Pope Francis at World Council of Churches

“Walking, praying and working together” is the motto of Pope Francis’ visit to the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 21, for the 70th-anniversary celebrations of the founding of the world’s largest and most inclusive ecumenical movement.

Jun 29, 2018

By Gerard O’Connell
“Walking, praying and working together” is the motto of Pope Francis’ visit to the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 21, for the 70th-anniversary celebrations of the founding of the world’s largest and most inclusive ecumenical movement.

Pope Francis’ day in Geneva began with an ecumenical prayer service in the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre at the WCC headquarters, where he delivered his homily.

The WCC represents some 560 million Christians from 110 countries. Its origins date back to the early decades of the 20th century, when the modern ecumenical movement began with the World Student Christian Federation and the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1910. The deaths, suffering and destruction caused by World War I gave added impetus to church leaders in Europe to create movements, not only for mission, (the original aim of the ecumenical movement) but, also for unity (the Faith and Order Conference in Lausanne in 1927) and justice and peace in the world (the Life and Work Conference in Stockholm in 1925). These movements joined together and in 1936 began the process of creating the WCC, but the onset of World War II put its formation on hold.

Soon after the war ended, the WCC was established at an assembly of 147 Churches in Amsterdam on Aug 23, 1948, as “a fellowship of churches which accept Jesus Christ our Lord as God and Saviour.” Its constitution states that “the primary purpose” of the fellowship “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 toward that unity in order that the world may believe.”

The WCC is not a church, nor does it issue orders or directions to the churches. It works for the unity and renewal of the various Christian denominations and offers them a forum in which they may work together in the spirit of tolerance and mutual understanding.

Today, 348 Churches belong to the Council, including most churches of the Orthodox tradition, many from Protestant and Anglican traditions, as well as Pentecostal and African Independent churches.

On the eve of the Pope’s trip, Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, a Lutheran pastor of the Church of Norway and General Secretary of the WCC since 2010, described Francis’ visit as “a strong signal of recognition by the Catholic world; a signal that there exists a worldwide ecumenical movement, in which the Catholic Church participates.” He recalled that Pope Francis has said, “We must work together and that there are enormous spaces for this.”

The Catholic Church has not become a formal member of the WCC, nevertheless, she collaborates with some of its working groups and commissions. They work with joint agendas that touch several areas such as the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, doctrinal issues, and issues related to mission, justice, peace and reconciliation, ecumenical formation and youth.

The Catholic Church also participates in other areas with the council. It is a full member of the Faith and Order Commission, serves on the team for mission and unity, sponsors a faculty appointment and spiritual support at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, and works with the WCC team on interreligious dialogue and cooperation.

By coming to Geneva for the WCC’s 70th anniversary, Francis is seeking to strengthen and foster the already good relationship between the Catholic Church and this worldwide ecumenical body (WCC). -- America Magazine

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