WCC: Formation, Development and Programs
Introduction
This paper seeks to
describe the genesis and process which led to the formation of World Council of
Churches. It attempts to bring out the nature and purpose of WCC, its important
development of the council. The paper will highlights the important programs,
activities and projects under WCC with the aim of unlocking the significance of
WCC in a global ecumenical movement.
1. Genesis of World Council of Churches (WCC)
.webp)
1.1. Background
The historical roots of
World Council of Churches can be traced back with the proposals made in
Constantinople in 1919 and in Uppsala in the same year.[1]
The Church of Constantinople (the Ecumenical Patriarchate) became the first
church to propose to form “league of churches” (koinonia
ton ekklesion) to all Christian churches.[2] In
1920 with the prophetic statement made by Dr. J. H. Oldham, the secretary of
World Missionary Conference of 1910, states that ‘the international missionary
organization would lead to the formation of a world league of churches.’ [3] Again
in 1920, Archbishop Nathan Soderblom founder of Life and Work (L&W)made a
proposal to have an Ecumenical Council of Churches to act as a spiritual
authority.[4]
In 1925 World Conference on Life and Work, Stockhom and World Conference on
Faith and Order (F&O- founded by Bishop Charles Brent), Lausanne 1927
became the vehicle to foster ecumenical movement.[5]
Between 1928 and 1932 attempts were made to arrive at closer co-ordination
between two streams of L&W and F&O. In 1932, leading figures of F&O
William Temple, Garvie and Zoellner and in L&W leaders such as W. Manod and
Gounelle have close proximity and a desire for merging together.[6] The
years of war between 1939-1945 became the testing time of the World Council of
Churches. The war proved to be a time of deepening and intensifying ecumenical
fellowship. It proved to maintain possibility of relationships between Churches
of Europe with those of the United States.[7]
At Tambaram (India) in 1938 the IMC expresses interest in the WCC plan but
decided to continue as a separate body.[8] The
Post-War years, 1945-1948 became a great expansion of the opportunities for
World Churches and a desire for renewal of ecumenical fellowship.[9]
1.2. Formation
In July 1937, the World
Conference of L&W at Oxford and of F&O at Edinburg, representatives of
two movements met in London. They decided to set up fully representative
assembly of the willing churches. The appointed members met in May 1938 at
Utrecth and created a provisional Committee responsible for the formation of
WCC. The Chairman was William Temple and W. A. Visser‘t Hooft as General
Secretary. The World War II intervened
and the period of formation lasted for another decade. In 1946 at Geneva, the provisional
Committee met however failed to do so due to tragic war experienced. By 1948,
90 churches accepted the invitation to join the WCC.[10]
On 22nd August 1948, the First Assembly of the WCC took place at
Amsterdam where 147 churches from 44 countries were represented by 351 official
delegates. On 23rd August 1948the World Council of Churches came
into existence. The resolution “that the formation of the World Council of
Churches be declared to be and is hereby completed” was presented by Dr. Marc
Boegner, Chairman of Administrative Provisional Committee.[11]
1.3. Nature and Purpose
The WCC Central Committee
in 1950 adopted the Toronto statement on "The Church, the Churches, and
the World Council of Churches". According
to this statement, the WCC "is not and must never become a
super-church". It does not negotiate union between churches. It
"cannot and should not be based on any one particular conception of the
church". Nevertheless, the common witness of the members "must be
based on the common recognition that Christ is the divine head of the
body", which, "on the basis of the New Testament", is the one
church of Christ. In practice, common
WCC membership implies that the churches "should recognize their
solidarity with each other, render assistance to each other in case of need,
and refrain from such actions as are incompatible with brotherly
relationships".[12]
The statement in the
constitution regarding the purpose of the WCC has developed from the 1948
formulation, "to carry out the work of the world movements for Faith and
Order and Life and Work", to the much more specific language of Nairobi
(1975), which speaks of calling "the churches to the goal of visible unity
in one faith and in one eucharistic fellowship expressed in worship and in the
common life of Christ, and to advance towards that unity in order that the
world may believe"; to the even more detailed formulation adopted by the
Harare assembly (1998): "The
primary purpose of the fellowship of churches in the World Council of Churches
is to call one another to visible unity in one faith and in one eucharistic
fellowship, expressed in worship and common life in Christ, through witness and
service to the world, and to advance towards that unity in order that the world
may believe".[13]
2. Development of WCC
2.1. Organizational Structures[14]
The organization
structures of WCC developed after Toronto Assembly in 1950 and in subsequent
Assembly in a more structural rigid body. The following is the Organization
structures of WCC:
Assembly: The Assembly is the "supreme legislative
body" of the WCC, and meets every eight years.
Central Committee: The Central Committee is elected by the
Assembly from among its delegates and serves as the chief governing body of the
WCC until the next assembly, meeting every 2 years.
Executive Committee: The Central Committee elects twenty of
its members to serve as the Executive Committee of the WCC, along with the
Central Committee officers - moderator, two vice-moderators and the general
secretary - as well as the moderators of its programme and finance committees.
Apart from this, General Secretary and President with
Central Committee Moderator and Vice-Moderators are elected for a period of 5
years.
3. Programs
3.1. Unity, Mission and
Ecumenical Relations
The crux of WCC’s work is
the pursuit of visible Christian unity. The WCC strives for a global fellowship
of churches seeking a deeper understanding of one another, developing a wider
dialogue and building communities rooted in justice and peace.
The WCC is heir to 100
years of engagement of the churches acting together in mission and evangelism.
While mission has always meant a clear witness to the gospel, it increasingly
is seen too as fostering solidarity and respect for people’s dignity. The Spirit
of God leads all people to seek truth, justice and peace, and in doing so
embodying the prayer of Jesus that “they may all be one.”
As a privileged instrument
of the global ecumenical movement, the WCC not only creates space for those
within the fellowship but reaches out to those beyond its own communities,
entering into dialogue and sharing with the Roman Catholic Church, Evangelicals
and Pentecostals and now also with those of other faiths through
inter-religious dialogue.
Important Projects and
Activities includes-[15]
3.1.1. Mission from the
margins
As an expression of its
commitment to justice, human dignity and liberation the WCC, since its
inception, has been a reliable partner of discriminated and excluded people in
their struggles. This is a theological activity with people who are exposed to
racism, indigenous peoples, migrants, Dalits and people with disabilities.
3.1.2. Commission on Faith
and Order
The Faith and Order
Commission promotes visible unity of Christians by dealing with theological
questions that divide churches.
3.1.3. Migration and
social justice
The WCC supports churches'
networking and advocacy with uprooted people, and their efforts to explore the
links between migration, racism and interfaith relations.
3.1.4. Solidarity with
Indigenous Peoples
The WCC is a committed and
consistent partner for Indigenous Peoples in their struggles for land,
identity, language and survival of indigenous cultures.
3.1.5. Commission on World
Mission and Evangelism
The CWME offers spaces for
sharing reflections, experiences, questions and discoveries on content and
methods of Christian witness today.
3.1.6. Ecumenical
Disability Advocates Network (EDAN)
Advocating for the
participation of persons with disabilities in the spiritual, social and
development life of church and society
3.1.7. Ecumenical
perspectives on mission and unity
This project brings the
WCC's specific ecumenical perspective and experience to international dialogue
and debate on mission and evangelism in the 21st century.
3.1.8. JWG with the Roman
Catholic Church
Among those churches which
are not members of the WCC, the most notable is the Roman Catholic Church
(RCC). Since 1965 a Joint Working Group, co-sponsored by the WCC and the RCC,
has met regularly to discuss issues of common interest and promote cooperation.
3.1.9. Joint Consultative
Group between the WCC and Pentecostals
The Joint Consultative
Group between the WCC and Pentecostals (JCG) was set up following a decision of
the WCC Assembly in Harare 1998.
3.2. Public Witness and
Diakonia
As people of faith who are
moving forward together, experiencing the renewal and transformation found in
the pilgrimage of justice and peace, the WCC offers a prophetic voice in its
public witness and diakonia, serving the world’s needs for justice and peace.
Public witness is the WCC
and its member churches witnessing together for peace-building in priority
countries: the Korean Peninsula, Syria, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of
Congo and Nigeria. It is also accompanying churches in situations of conflict
around the world, including the ongoing witness in the Middle East and in
particular of the Ecumenical Accompaniers in Israel and Palestine.
Christian service –
diakonia – consists in living gospel values in solidarity with others. This
common ministry is manifest in the call for a sustainable future, turning back
the impact of climate change, in an economy that offers life for all, securing water
rights, in the empowering of women and lifting up of youth. It may also be seen
in advancing peace through social justice, capacity building for service, the
healing ministry of the churches today and HIV and AIDS work.
Projects and activities in
this programmatic area include:[16]
3.2.1. WCC’s engagement
for children
The World Council of
Churches is working to improve children's well-being through a variety of
projects at local, national and global levels. Being present – and often the
gathering point – in rural and urban communities, churches have a unique
position to influence society at all levels, from parents and school teachers
to decision-makers in public and private sectors.
3.2.2. Care for creation
and climate justice
Care for creation and
justice are at the centre of WCC work on climate change. The Bible teaches the
wholeness of creation and calls human beings to take care of the garden of Eden
(Gen 2:15). The God of the Bible is a God of justice who protects, loves and
cares for the most vulnerable among his creatures.
3.2.3. Health and healing
The WCC’s health and
healing programme facilitates networking and dialogue to promote health and
healing for all people. Throughout 2017 and 2018, the WCC is developing a
global ecumenical health strategy to meet continuing and new health challenges
worldwide.
3.2.4. Ecumenical United
Nations Office (EUNO)
The strong, effective, and
prophetic public voice of the EUNO promotes just peace and produces focused
advocacy actions in response to emerging societal, church, and ecumenical
trends through the accompaniment of member churches and ecumenical partners by
advocating on behalf of and with them at international and national levels,
most specifically towards the United Nations and member states.
3.2.5. Solidarity with
churches in the Middle East
The situation of the
Middle East calls for collective efforts by ecumenical partners to achieve
peace and justice at local, national, regional and international levels. The
WCC aims to build a space where the entire ecumenical movement can put its
collective energies and resources together for lasting peace.
3.2.6. Ecumenical
Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
The World Council of
Churches’ Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
was created in 2002 by the WCC based on a letter and an appeal from local
church leaders to create an international presence in the country. EAPPI
provides a continuous presence of 25-30 Ecumenical Accompaniers, who serve in
the field for three months in accompanying local people and communities,
offering protective presence, and witnessing their daily struggles and hopes.
EAPPI is guided by “principled impartiality”: it takes no side in the conflict
nor discriminates against anyone, but it is not neutral in terms of human
rights and respect for international humanitarian law.
3.2.7 Ecumenical Advocacy
Alliance
The Ecumenical Advocacy
Alliance (EAA), an ecumenical initiative of the World Council of Churches, is a
global network of churches and related organizations committed to campaigning
together on common concerns for justice and human dignity. Current campaign
issues are HIV and AIDS, food security and sustainable agriculture.
3.2.8. Commission of the
Churches on International Affairs
The CCIA provides a
platform for information-sharing and joint advocacy on critical situations and
on opportunities to support initiatives for peacemaking, justice and overcoming
poverty.
3.2.9. Advocacy for the
rights of stateless people
Mandated by the WCC 10th
Assembly, the WCC has stepped up its efforts to advocate for the rights of the
most vulnerable groups in society, including stateless people.
3.2.10. Ecumenical HIV and
AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy (EHAIA)
Churches can be a force
for transformation - bringing healing, hope and accompaniment to all people
affected by HIV. EHAIA promotes HIV competence among churches and theological
institutions.
3.2.11. Promoting Just
Peace
Christians and churches
are entrusted with the ministry of peace and reconciliation. The WCC response
to violence and violent conflict today is based on decades of ecumenical
deliberation, understanding, practice and advocacy. The project is participatory
and action-oriented and assists churches and related groups to make progress
toward greater unity for peace.
3.2.12. Ecumenical Water
Network
The Ecumenical Water
Network (EWN) strives to promote the preservation, responsible management and
the equitable distribution of water for all, based on the understanding that
water is a gift of God and a fundamental human right.
3.2.13. Accompanying
churches in situations of conflict
This project accompanies
and equips churches for advocacy in countries where religion is being used to
fuel conflict.
3.2.14. The WCC and
eco-justice
The WCC work on
eco-justice addresses the intrinsic connection between the ecological crises
and socio-economic injustice.
3.2.15. Nuclear arms
control
Advocating at various
levels of national and international governance for nuclear disarmament
3.2.16. Poverty, wealth
and ecology
This project brings
churches and partners together to reflect on the connections between poverty,
wealth and ecology; act against economic injustice; address just trade,
ecological debt, decent work; and pursue work on "Alternative
globalization addressing people and earth (AGAPE).
3.2.17. Human rights
This project accompanies
churches in critical situations in their efforts to defend human rights and
dignity, overcome impunity, achieve accountability and build just and peaceful
societies.
3.3. Ecumenical Formation
The future of the
ecumenical movement, and the witness of the church, rests in the on-going
endeavour of ecumenical formation and the continual renewal of those involved
in the movement. This is done primarily in three ways:
3.3.1. Ecumenical
continuing formation[17]
The WCC project on
ecumenical continuing formation provides leadership training including
accredited short term courses as well as seminars, research groups and resource
development. These take place either at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute or at
the regional level in various parts of the world.
3.3.2. Ecumenical
theological education (ETE)
Ecumenical theological
education is vital for the future of the ecumenical movement. The WCC and its
partners help create networks of ecumenical theological institutions. The ETE
activities create opportunities for developing ecumenically-oriented leadership
within churches. They are a step towards equal access to theological education
for all who wish to serve the churches.
3.3.3. The Ecumenical
Institute
The Ecumenical Institute
at Bossey near Geneva, Switzerland, provides a space for reflection and study
to students from around the world. Each student leaves prepared to return to
his or her home communities and churches renewed and transformed through learning,
encounter and personal exchanges at Bossey. By cooperating and working closely
with churches, the institute is a foundational piece in the strengthening of
the WCC fellowship and the ecumenical movement.
Conclusion
WCC rooted
in from the genesis of The Church of Constantinople (the Ecumenical
Patriarchate which propose to form “league of churches” (koinonia
ton ekklesion) to all Christian churches. It main
objectives is to strengthen the churches as one family under one roof. It
emphasis on he common witness of the members with a common recognition that
Christ is the divine head of the bod, which, "on the basis of the New
Testament", is the one church of Christ.
In practice, common Ecumenical movement implies that the churches
"should recognize their solidarity with each other, render assistance to
each other in case of need, and refrain from such actions as are incompatible
with brotherly relationships". The diaconal relationship with Christ as
above and the Church as below should stand with common cause and reason
together to foster the works of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[1] W. A.
Visser ‘t Hooft, The Genesis and Formation of the World Council of Churches
(Geneva: WCC,1987), vii.
[2] T. K.
Thomas, “World Council of Churches, ” in Dictionary of Ecumenical Movement (ed.
[3] Hooft,
The Genesis and Formation..., 1.
[4] Norman
Goodall, The Ecumenical Movement (2nd ed.; London: Oxford
University Press), 1964, 64.
[5]
Thomas, “World Council of Churches,”..., 1223.
[6]
Nicholas Zernov, “The Ecumenical Movement in Twentieth Century,” in A
History of the Ecumenical Movement (ed. Ruth Rouse and Stephen Charles
Neil; 3rd ed.; Geneva: WCC), 1986, 699.
[7]
Zernov, “The Ecumenical Movement in Twentieth Century..., 709.
[8] T. K.
Thomas, “World Council of Churches,”..., 1223.
[9]
Zernov, “The Ecumenical Movement in Twentieth Century..., 714.
[10] T. K.
Thomas, “World Council of Churches,”..., 1224.
[11]
Zernov, “The Ecumenical Movement in Twentieth Century..., 719-720.
[12] T. K.
Thomas, “World Council of Churches,”..., 1225.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
