Preparatory meeting convenes in lead-up to WCC Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order

 — July 1, 20251 juil. 2025

A planning meeting for the World Council of Churches (WCC) Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order and the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute 2025 (GETI) was convened in St Bishoy Monastery in Egypt, 28-29 June. The hybrid gathering focused on logistics, a stewards programme, communications, church and cultural visits, and budget.

The cohost for the conference is the Coptic Orthodox Church, marking the first time such a conference is hosted by an Oriental Orthodox church.

The Sixth World Conference for Faith and Order, being hosted at the invitation of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, will be held in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt, from 24-28 October with the theme “Where now for visible unity?”

This will be the sixth such conference in a century, with previous gatherings held in 1927 (Lausanne, Switzerland), 1937 (Edinburgh, Scotland), 1952 (Lund, Sweden), 1963 (Montreal, Canada),1993 (Santiago, Spain) and 2025 (Wadi El Natrun, Egypt).

The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church, in a statement issued 5 June, affirmed that “this is not a theological dialogue on Christian doctrines, but rather an opportunity for academic presentations and research papers on the Council of Nicaea as a model for confronting heresies challenging the Christian faith.”

A local host committee from the Coptic Orthodox Church has been formed under the leadership of H.G. Bishop Abraham, general bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles, to oversee organisational matters such as reception, accommodation, hospitality, visits, and local media coverage.

Bishop Abraham said that the Coptic Orthodox Church welcomes hosting the conference. “This takes place as part of the Church’s role and responsibility in the global ecumenical movement, and in honor and glorification of our saintly Fathers, especially Pope Alexander I, the 19th Patriarch, and Pope Athanasius the Apostolic, the 20th Patriarch, along with other heroes who defended the Orthodox faith,’’ he said, quoting from the statement.

Fresh engagement

The conference is academic in nature, featuring research papers reflecting the viewpoints of their authors. The conference will be an opportunity to bring together church leaders and theologians of different traditions as well as to involve a new generation of ecumenists at a time when the world faces climate catastrophe, the threat of pandemics, war, and economic concern – challenges requiring a fresh engagement of the churches with one another on core issues of faith and mission that both unite and continue to divide them.

“As we journey toward the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, we are witnessing the fruits of a global ecumenical pilgrimage shaped by years of sharing in prayer, dialogue, and collaboration,” said Dr Andrej Jeftić, director of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order. “Throughout this year, the WCC has been present in and learning from numerous academic and ecclesial gatherings—marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and deepening our shared reflection on the foundations of Christian faith.”

The visit to Wadi El Natrun and the generous partnership with the Coptic Orthodox Church bring this pilgrimage into clearer focus, added Jeftić. “We are preparing not merely an event, but a transformative space of encounter—where the vision of visible unity can be heard, seen, and lived.”

Rev. Dr Mikie Roberts, WCC programme executive for Spiritual Life, spoke of the anticipation leading up to the encounter. “There is so much excitement as the time draws nearer for the 6th World Conference,” he said. “The spiritual life team’s work is well advanced, and we are looking forward to moments of praying together, both with inter-confessional and confessional prayers.”

A Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) held in conjunction with the conference will offer space for a new generation of younger and emerging ecumenical theologians and educators to engage with the work of Faith and Order.

“GETI 2025 creates a dynamic and formative space for emerging ecumenical leaders to engage deeply with the theme of visible unity not only by reflecting on the legacy of the past but by boldly imagining the future of the church across traditions and global contexts,” said Prof. Dr Ani Ghazaryan Drissi, coordinator of GETI. “Through rigorous study, meaningful dialogue, and shared community life, young ecumenists will discern what visible unity demands today. Their voices will not only enrich the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order but also help shape the future of ecumenical witness for generations to come.”

The Sixth World Conference will be the centrepiece of the WCC’s activities to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council. This anniversary offers an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the affirmation of faith in the Nicene Creed, the mission of God’s triune love, and the implications this has for the common witness and service of the churches.

“In the run-up to the conference, in addition to the production of a resource book, an online course on the Nicene Creed will involve those interested who are unable to attend the conference themselves,” said Rev. Dr Martin Illert, programme executive for WCC Faith and Order. “A series of monthly webinars, most of which took place in cooperation with the world communions, has already focused attention on key topics of current ecumenical discourse, which will also play a role at the conference.”

The Coptic Orthodox Church has been a member of the World Council of Churches since 1954.

Posted: July 1, 2025 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=14635
Categories: WCC NewsIn this article: Coptic, Global Ecumenical Theological Institite, Nicaea 2025, WCC Commission on Faith and Order
Transmis : 1 juil. 2025 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=14635
Catégorie : WCC NewsDans cet article : Coptic, Global Ecumenical Theological Institite, Nicaea 2025, WCC Commission on Faith and Order


Following his surprise election, the Anglican Church of Canada's Primate-elect Shane Parker walks to St. Paul's Cathedral accompanied by other members of the House of Bishops to greet General Synod

Bishop Shane Parker elected 15th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada

 — June 26, 202526 juin 2025

The Rt. Rev. Shane Parker, Bishop of Ottawa, was elected the 15th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada on June 26, 2025, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ontario, during the 44th session of the General Synod.

Primate-elect Parker has served as the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa since 2020. Prior to that, he was dean of the Diocese of Ottawa and rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa for two decades. He has a master’s degree in sociology from Carleton University, as well as an honorary doctorate from Saint Paul University, where he has served as a part-time professor of pastoral ministry and chairs its Anglican Studies Advisory Committee.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Joe Elkerton (left) will replace Bert Adema (right) as director of the Indigenous Christian Fellowship in Regina, Saskatchewan

Joe Elkerton appointed Director of Indigenous Christian Fellowship

 — June 25, 202525 juin 2025

The Christian Reformed Church’s Indigenous Christian Fellowship (ICF) in Regina, Sask., is pleased to announce the appointment of Joe Elkerton as its new director, effective July 21, 2025. Elkerton will replace Bert Adema, who is retiring after 32 years of service.

“This appointment marks a pivotal moment for the Indigenous Christian Fellowship,” said Albert Postma, the CRCNA’s executive director-Canada. “Joe’s diverse background and his clear sense of calling to this specific role truly excite us. We believe his leadership will bring vibrant new energy and direction as we continue to grow and serve the community in Regina.”
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The United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, housed at the historic Palais des Nations

WCC supports efforts to reform and strengthen United Nations

 — June 24, 202524 juin 2025

In a statement, the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee commemorated 80 years of the United Nations, particularly its founding principle of multilateral cooperation.

“The Pact for the Future, adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2024, lays out some important directions and needed reforms,” notes the statement. “But even deeper and more fundamental reform will be required, including of the Security Council itself, in order to restore the organization’s credibility and to address the historic exclusion of nations still under colonial domination at the time of the 1945 San Francisco Conference.”
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500 Years of the Anabaptist Movement: The Courage to Love

“The courage to love,” the miracle of ecumenical reconciliation

 — June 20, 202520 juin 2025

Long-time Bridgefolk participants remember the booming voice of the late Ivan Kauffman celebrating historic moments that have marked the development of closer relationships between Mennonites, Roman Catholics, and other divided Christians: “It’s a miracle!

Kauffman would almost shout it. But he had a solidly empirical definition for miracles to match his exuberance: “Things that everybody agreed could not happen, but that happened anyway.”

If Kauffman could have been in Zurich, Switzerland on 29 May 2025, we would surely have heard his booming voice again. Commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Anabaptist movement that began in January of 1525, its spiritual descendants in Mennonite, Amish, Hutterite, and related churches gathered at the city’s Grossmünster cathedral there at the invitation of Mennonite World Conference (MWC).
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Wycliffe College in Toronto

Theological schools hit by international student rules intended for diploma mills, larger institutions

 — June 12, 202512 juin 2025

Between 2014 and 2024, the proportion of students of European descent at Montreal Diocesan Theological College (often abbreviated as Dio) went from about 60 per cent to 25 per cent, says the Rev. Jesse Zink, the school’s principal.

“We have been moving in a direction that’s much more diverse along lines of immigration status, country of origin, racial, and ethnic identity. And I would just say, I think this is wonderful,” he says. “I was teaching a three-hour class last week. We took a break, and I noticed that students were having little side conversations during our break, and there was one that was happening in English, and there was one that was happening in French, and there was one that was happening in Swahili.”
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Pope Leo XIV greets participants of a symposium in Rome

At Ecumenical Symposium, Pope Leo XIV Says Catholic Church Open to Universal Easter Date

 — June 7, 20257 juin 2025

“Several concrete solutions have been proposed that, while respecting the principle of Nicaea, would allow Christians to celebrate together the ‘Feast of Feasts,’” the Holy Father said.

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday said the Catholic Church is open to establishing a common date of Easter among all Christian churches, echoing one of the aims of the Council of Nicaea that met 1,700 years ago.

The Pope spoke to participants of the symposium “Nicaea and the Church of the Third Millennium: Towards Catholic-Orthodox Unity,” which took place this week at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

The Holy Father called the 325 Council of Nicaea “foundational for the common journey that Catholics and Orthodox have undertaken together since the Second Vatican Council.”
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<em><a href='https://ecumenism.net/archive/ccc/2025_CFW_Towards-Wellbeing_EN.pdf' target='_blank'>Towards Wellbeing: Mental Wholeness in Church, Person, and Community</a></em> (Canadian Council of Churches, 2025)

Explore a New Ecumenical Resource on Theology and Mental Wellbeing!

 — June 3, 20253 juin 2025

The Commission on Faith and Witness of The Canadian Council of Churches invites you to explore Towards Wellbeing: Mental Wholeness in Church, Person, and Community — a new ecumenical study guide designed for faith communities.

Developed through rich dialogue among 14 Christian traditions in Canada, this resource offers

  • deep scriptural and theological grounding in the Christian understanding of the human person
  • practical insights for ministry, pastoral care, and community life
  • engaging questions for small group discussion and personal reflection

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<em><a href='https://ecumenism.net/archive/ccc/2025_CFW_Atteindre-le-bien-etre_FR.pdf' target='_blank'>Atteindre le bien-être : l'intégrité mentale pour soi, la communauté et l'Église</a></em> (Conseil canadien des Églises, 2025)

Découvrez une nouvelle ressource œcuménique sur la théologie et le bien-être mental!

 — June 3, 20253 juin 2025

La Commission Foi et Témoignage du Conseil canadien des Églises vous invite à découvrir Atteindre le bien-être : l’intégrité mentale pour soi, la communauté et l’Église, un nouveau guide d’étude œcuménique conçu pour les communautés croyantes.

Née d’un dialogue de qualité entre 14 traditions chrétiennes au Canada, cette ressource offre

  • un ancrage scripturaire et théologique profond dans la conception chrétienne de la personne humaine,
  • des idées pratiques pour le ministère, la pastorale et la vie communautaire,
  • des questions engageantes pour les échanges en petits groupes et la réflexion personnelle.

… Read more » … lire la suite »

Representatives from 16 world Communions gathered in Assisi, to discuss the development of a common liturgical celebration focused on creation

Common liturgical celebration focused on creation explored at conference in Assisi

 — June 3, 20253 juin 2025

Representatives from 16 world Communions gathered in Assisi from May 5-7, to discuss the development of a common liturgical celebration focused on creation. This included the Anglican Communion, Baptist World Alliance, Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran World Federation and Eastern Orthodox churches.

Christian traditions have a yearly cycle or liturgical year, with different seasons and events, including feasts and holy days. They commemorate important aspects of Christian history and theology.

The ecumenical dialogue in Assisi explored whether a new liturgical feast of creation could be developed and celebrated across a number of Christian calendars. It was a continuation of discussions that were held in Assisi in 2024.
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Lady Elish Angiolini was appointed by King Charles as the Lord High Commissioner of the Church of Scotland's 2025 General Assembly

Roman Catholic represents King Charles at the Scottish General Assembly

 — May 20, 202520 mai 2025

A news story last Saturday announced that a Roman Catholic had been appointed to represent King Charles at the Scottish General Assembly. This would seem to be a very strange story from a Canadian perspective. Canadians hold a variety of opinions about the role of the monarchy, but we don’t expect the monarch to be part of the decision-making bodies of our churches. This is just one of the interesting aspects of having a “national” or established church that we have not experienced in Canada.
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