As 6 August and 9 August mark the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, the World Council of Churches joined the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and other religious and civic groups in urging nuclear-armed and nuclear umbrella states to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
World Council of Churches
WCC booklet “Building Interreligious Solidarity” launched
The launch of the document “Building Interreligious Solidarity in Our Wounded World. The Way of Common Formation” will take place on 28 July, during the Interreligious Studies course at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. The purpose of this booklet is both to share some of the key insights and learnings from the conference and to prompt further interest in and discussion of common formation among a range of faith communities and interreligious organizations.
Building Interreligious Solidarity in Our Wounded World
The launch of the document “Building Interreligious Solidarity in Our Wounded World. The Way of Common Formation” will take place on 28 July, during the Interreligious Studies course at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, and will be live-streamed on the YouTube channel of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
World Council of Churches to celebrate 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea
The World Council of Churches is planning a year of activities in 2025 to mark the 1700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325, a key moment in the history of Christian faith and for the ecumenical journey today.
World Council of Churches: Statement on the Unregulated Development of Artificial Intelligence
The World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee, in a public statement, expressed concern at the accelerating pace of development and application of generative artificial intelligence (AI).“Concerns about this type of technology have been longstanding in the ecumenical movement,” the statement notes. “The central committee affirms the concerns expressed by many regarding the absence of effective regulation of the accelerating development of a technology with such vast acknowledged potential for harm as well as for good.”
A Whole of Society Approach: Religious Actors as Drivers of Change and Preventing Violent Extremism
Religions for Peace – in collaboration with ACT Alliance, The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, the UN Office on Genocide Prevention, the World Council of Churches and the Baha’i International community will conduct a hybrid (in-person and virtual) event at the Baha’i International Community, UN Plaza, on June 23 at 10:00 ET.
Interfaith Alliance releases report: “Big Tech, Hate, and Religious Freedom Online”
The Interfaith Alliance, based in the USA, has published a new report, “Big Tech, Hate, and Religious Freedom Online,” that works to educate people about the uniquely damaging impact of bigotry and hate.
Religions for Peace Australia: Year in Review
Year 2022 saw relaxation of the pandemic restrictions, and the emergence of conflict in Ukraine. There was a strong response from religious leaders in Australia. Living the Change, taking care of the environment and sharing faith community responses to domestic violence were activities that Religions for Peace Australia took up during Year 2022.
World Council of Churches: The Message of Christmas
“The joyful message of the first Christmas states that the love of God in Christ is meant indeed for all people, for the whole of creation,” reads the message. “Our time is a time of fear.”
Some fear the climate emergency, the message acknowledges. “Many are afraid today that they will no longer be able to feed their children tomorrow,” the message laments. “Others are afraid that military conflicts may cause nuclear disasters.”
“The angels of the first Christmas called the shepherds to have faith in the divine promise of peace on earth and God’s goodwill towards humanity,”
Online applications open for interreligious summer course at Bossey
Jews, Christians and Muslims up to the age of 35 years are invited to apply for the 2023 Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Interreligious Studies course. Final submission date for applications is 28 February 2023.
Interfaith dialogue promotes holistic reflection on climate change on eve of COP27 in Egypt
6 November 2022, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt: Religious leaders and representatives of ecumenical organizations gather for a Talanoa dialogue at the eve of COP27 in Egypt. The dialogue seeks to address how faith-based communities can contribute to the work to address the evermore urgent climate emergency, and in 2022 is held at Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, or The Heavenly Cathedral, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, home to congregants of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert
On the day before the official opening of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, representatives from different faiths gathered at Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, or The Heavenly Cathedral, home to congregants of the Coptic Orthodox Church, to share their perspectives on the climate crisis.
Greeting of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the WCC 11th Assembly
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offered greetings and a pointed message to the delegates and participants at the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany.
