Front Page

Ecological Debt is a Spiritual Issue

August 31, 2009 – "Nature is our home," said Dr. Maria Sumire Conde from the Quecha community of Peru. She says some of those who have come there, however, have not been good guests. In a 31 August hearing on "ecological debt" during the World Council of Churches Central Committee meetings in Geneva, Sumire and others shared some of the ways that the global South has frequently been victimized by greed and unfair use of its resources.

Ecumenical Patriarch's Message for the Day of the Protection of the Environment Prot. No. 862

September 1, 2009 – As we come again to the changing of the Church year, we reflect once more on the state of God's creation. We think about the past and repent for all that we have done or failed to do for the earth's care; we look to the future and pray for wisdom to guide us in all that we think or do. These last twelve months have been a time of great uncertainty for the whole world. The financial systems that so many people trusted to bring them the good things of life, have brought instead fear, uncertainty and poverty. Our globalised economy has meant that everyone – even the poorest who are far removed from the dealings of big business – has been affected.

WCC Calls to Freeze and Dismantle Israeli Settlements

September 2, 2009 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee called on the Israeli government to freeze and begin to dismantle settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. It also encouraged a commitment to non-violence and peace negotiations, and reiterated the need for an international boycott of products and services from settlements. In a public "Statement on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory" passed today in Geneva, Switzerland, at the end of its 26 August - 2 September meeting, the WCC central committee called "upon the government of Israel to urgently implement an open-ended freeze in good-faith on all settlement construction and expansion as a first step towards the dismantlement of all settlements."

United Church of Christ Launching ‘Massive Mobilization' on Health Care Starting Sept. 8
Goal Is 100,000 Petition Signatures to Congress in 10 Days

September 4, 2009, CLEVELAND, OH – In what it's describing as a "massive mobilization effort," the United Church of Christ will launch a major advocacy campaign on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to gather 100,000 messages to Congress in just 10 days in support of health care reform. Leaders of the 1.1-million-member denomination, known for emphasizing justice advocacy as an expression of Christian faith, are hoping to collect "100,000 for Health Care" before Friday, Sept. 18, when the Rev. Geoffrey Black, the UCC's general minister and president-elect, will be visiting churches in San Francisco and will deliver the names – in person – to the in-district office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Doctor Says Churches Need to Promote Health, Wholeness

September 3, 2009, LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – The church's role in reforming health care begins at home, a family physician told United Methodist leaders. Dr. Scott Morris, a United Methodist and founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tenn., said the inability to deal with health and wholeness is one of the fundamental reasons the U.S. health-care system is broken. For their part, churches need to do more than check blood pressure on Sunday and host health fairs, he told close to 80 new district superintendents and directors of connectional ministries.

World Council of Churches Central Committee Meeting

WCC Central Committee: Significant Decisions Shape the Future

September 3, 2009 – The election of a new general secretary for the organization and the selection of the venue for its next assembly were highlights of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee meeting that ended yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland. The Central Committee, the main governing body of the WCC between assemblies, issued a series of statements and minutes on wide-ranging religious, political and social matters important to the Council's member churches. Issues of governance and finances were also discussed. The WCC is a fellowship of 349 churches in more than 110 countries.

Korea Stands Ready to Welcome WCC

September 1, 2009 – A beachfront location, an opportunity to be a witness for peace and reconciliation, and a commitment to engage the breadth of the region's church community as widely as possible: these are among the features those attending the World Council of Churches' 10th Assembly in Busan, South Korea can expect. The WCC central committee on 31 August chose Busan as the venue for the 10th Assembly in 2013, and the host region is eager to welcome the event. "It is a really great joy to be able to invite the WCC Assembly to Korea," said Rev. Dr Jong-wha Park, chair of the international committee of the National Council of Churches in South Korea.

Youth Seek Meaningful Ecumenical Engagement

September 2, 2009 – Young people have spent years knocking at the door of the World Council of Churches, seeking greater involvement in the life of the organization. In the past few years, that door has opened further. The drive for more significant inclusion grew following the 2006 WCC Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, when delegates affirmed the creation of a new body to communicate with and coordinate the involvement of youth (defined as those age 30 and under) in the life of the WCC. More than 700 youth participated in that assembly. Out of that came Echos – Commission on youth in the ecumenical movement, a group of 25 youth drawn from a wide range of churches and other ecumenical youth organizations.

Ecological Debt Is a Spiritual Issue

August 31, 2009 – "Nature is our home," said Dr. Maria Sumire Conde from the Quecha community of Peru. She says some of those who have come there, however, have not been good guests. In a 31 August hearing on "ecological debt" during the World Council of Churches Central Committee meetings in Geneva, Sumire and others shared some of the ways that the global South has frequently been victimized by greed and unfair use of its resources. In the case of Peru, Sumire said mining has had particularly devastating effects: relocation, polluted water, illness and decreasing biodiversity.

WCC Condemns Sexual Violence Against Women in the DR Congo

September 2, 2009 – The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) urged its member churches "to publicly condemn violence against women" in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and declare that "violence against women is a sin." In the DRC "the brutal crimes of sexual violence against women have massively increased and become pervasive in the country, especially since the beginning of the military operations in January 2009," said the WCC Central Committee in a public statement on "Sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo."

WCC Makes New Call for Peace in Darfur

September 1, 2009 – The World Council of Churches central committee again took up the issue of Sudan at meetings in Geneva this week, issuing a "Statement on the Darfur crisis in the context of Sudan." Since early 2003, the statement says, "the conflict in Darfur has unleashed an overwhelming wave of violence resulting in the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians and an immense humanitarian crisis."

General News

Healing Invisible Wounds

September 1, 2009 – If someone has a headache, they usually take an aspirin or other pain reliever. If someone has a cut, they might put a Band-Aid on it, or get stitches. Other types of pain and wounds, however, often are not so easily cared for. How does one care for people who have lost their homes or their families? What does one say to a fellow Christian who is suffering? How is God's love communicated amid violence? An effective "medicine" in cases like this, some say, comes in the simple gifts of accompaniment and listening.

ELCA Member, Pastors: Church's Mission Is Bigger than One Issue

September 2, 2009, CHICAGO – Lyn Jerde said she thought about Mr. Kirk's 7th grade class as she read about discussions on sexuality and ministry polices during last month's churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Minneapolis. Jerde, a writer and member of Lakeview Lutheran Church, an 800-member congregation in Madison, Wis., said in Mr. Kirk's reading and English class, debate time was about critical thinking on significant subjects. During debates participants would move about the classroom to stand with like-minded students as they were persuaded by differing arguments.

Lutheran Pastor, Editor Says ‘Take a Breath' after Assembly

September 3, 2009, CHICAGO – A member of Peace Lutheran Church, Grass Valley, Calif., told his pastor a Finnish saying that roughly translates: "Walk slowly, and drink ice water." The adage is recalled at times when it is more important to stop and think than it is to react. Decisions the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly made in August in Minneapolis called the Finnish saying to mind for the Rev. Richard O. Johnson.

ELCA Presiding Bishop: ‘What Good News We Have to Share'

September 4, 2009, CHICAGO – Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) should continue to discuss questions about human sexuality, and also talk about how their congregations can grow and how each person can carry out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their daily lives. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, made the comments in a video message posted Sept. 4 on a new section on the denomination's Web site at "Our Faithful Mission Together" contains a variety of resources, including documents and reports from the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, plus information about how offerings are used, comments from members and church leaders, and ideas for sharing stories and discussion.

Triathlete Goes the Distance for HIV and AIDS

September 4, 2009 Last weekend, Mike Pluimer ran, swam, and biked his way to raising more than $30,000…that he's giving away. Pluimer is donating the money he collected, and more, to HIV and AIDS programs through the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. Pluimer says he can see a day when "HIV and AIDS are no longer a pandemic in Africa, and our brothers and sisters can cross their finish line in good health." On August 30, Pluimer crossed his finish line in Louisville, Kentucky, completing the "Ironman Louisville" in a respectable 13.5 hours in a field of 2,435 competitors.

Ecumenical News

WCC 10th Assembly to Take Place in Korea

August 31, 2009 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee voted today to hold the 10th WCC Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea in 2013. The decision was taken by secret ballot and decided in one round. A total of four member churches extended invitations to the WCC to hold its next assembly in their country. Three of the four invitations came from Orthodox churches; Damascus, Syria, Rhodes, Greece and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Rev. Dr Jong-wha Park of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea said that by celebrating the assembly in Korea the churches can be a firsthand witness to peace and justice on the divided peninsula.

Editorial Page

Churches Must Be "Salt of the Earth"

August 31, 2009 How does the church interact with a rapidly changing society? On 31 August, members of the World Council of Churches central committee spent much of the morning discussing this question in a pair of plenary sessions in Geneva. The discussion marked 30 years since the landmark Church and Society Conference on Faith, Science and the Future took place in the United States, but Dr Mary Tanner, WCC president from Europe, said the topic remains highly relevant for today. "We should not just look at it as a relic from the past," said Tanner, who moderated the plenary, "but see how (it) remains a living, dynamic tradition in today's ecumenical movement."

Spanish News

Comité Central Brinda Cálida Despedida a Kobia

31 agosto 2009 – Con un culto de gratitud, cantos regionales, regalos y palabras de afecto, los miembros del comité central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) despidieron al secretario general pastor Dr. Samuel Kobia, quien deja el cargo a fin de año. La despedida se realizó en el marco de la reunión del comité central del CMI que se celebra en Ginebra del 26 de agosto al 2 de setiembre. Kobia fue secretario general del CMI desde 2004, luego de muchos años de trabajo en la organización.

Iglesia Luterana Atacada Otra Vez Por Su Labor En Defensa De Fuentes De Agua

4 septiembre 2009, CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA – El Consejo Ecuménico Cristiano de Guatemala denunció que, en la noche del 3 de septiembre, fueron violentadas las instalaciones de la Casa Campesina de la Iglesia Luterana, en La Trementina, Zacapa, por un grupo de hombres. Lo anterior fue informado por el pastor de dicha iglesia José Pilar Álvarez Cabrera, quien explicó que los atacantes estuvieron, por espacio de 20 minutos, forzando puertas y, al no lograr ingresar en el recinto, rompieron ventanas, dañaron el contador de la electricidad y hurtaron un aparato telefónico.

La Unidad Cristiana En El Centro De La Agenda Del CMI

31 agosto 2009, GINEBRA, Suiza – En su primera conferencia de prensa como secretario general electo del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) el Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit bosquejó su visión para la organización en términos del llamado a la unidad visible de los cristianos. "No es la antigua agenda, es también la nueva agenda," dijo. Citando el Evangelio de Juan, versículo 17, " ... que todos sean uno," Tveit afirmò que "éste es el fundamento del CMI y su objetivo."

La X Asamblea Del CMI Tendrá Lugar En Busán, Corea Del Sur

31 agosto 2009 – La ciudad de Busán, en Corea del Sur, fue elegida hoy sede de la X Asamblea del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) en 2013. La elección la realizó el comité central del CMI por voto secreto y en primera ronda. Cuatro iglesias miembros extendieran invitaciones para que la asamblea se celebrara en sus países. Tres de esas invitaciones provinieron de iglesias ortodoxas: Damasco, en Siria, Addis Ababa, en Etiopía y Rodas, en Grecia.

Convocatoria Por La Paz, También En El Mercado

31 agosto 2009 – "Otro mercado es posible," enfatizó la teóloga presbiteriana cubana Rev. Dr. Ofelia Ortega, hablando ante el comité central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI). "No puede haber paz en el mercado sin comercio justo y las reglas que dominan hoy en día el intercambio comercial mundial provocan violencia," dijo. "Debemos prestar atención al rol de la codicia en nuestra sociedad, que es fuente de violencia entre las personas, tanto en lo individual como en lo colectivo," señaló Ortega.

CMI Condena Violencia Sexual Contra Mujeres En Congo

3 septiembre 2009, GINEBRA, Suiza – El comité central de Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) instó a sus iglesias miembros "a condenar públicamente la violencia contra las mujeres" en la República Democrática del Congo (RDC) y a declarar "que la violencia contra las mujeres es un pecado." En la RDC "los brutales crímenes de violencia sexual contra las mujeres han aumentado de manera masiva y se han hecho omnipresentes en el país, especialmente desde el inicio de las operaciones militares en enero de 2009," señaló hoy el comité en una "Declaración sobre la violencia sexual contra las mujeres en la República Democrática del Congo."

CMI Llama a Congelar Y Desmantelar Asentamientos Israelíes

2 septiembre 2009 – El comité central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) hizo un llamado al gobierno de Israel a congelar y comenzar a desmantelar los asentamientos en los territorios palestinos ocupados. También alentó el compromiso con la no violencia y las negociaciones por la paz, y reiteró la necesidad de un boicot internacional a los productos y servicios provenientes de esos asentamientos. El comité central del CMI llamó "al gobierno de Israel a implementar con urgencia un congelamiento en buena fe de la construcción y expansión de todos los asentamientos como un primer paso hacia [su] desmantelamiento."

Iglesias Apoyarían a Unidad Cristiana En Futuras Elecciones

3 septiembre 2009, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – El Partido Movimiento de Unidad Cristiana (MUC), con tendencia al cambio democrático y con un mensaje político de inspiración bíblica, podría dar la sorpresa, el próximo año, en las elecciones regionales de la costa del Caribe aquí. Nery González, presidente del Consejo Regional Electoral, confirmó que en noviembre próximo será la verificación en ambas regiones, norte y sur, de cara a las elecciones regionales que tendrán lugar el 7 de marzo de 2010.

¿Hay Lugar Para Los Jóvenes En El Movimiento Ecuménico?

31 agosto 2009 – ¿Por qué quieren participar los jóvenes en el movimiento ecuménico? ¿Y hay espacio para ellos en las estructuras ecuménicas, muchas de ellas creadas hace décadas? Para la joven brasileña Diana Fernandes dos Santos, la violencia urbana, el impacto de la globalización, las confrontaciones religiosas son, entre otros asuntos, algunas de las razones que impulsan a los jóvenes a querer ser protagonistas en la resolución de los problemas participando en el movimiento ecuménico desde su experiencia de fe.

Nuevo Llamado Por La Paz En Darfur

1 septiembre 2009 – El comité central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) se refirió una vez más a Sudán en su reunión en Ginebra esta semana. Desde 2003, "el conflicto en Darfur ha desatado una incontenible ola de violencia que ha dado como resultado la muerte de cientos de miles de civiles y una inmensa crisis humanitaria," dice una "Declaración sobre la crisis de Darfur en el contexto de Sudán" aprobada hoy. El comité central y su comité ejecutivo han hablado varias veces con anterioridad sobre Sudán y el conflicto en la región de Darfur en esa nación.

Pakistán: Ley Contra Blasfemia Usada Para Hostigar Minorías Religiosas

1 septiembre 2009 – El comité central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) llamó al gobierno de Pakistán a "garantizar los derechos de todas las minorías religiosas en el país." En una declaración pública sobre la "Ley contra la blasfemia y la seguridad de las minorías religiosas en Pakistán," el comité consideró que esta ley se ha convertido "en fuente de victimización y persecución" de las minorías religiosas, que viven en ese país "con miedo y aterrorizadas."

Metodistas Cantan Himnos Litúrgicos En Ritmo De Tango

1 septiembre 2009, BRASIL – Interpretadas por la cantante uruguaya Ignacia Mendez, el Consejo de Iglesias Evangélicas Metodistas de América Latina y el Caribe (Ciemal) editó canciones litúrgicas en ritmo de tango. Las letras de las músicas del CD "Tenemos Esperanza" son del obispo emérito argentino, Federico Pagura, y del pastor Juan Damian. El lanzamiento del CD ocurrió en la Facultad de Teología (FaTeo) de la Iglesia Metodista de Rudge Ramos, en San Pablo, que hospedó a la Asamblea de Ciemal, del 17 al 21 de agosto, conmemorando los 40 años de fundación del organismo.

La Unidad Cristiana En El Centro De La Agenda

31 agosto 2009 – En su primera conferencia de prensa como secretario general electo del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) el Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit bosquejó su visión para la organización en términos del llamado a la unidad visible de los cristianos. "No es la antigua agenda, es también la nueva agenda," dijo. Citando el Evangelio de Juan, versículo 17, " ... que todos sean uno," Tveit afirmò que "éste es el fundamento del CMI y su objetivo."

La Teología No Debe Temer Mezclarse Con La Política, Afirma Teólogo Néstor Míguez

4 septiembre 2009, SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica – El importante teólogo argentino Néstor Míguez acaba de publicar un artículo titulado La realidad sociopolítica interpela a la teología, donde realiza una serie de interesantes cuestionamientos acerca del papel de esa disciplina en relación al contexto donde se desarrolla. "¿Corresponde a la teología decir una palabra sobre la realidad social, dejarse interrogar o hasta cuestionar, en el sentido más extremo de la palabra, por la política?," se pregunta Míguez, como parte de un grupo de interrogantes que contraponen el sentido eterno de la Palabra a los asuntos temporales y los vaivenes políticos.

Human Rights News

Pakistan: Blasphemy Law Misused to Harass Religious Minorities

September 1, 2009 – The WCC central committee called on the government of Pakistan to "guarantee the rights of all religious minorities in the country." In a public statement on "The misuse of the Blasphemy Law and the security of religious minorities in Pakistan," the committee considered that the law has become "a major source of victimization and persecution" of religious minorities who are living "in a state of fear and terror." Since the penal code of the country was amended in 1986, "Christians in particular have become targets of harassments and persecutions," says the statement approved by the WCC central committee.

Religious Liberty News

Breakaway Bishop Seeks Challenge to Authority of Episcopal Bishop, Others
September 9 Hearing Set in Dispute

September 2, 2009, FORT WORTH – Attorneys for Jack Iker have asked a Texas court for permission to challenge the authority of Provisional Bishop Ted Gulick Jr. and the standing committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. Iker, who left The Episcopal Church in 2008 but refused to relinquish church property or assets, is responding to a pending lawsuit filed by The Episcopal Church and the continuing Diocese of Fort Worth in April to establish the authority of the new diocesan leadership and to recover diocesan assets, according to chancellor Kathleen Wells. He and his attorneys are "still operating under this façade that they're the Diocese of Fort Worth which, of course, is easily refutable," added Wells in a telephone interview on August 31.

National News

Lutherans Keep Watch on Fires in California

September 3, 2009, CHICAGO – Lutherans in southern California continue to monitor the Station Fire in Los Angeles County, which began Aug. 26. According to Tempie D. Beaman, the fire may not be contained until Sept. 15. Beaman is Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) coordinator, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Los Angeles. LDR is a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. There are about 20 active fires in California. The largest is the Station Fire, measuring more than 200 square miles.

International News

Appeal from the Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Regarding the Recent Atrocities in Jonglei and Western Equatoria States

September 4, 2009 – On Saturday 29th August 2009 I received reports from Wernyol, Twic East County, Jonglei State, that there had been another attack on the peoples of the area in which over forty people – men, women and children – were killed. Amongst the dead were Ven. Joseph Mabior Garang, Archdeacon of Wernyol and Archbishop's Commissary in the new Diocese of Twic East, who was shot at the altar of the church in Wernyol during a service of Morning Prayer. Tens of others have been wounded, some very seriously with gun-shot wounds and broken limbs.

Churches Find Role in "New Zimbabwe"

September 2, 2009 – Rev. Dr Solomon Zwana, new general secretary of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, says his organization and his country need the prayers and support of the world. Speaking at a hearing on Zimbabwe held 1 September during World Council of Churches central committee meetings in Geneva, Zwana said it is a time of great transition in the African nation. A fragile power-sharing government is in place, a new constitution is being drafted, steps are being taken to stabilize an economy victimized by runaway inflation and high unemployment over the past decade, and efforts are beginning to heal the scars of recent turmoil.

Lutherans Support Relief Efforts in Typhoon-Ravaged Taiwan

September 2, 2009, CHICAGO – Typhoon Morakot, which struck Taiwan Aug. 7-9, was the worst typhoon to strike the island in 50 years. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) sent a total of $25,000 Sept. 1 to support the recovery plans of Lutheran companions there. To date more than 540 people were reported killed and 117 others are missing, said Megan E. Bradfield, associate director for international development, ELCA Global Mission. Bradfield said hundreds of people may still be buried under mud in the southern part of Taiwan. Heavy rain following the typhoon produced massive landslides, particularly east of Tainan in the village of Hsiaolin, which is almost completely under mud, she said.

Letter from the Church of the Province of Central Africa

September 4, 2009 – The Church of the Province of Central Africa has asked that the following letter from the Dean of the Province be circulated by ACNS: It is with increasing concern that we, the Bishops of the Anglican body of the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) note the ongoing involvement of the Law Courts in Zimbabwe in respect of numerous cases instituted about the status of Nolbert Kunonga vis-à-vis the CPCA and his rights to our property.

Churches Seek Youth to Help Young Typhoon Victims

August 30, 2009 – After Typhoon Morakot rescue and relief efforts come to a close, relocation and rebuilding must begin. The most important rebuilding of all may be the emotional healing of victims. Just before students start school again, churches housing typhoon victims have asked college students to help children and youth who lost their homes during the typhoon by offering tutoring sessions and leading group activities and games. According to reports, children make up a significant percentage of victims temporarily housed by churches.

Aborigines Protest Losing Their Homes Because of Post-Typhoon Reconstruction Special Act

September 6, 2009 – Taiwan's national legislature passed Post-Typhoon Morakot Reconstruction Special Act on Aug. 27 and approved a budget of NT$120 billion (US$3.6 billion) for reconstruction efforts. In the next 3 years, central and local governments can apply for funding using this act for all reconstruction projects in areas ravaged by Typhoon Morakot. However, what aborigines find most upsetting are clauses in the act granting government authorities the power declare disaster areas "danger zones" and thereby forcing residents to resettle.

Typhoon Victims Grateful to Find Shelter in Churches

August 30, 2009 – "Compared to our church brothers or sisters who have been staying at Fo Guang Shan Monastery, we are very lucky!" said flood victims from South Bunun Presbytery who have been staying at Fongshan Presbyterian Church since they were evacuated. Fongshan Church is providing temporary shelter for 120 Christians from Namasiya, Taoyuan, and Liouguei townships who are mostly Bunun and Pingpu aborigines. The church not only provides three meals a day and a place to sleep, it has also arranged for children to receive academic tutoring.

People in the News

WCC Central Committee Bids Farewell to Samuel Kobia

August 31, 2009 – With prayers, singing, gifts and speeches of thanks, the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee offered its farewell to outgoing general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia on Sunday 30 August. The events began with an afternoon prayer service at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, where hundreds of delegates, staff, and visitors packed the Centre's chapel. The service had a distinct international flavour with songs from a variety of cultures, and languages from Aramaic to Swahili.