The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) met on 25 August in Geneva to explore and discuss possible areas of future cooperation. The two organizations shared current plans and discussed possibilities for closer collaboration on thematic areas such as advocacy and peace building, the climate emergency, and membership matters.
The WEA is a network of churches in 143 nations that have joined to give a worldwide identity, voice and platform to more than 600 million evangelical Christians. The WEA has six programmatic departments: Global Advocacy, Global Theology, Global Witness, Alliance Engagement, Church Engagement, and Public Engagement.
WEA secretary general Prof. Dr Thomas Schirrmacher discussed some concrete ways to strengthen the collaboration. “In those areas where we have been cooperating a lot already, like in advocacy, climate change or in relation to work with the UN, we should go for joint long term strategies,” Schirrmacher said. “And in areas where we still have much to discuss we should clearly map the need and strife for unity with the Bible in hand.”
The WCC welcomed with joy the opportunity to deepen its relationship with the WEA. “The Ecumenical Centre is like a home—and open for everyone working for unity!” said Doug Chial, WCC director of the Office of the General Secretariat, who hosted the meeting on behalf of WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, who is currently on vacation.
“The ecumenical work and collaboration on advocacy—raising a voice together with those needing accompaniment for justice and peace—is a genuine task for a fellowship of churches who together express faith in the triune God of life,” he said. The meeting was closed by a prayer in the chapel in the Ecumenical Centre.
English: https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-world-evangelical-alliance-strengthen-collaboration
German: https://www.oikoumene.org/de/news/wcc-world-evangelical-alliance-strengthen-collaboration
French: https://www.oikoumene.org/fr/news/wcc-world-evangelical-alliance-strengthen-collaboratio
Spanish: https://www.oikoumene.org/es/news/wcc-world-evangelical-alliance-strengthen-collaboration
Photo: Samuel Mungure/WCC
WEA representatives: Bp. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, Secretary General & CEO
Dr. Christine Schirrmacher, Executive Director International Institute of Islamic Studies, Bonn
Michael Mutzner, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva
Samuel van der Maas, WEA Permanent Representative to the WCC
Wissam al-Saliby, Advocacy Officer, Geneva.
WCC representatives: Rev. Dr Odair Pedroso Mateus, deputy general secretary and director of Faith and Order
Doug Chial, the Director of the Office of the General Secretariat
Marianne Ejdersten, WCC director of communication
