After a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Governing Body of the World Council of Churches will meet next week in Germany for nine days under the theme “Christ’s Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity” .
Vatican News staff reporter
The 11th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) will be held next week in Karlsruhe, Germany. The eight-yearly event, which had to be postponed to 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will run from August 31 to September 8, “Christ’s love moves the world toward reconciliation and unity.” The theme will be held.
German Federal President giving a keynote speech
On the first day, the Federal President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, will deliver the keynote address, while the Minister of State of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, will address parliament. The message is also delivered by Professor Barbara Traub, member of the Presidium of the Central Council of Jews, and Imam Errol Preluw, head of the Coordinating Council for Muslims in Germany.
WCC Acting Secretary General Pastor Dr. Ioan Sauca expressed great joy at the upcoming gathering. “I look forward to seeing President Steinmeier, local leaders, religious leaders and many others actively participating in our blessed fellowship,” he said. “I look forward to your contributions, reflections and perspectives as we explore together the many challenges of the world within the theme of Christ’s love for our time.”
Wcc member church
Founded in 1948, the WCC represents more than 580 million Christians and 120 members worldwide, including most of the world’s Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches. It brings together churches, denominations and ecclesiastical fellowships from more than one country and region. , as well as many United and Independent churches for a total of 352 churches today. Most of the WCC’s founding churches were in Europe and North America, but today most member churches are in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Pacific.
general meeting
The WCC General Assembly is the highest governing body of the World Ecumenical Organization. It is responsible for electing the Central Committee and the President, reviewing the work of the Council, defining working guidelines, making official statements, changing constitutions and regulations, and determining financial guidelines.
This gathering is a unique opportunity for the entire fellowship of member churches to come together for prayer and celebration. It is a unique opportunity for the Church to deepen its visible unity and commitment to a common witness. This makes the WCC General Assembly the most diverse Christian gathering in the world for its size.
The last General Assembly was held in 2013 in Busan, South Korea.
