World Council of Churches visitors focus on human rights, ecumenical formation amid the world’s challenges

On 5 June, 22 master’s students in human rights and international politics from the University of Glasgow received an introduction to the WCC and guided tour of the Ecumenical Centre, as well as an update on international affairs.

Subasree Saminathan said she was surprised that a religiously affiliated organization would address human rights. “I must say I’m completely blown away after coming here,” she said, adding that it was “extremely refreshing that the speakers were talking about nuclear disarmament— something I did not expect from a religiously affiliated organization.”

She said: “You definitely cannot dismiss an organization just because it’s religiously affiliated. It’s not an oxymoron anymore—a religiously affiliated organization being a human rights organization.”

David Sandre reflected about a better understanding of how international organizations work with human rights. “It was great to hear a slightly different perspective on human rights,” said Sandre, “with a close relationship between Christianity and human rights.”

A second group of visitors, who spent an entire week at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey and also spent time at the Ecumenical Centre, consisted of doctoral students from different denominations and universities in Germany from all over the world. In addition to an introduction to the World Council of Churches, they also received a brief introduction to public witness and diakonia, as well as work the WCC is doing to combat racism, discrimination, and xenophobia.

Additionally, they had intensive debates on ecumenical formation and the ecumenical movement at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey and had encounters at the Orthodox Center at Chambésy.

Important collaboration

Rev. Dr Benjamin Simon, director of the WCC Commission on Education and Ecumenical Formation and dean of the Ecumenical Institute, emphasized, that “it was an important collaboration for all, as five German church organizations brought their doctoral students to Bossey, so that they immerse for a week fully into the ecumenical context and breath in the ecumenical spirit.”

Students also exchanged insights among their particular member churches for additional perspectives on ecumenism.

Kerio Wetsah, whose scholarship is being provided by Bread for the World, reflected that the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey is well-connected with nature and “quite a perfect place to have seminars.”

The WCC, Wetsah added, was a very welcoming place. “They are open and willing to listen,” said Wetsah. “We were given enough space to express our views.”

Mary Mariki, who is from the Lutheran Church in Tanzania, with a scholarship provided by the Evangelical Church in Germany, said she was eager to learn about ecumenism. “It was so interesting to know how you are dealing with the current challenges in the society, especially in this era of globalization and digital issues, and also in countries that are having wars right now,” she said.

Link to the new folder Ecumenical Centre
Welcome to the Ecumenical Centre | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

Visitors Programme
Visits to the WCC | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)