World Council of Churches

Description

The World Council of Churches, WCC, is a global fellowship of Christian churches working towards their visible unity. It was founded in 1948 to advance the modern ecumenical movement. It brings together 356 member churches from more than 120 countries, representing over 580 million Christians worldwide, and its administrative centre is the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland.

Member churches include most of the world’s Orthodox churches, along with Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed and many other Protestant traditions; the Catholic Church is not a member but sends observers to its meetings. Founding churches were mostly European and North American, but most member churches today are in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific. Delegates from member churches meet in an Assembly every seven or eight years, which elects a Central Committee to govern between Assemblies.

As a fellowship, the WCC gives member churches a space to worship, reflect, and work together, and to challenge and support each other. It promotes common witness in mission and evangelism, and engages in Christian service by addressing human need, breaking down barriers between people, seeking justice and peace, and upholding the integrity of creation. Its work is carried out through commissions and programmes covering areas such as faith and order, diakonia and development, international affairs, education, and justice, peace and creation.