

During a panel discussion held during Kirchentag in Hannover, Germany, Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, World Council of Churches (WCC) programme director for Life, Justice, and Peace, shared  the WCC’s journey and commitment to economic and ecological justice—from its early prophetic foundations to the forthcoming launch of the Ecumenical Decade for Climate Action (2025–2035).

During an ecumenical prayer service for the conclave, organized by the World Council of Churches and the Taize community on 6 May, those gathered reflected on the upcoming conclave, or the assembly of Roman Catholic cardinals who elect a new pope.

Bishop Dr Sani Ibrahim Azar is from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

An ecumenical prayer written by Br Matthew of the Taize community is being offered globally to mark the election the new bishop of Rome. 

In a landmark gathering addressing the spiritual dimensions of the ecological crisis, Christian leaders from Eastern and Western traditions convened in Assisi, Italy, to develop a shared liturgical Feast of Creation. The three-day conference from 5-7 May marks a significant step toward establishing what Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm described as "a wonderful expression of the trinitarian essence that unites us as churches" and a powerful spiritual response to the urgent climate challenges facing our planet.

On 13 May, the World Council of Churches, in collaboration with HealthAI, Globethics, and the Christian Medical College of India, will host a webinar, "Already/Not Yet: The Integration of AI and Healthcare—A Critical Dialogue at the Intersection of Technology, Faith, and Healing.”

In a conversation held on 2 May that drew repeated applause from the large audience at Kirchentag in Hanover, Germany, Bishop Marianne Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC, and Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee, reflected together on how churches, with courage and unity, can stand up for justice.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed profound sorrow and concern over an aerial attack on the Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) hospital in Old Fangak, South Sudan, on 3 May. 

After more than two years of visioning and planning, the long-held dream of creating a dynamic, connected network for the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Institute at Bossey alumni and ecumenical partners became a reality.

An Armenian Heritage Conference, to be held in Bern, Switzerland, from 27-28 May, will address the consequences of the conflict in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh with regard to the protection of Armenian religious and cultural heritage, the human rights of its people, and the future security of the Armenian nation. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and partner faith-based organizations convened on 29 April for a the side event entitled “A holistic, transformative approach to climate finance: Connecting the dots between climate finance, debt and tax reform” during the United Nations Economic and Social Council Financing for Development Forum. The event highlighted the interconnections between climate action, debt relief, and tax justice as essential components of climate finance mobilization.

The Theology and Spiritual Life Working Group of the Young People in the Ecumenical Movement Commission shared their insights on the celebration of a common Easter. They expressed that the idea of finding a common date for Easter is about giving visible expression to the unity in which they already believe – that the resurrection of Christ is for all, and that people, across traditions and continents, are part of one body. 

Participants of the annual meeting between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and church-related agencies working in humanitarian aid, development, and international advocacy spent time on 29 April reflecting that geopolitical priorities are shifting, with many governments divesting in development to invest in defense—or at least moving money from aid to military.

A training programme to equip churches to address the impact of climate change and global warming on health took place in Chad and the Philippines, two of the most impacted countries in Africa and Asia, from 28-30 April.

On 26 April, representatives from the United Church of Zambia and the Council of Churches in Zambia gathered with the community at Trinity United Church of Zambia to celebrate the life of Rev. Violet Sampa-Bredt, 10 years after her passing. 

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed shock and outrage over the horrific massacre committed in Salha, Omdurman, on 27 April. Reports received from the area describe mass executions of unarmed civilians, arbitrary arrests under the so-called "Strange Faces Law," and the appalling treatment of human remains, with bodies piled among car tires.

Accreditation is now open for the Armenian Heritage Conference, to be held in Bern, Switzerland, 27 – 28 May 2025. 

Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, mourned the lives lost and expressed solidarity for those responding to injuries received when a man drove a car into the crowd at a Filipino festival in Vancouver, Canada, on 26 April.

As the annual meeting between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and specialized ministries opened at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, near Geneva, Switzerland, Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay emphasized the shared vision for a better world and the urgency of closer collaboration.

Marking the 200th anniversary of the Protestant Church in Ferney Voltaire, Dr Stephen Brown, editor of the World Council of Churches journal The Ecumenical Review, delivered a lecture at the church in the small French town on the Swiss border to Geneva.