World Council of Churches

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The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a worldwide inter-church organization founded in 1948. Its members today include the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, most jurisdictions of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Old Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, most mainline Protestant churches (such as the Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Moravian and Reformed) and some evangelical Protestant churches (such as the Baptist and Pentecostal).^[1] Notably, the Catholic Church is not a member, although it sends accredited observers to meetings.^[2] The WCC arose out of the ecumenical movement and has as its basis the following statement:

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Savior according to the scriptures, and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It is a community of churches on the way to visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ. It seeks to advance towards this unity, as Jesus prayed for his followers, "so that the world may believe." (John 17:21) ^[3]

The WCC describes itself as "a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service."^[4] It is based at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland.^[5] The organization's members include denominations which claim to collectively represent some 590 million people across the world in about 150 countries, including 520,000 local congregations served by 493,000 pastors and priests, in addition to elders, teachers, members of parish councils and others.^[6]

History[edit]

The Ecumenical Movement met with initial successes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the Edinburgh Missionary Conference of 1910 (chaired by future WCC Honorary President John R. Mott). In 1920, the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Germanus V of Constantinople, wrote a letter "addressed 'To all the Churches of Christ, wherever they may be', urging closer co-operation among separated Christians, and suggesting a 'League of Churches', parallel to the newly founded League of Nations".^[7] Church leaders agreed in 1937 to establish a World Council of Churches, based on a merger of the Faith and Order Movement (under Charles Brent of the Episcopal Church of the United States) and Life and Work Movement (under Nathan Söderblom of the Lutheran Church of Sweden) organisations.

Its official establishment was deferred with the outbreak of World War II until August 23, 1948. Delegates of 147 churches assembled in Amsterdam to merge the Faith and Order Movement and Life and Work Movement.^[8] This was consolidated by a second meeting at Lund in 1950, for which the British Methodist Robert Newton Flew edited an influential volume of studies, The Nature of the Church.^[9] Subsequent mergers were with the International Missionary Council in 1961 and the World Council of Christian Education, with its roots in the 18th century Sunday School movement, in 1971.

WCC member churches include most of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches; the Anglican Communion; some Old Catholic churches; and numerous Protestant churches, including some Baptists, many Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian and other Reformed, a sampling of united and independent churches, and some Pentecostal churches.

Many churches who refused to join the WCC joined together to form the World Evangelical Alliance.^[10]

Delegates sent from the member churches meet every seven or eight years in an Assembly, which elects a Central Committee that governs between Assemblies. A variety of other committees and commissions answer to the Central Committee and its staff. Assemblies have been held since 1948.

The "human rights abuses in communist countries evoked grave concern among the leaders of the World Council of Churches."^[11] However, historian Christopher Andrew claims that, during the Cold War, a number of important WCC representatives of the Orthodox Church in Eastern Europe had been working for the KGB, and that they influenced the policy of the WCC.^[12] From 1955 to 1958, Robert S. Bilheimer co-chaired a WCC international commission to prepare a document addressing the threat of nuclear warfare during the Cold War.^[13]

At the 1961 conference, a 32-year-old Russian Orthodox Bishop named Aleksey Ridiger was sent as delegate to the assembly, and then appointed to the WCC's central committee. He was later elected as Russian patriarch in 1990 as Alexei II.^[14]

The ninth assembly took place in Porto Alegre, Brazil in February 2006, under the theme "God, in your grace, transform the world".^[15] During the first Assemblies, theologians Vasileios Ioannidis and Amilkas Alivizatos contributed significantly to the debates that led to the drafting of the "Toronto Statement", a foundational document which facilitated Eastern Orthodox participation in the organization and today it constitutes its ecclesiological charter.^[16]

The 10th Assembly was held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 30 October to 8 November 2013.^[17]

In 2013 Dr. Agnes Abuom of Nairobi, from the Anglican Church of Kenya, was elected as moderator of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches; she is the first woman and the first African to hold this position.^[18]

Events and presidents[edit]

Assemblies[edit]

The World Council of Churches held 10 Assemblies to date, starting with the founding assembly in 1948:^[19]

1. Amsterdam, Netherlands, 22 August – 4 September 1948
2. Evanston, Illinois, United States, 15–31 August 1954
3. New Delhi, India, 19 November – 5 December 1961
4. Uppsala, Sweden, 4–20 July 1968
5. Nairobi, Kenya, 23 November – 10 December 1975
6. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 24 July – 10 August 1983
7. Canberra, ACT, Australia, 7–21 February 1991^[20]
8. Harare, Zimbabwe, 3–14 December 1998
9. Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 14–23 February 2006
10. Busan, South Korea, 30 October – 8 November 2013

Presidents[edit]

Presidents of the current 10th Assembly are:^[21]

• Africa: The Rev. Dr. Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel (Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa)
• Asia: The Rev. Dr. Chang Sang (Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea)
• Europe: Archbishop Anders Wejryd (Church of Sweden)
• Latin America and Caribbean: The Rev. Gloria Nohemy Ulloa Alvarado (Presbyterian Church in Colombia)
• North America: The Rt Revd Mark L. MacDonald (Anglican Church of Canada)
• Pacific: The Rev. Dr. Mele'ana Puloka (Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga)
• Eastern Orthodox: John X of Antioch (Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch)
• Oriental Orthodox: Karekin II (Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church)

Former presidents of the World Council of Churches include:

• Rev. Martin Niemöller, the famous Protestant anti-Nazi theologian
• T. C. Chao, Chinese theologian

General secretaries[edit]

Since the World Council of Churches was officially founded in 1948, the following men have served as general secretary:^[22]

Years	Name	Churches	Nationality
1948–1966	W. A. Visser 't Hooft	Reformed Churches in the Netherlands/Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, Geneva	Netherlands
1966–1972	Eugene Carson Blake	United Presbyterian Church (USA)	United States
1972–1984	Philip A. Potter	Methodist Church	Dominica
1985–1992	Emilio Castro	Evangelical Methodist Church of Uruguay	Uruguay
1993–2003	Konrad Raiser	Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD)	Germany
2004–2009	Samuel Kobia	Methodist Church in Kenya	Kenya
2010–present	Olav Fykse Tveit	Church of Norway	Norway

Commissions and teams[edit]

There are two complementary approaches to ecumenism: dialogue and action. The Faith and Order Movement and Life and Work Movement represent these approaches.^[23] These approaches are reflected in the work of the WCC in its commissions, these being:

• Echos- Commission on Youth (ages 18–30)
• Commission of the Churches on Diakonia and Development
• Commission on Education and Ecumenical Formation
• Commission of the Churches on International Affairs
• Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation
• Commission on World Mission and Evangelism
• Faith and Order Plenary Commission and the Faith and Order Standing Commission
• Joint Consultative Group with Pentecostals
• Joint Working Group WCC – Catholic Church (Vatican)
• Reference Group on the Decade to Overcome Violence
• Reference Group on Inter-Religious Relations
• Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC

Diakonia and development and international relations commissions[edit]

The WCC acts through both its member churches and other religious and social organizations to coordinate ecumenical, evangelical, and social action.

Current WCC programs include a Decade to Overcome Violence, an international campaign to combat AIDS/HIV in Africa and the Justice, Peace and Creation initiative.

Faith and Order Commission[edit]

WCC's Faith and Order Commission has been successful in working toward consensus on Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry, on the date of Easter, on the nature and purpose of the church (ecclesiology), and on ecumenical hermeneutics.

Texts[edit]

• Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (Faith and Order Paper No. 111, the “Lima Text”; 1982) ^[24]
• The Churchː Towards a Common Vision (Faith and Order Paper no. 214; 2013 ^[25]) after The Nature and Mission of the Church – A Stage on the Way to a Common Statement (Faith and Order Paper no. 198; 2005 ^[26]) and The Nature and Purpose of the Church (Faith and Order Paper no. 181; 1998 ^[27])
• Towards a Common Date of Easter ^[28]

Justice, Peace and Creation Commission[edit]

Justice, Peace and Creation has drawn many elements together with an environmental focus. Its mandate is:

To analyze and reflect on justice, peace and creation in their interrelatedness, to promote values and practices that make for a culture of peace, and to work towards a culture of solidarity with young people, women, Indigenous Peoples and racially and ethnically oppressed people.^[29]

Focal issues have been globalization and the emergence of new social movements (in terms of people bonding together in the struggle for justice, peace, and the protection of creation).^[30]

Attention has been given to issues around:

• economy^[31]
• environment^[32]
• Indigenous Peoples^[33]
• peace^[34]
• people with disabilities ^[35]
• racism ^[36]
• women^[37]
• youth^[38]

Relations with the Catholic Church[edit]

The largest Christian body, the Catholic Church, is not a member of the WCC, but has worked closely with the Council for more than three decades and sends observers to all major WCC conferences as well as to its Central Committee meetings and the Assemblies (cf. Joint Working Group).

The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity also nominates 12 members to the WCC's Faith and Order Commission as full members. While not a member of the WCC, the Catholic Church is a member of some other ecumenical bodies at regional and national levels, for example, the National Council of Churches in Australia and the National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil (CONIC).

Pope Pious XI stated in 1928, that the only means by which the world Christian community was to return to faith, was to return to Roman Catholic Worship. In this regard, there was the idea that the Papacy had rejected, to a great extent; the participation of the Catholic Church within the World Council of Churches. Pious stated that the ‘One true Church’ was that of the Roman Catholic denomination, and therefore there was the implication that the Catholic Church was not permitted at this stage to engage with other denominations, which the Papacy considered to be irrelevant. The Catholic Church therefore did not attend the 1948 meeting of the WCC, in addition to the idea that all members of the church were barred from attending WCC conferences.

Pope John Paul XXIII took a different stance however, and in 1958 he was elected as the head of the Catholic Church. Ecumenism was a new element of catholic ideology which had been permitted, which was signified to a great extent, when John Paul XXIII met with the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher. This was the first meeting between an Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Pope in the Vatican for 600 years. John Paul XXIII later developed the office of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity; which symbolised a dramatic shift in support for the ecumenical movement, from the Catholic Church, led from the Vatican. 1961 saw Catholic members attend the Delhi conference of the WCC, which masked a significant shift in attitude toward the WCC from the Papacy. There was the idea in addition to this, that the Pope invited non-Catholics to attend the Vatican II council. This new approach to inter-denominational relations was marked within the Unitatis Redintegratino.

This document marked several key reforms within the Catholic approach:

I. ‘Separated brethren’ was the new term for non-catholics, as opposed to the previously used ‘heretics’

II. Both catholic and non- catholic elements are held responsible for the schism between Catholicism and the Protestant movement

III. Non-catholics are recognised to the contributions that they make to Christian belief overall

IV. The Catholic Church is no longer identified as the one true source of Christian knowledge

Further reforms have been enacted with regard to the nature of the Catholic Church on the world stage, for instance the 1965 union with the Patriarch of Constantinople, whereby the 1054 schism was undermined. In addition to this, Michael Ramsay, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, received an episcopal ring in 1966; a mark of union which had not been seen since prior to the reformation. Moreover, the Anglican, Roman-Catholic Internaitonal Committee was additionally established as a means of promoting communication and cohesion between the two denominations. This has since marked a new level of participation of the Catholic Faith in the aforementioned ecumenical movement, and therefore is the basis for increased participation from the faith, in the WCC.

Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC[edit]

A Special Commission was set up by the eighth Harare Assembly in December 1998 to address Orthodox concerns about WCC membership and the Council's decision-making style, public statements, worship practices, and other issues. It issued its final report in 2006.^[39] Specific issues that it clarified were that the WCC does not formulate doctrine, does not have authority to rule on moral issues, nor does it have any ecclesiastical authority. Such authority is entirely internal to each individual member church. It proposed that the WCC adopt a consensus method of decision making. It proposed that Orthodox members be brought in parity with non-Orthodox members. It further proposed clarification that inter-confessional prayer at WCC events is not worship, particularly "it should avoid giving the impression of being the worship of a church", and confessional and inter-confessional prayer each be specifically identified as such at WCC events. It also clarified that the so-called "Lima Liturgy" is not an interfaith eucharistic service: 'the WCC is not 'hosting' a eucharist'.

Peace journalism[edit]

The WCC is also a prominent supporter and practitioning body for Peace journalism: journalism practice that aims to avoid a value bias in favor of violence that often characterizes coverage of conflict.^[40]

Spin-offs and related organizations[edit]

The ACT Alliance, bringing together over 100 church-backed relief and development organizations worldwide, was born out of the merger of ACT International (Action by Churches Together International) and ACT Development (Action by Churches Together for Development) in March 2010. Both ACT International, established in 1995, and ACT Development (2007) were created through the leadership of the World Council of Churches (WCC). The two bodies coordinated the work of agencies related to the member churches of the WCC and the Lutheran World Federation in the areas of humanitarian emergencies and poverty reduction respectively.^[41]

The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance was officially founded in December 2000 at a meeting convened by the WCC. There are currently 73 churches and Christian organizations that are members of the Alliance, from Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. These members, representing a combined constituency of tens of millions of people around the world, are committed to working together in public witness and action for justice on defined issues of common concern. Current campaigns are on Food and on HIV and AIDS.^[42]

The Ecumenical Church Loan Fund (ECLOF) was founded in 1946 as one of the world's first international micro-credit institutions in the service of the poor. Willem Visser 't Hooft, then general secretary of the "WCC in process of formation" played an important role in founding ECLOF. It was he who sketched the prospects and challenges for the proposed institution and gave specific ideas on potential sources of funds. His inspiration and teamwork marked the beginning of a long and fruitful cooperation between ECLOF and the WCC.^[43]

The Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society U.A (now known as Oikocredit) was developed from discussions at the 1968 Uppsala 4th Assembly, regarding church divestment from financial institutions supporting apartheid-era South Africa and the war in Vietnam. After several years of planning, the cooperative society was founded in 1975 in the Netherlands to provide an alternative ethical investment vehicle to church institutions, by providing credit to productive enterprises serving economically disadvantaged populations. Originally organized for large institutional members of the WCC, by 1976 local congregations developed Support Associations to enable congregations as well as individuals to participate. EDCS became independent from the WCC in 1977.^[44]

Ecumenical News International (ENI) was launched in 1994 as a global news service reporting on ecumenical developments and other news of the churches, and giving religious perspectives on news developments worldwide. The joint sponsors of ENI, which was based at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, are the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches, which also have their headquarters at the Ecumenical Centre.^[45] A shortage of funds led to the suspension of the work of ENI in 2012^[46] As of 2015 ENI remains closed.

Regional/national councils[edit]

The WCC has not sought the organic union of different Christian denominations, but it has, however, facilitated dialogue and supported local, national, and regional dialogue and cooperation.

Membership in a regional or national council does not mean that the particular group is also a member of the WCC.

• Africa – All Africa Conference of Churches ^[47]
  • Organization of African Instituted Churches^[48]
• Asia (including Australia and New Zealand) – Christian Conference of Asia (CCA),^[49] Hong Kong
  • National Council of Churches in Australia
  • National Council of Churches in the Philippines
• Caribbean – Caribbean Conference of Churches
• Europe – Conference of European Churches,^[50] Geneva, Switzerland
• Latin America – Latin American Council of Churches ^[51]
• Middle East – Middle East Council of Churches ^[52]
• North America
  • Canadian Council of Churches
  • National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
• Pacific – Pacific Conference of Churches,^[53] Suva, Fiji

Criticism[edit]

Alleged neglect of suffering church in Eastern Europe[edit]

Many historians, the U.S. State Department and former KGB officers themselves have alleged and provided corroborating evidence that the KGB's influence directly, or through lobbying by means of a front organization, the Christian Peace Conference, resulted in the WCC's failure to recognize or act on calls for help from persecuted East European Christians at the 1983 Vancouver General Assembly.^{[54][55]:647–8}

Claims of infiltration and influence by the KGB[edit]

It is claimed the KGB has infiltrated and influenced past WCC councils and policy.^[12] In 1992, Father Gleb Yakunin, a vice Chairman of a Russian parliamentary commission that investigated the activities of the KGB, citing verbatim KGB reports, claimed that its Fifth Directorate was actively involved in influencing WCC policy from 1967 to 1989.^[54][56] For example, in the 1983 WCC General Assembly in Vancouver, one cited document described the presence and activities of 47 KGB agents to secure the election of an "acceptable" candidate as General Secretary.^[56][57] The Mitrokhin Archive reveals more about the depth of the penetration and influence wielded by the KGB over the WCC.^[55] Metropolitan Nikidim was a KGB agent, codenamed ADAMANT, who served as one of six WCC Presidents from 1975 until his death.^[55]:729[58] His earlier intervention had resulted in the WCC making no comment on the invasion of Czechoslovakia.^[55]:636 As a result of his influence and that of other agents, it is claimed the USSR was rarely publicly criticised.^[55]:637 In 1989, copies of the KGB documents claim "the WCC executive and central committee adopted public statements (eight) and messages (three)" which corresponded to its own political direction.^[55]:637 Appeals from suffering dissidents both from within the Russian Orthodox Church and Protestants were ignored in 1983.^[55]:647–8 Metropolitan Aleksi Ridiger of Tallinn and Estonia was repeatedly alleged to be a KGB agent codenamed DROZDOV, who in 1988 was awarded an honorary citation for services to the KGB by its chairman.^{[55]:650[59][60]} Despite official disavowals, The Guardian described the evidence as "compelling".^[61] In 1990 he became Aleksi II, the 15th Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Upon his death in 2008, the WCC's official tribute, by its Council officers, described him as "courageous", "supportive and constructive" and the recipient of "abundant blessing", no reference was made to the allegations.^[62][63]

Attitude towards Israel[edit]

The World Council of Churches has been described as taking an adversarial position toward the state of Israel.^[64] It has also been claimed the council has focused particularly on activities and publications criticizing Israel in comparison with other human rights issues.^[65][66] Because the WCC never opposed or had any official comments on the destruction of Jewish religious sites in the Middle East, but has constantly complained about Israel's alleged crimes towards Christian sites in Israel, Israel has pointedly ignored the WCC for 50 years and often stated that the WCC's opinions on Israel are hypocritical to the point of being bankrupt. It is similarly claimed that it downplayed appeals from Egyptian Copts about human rights abuses under Sadat and Mubarak, in order to focus on its neighbour.^[64] In 2009, the Council called for an international boycott on goods produced in Israeli settlements, which it described as 'illegal, unjust' and 'incompatible with peace'.^[67] In 2013, the General Secretary was reported to claim in Cairo, "We support the Palestinians. The WCC supports the Palestinians, because they are in the right."^[68] The WCC's Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) has been criticised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews for promoting "an inflammatory and partisan programme at the expense of its interfaith relations".^[69] The WCC secretariat was involved in preparing and helped disseminate the Kairos Palestine Document, which declares “the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land is a sin against God and humanity because it deprives the Palestinians of their basic human rights”, and in the view of one critic, its "authors want to see a single state ".^[70] On the other hand, the WCC claims "Antisemitism is sin against God and man".^[71]

Opposition to Christian Zionism[edit]

Christian Zionism, which has long represented a substantial proportion of historic and contemporary Protestants,^[72][73] is characterised as a view which "distort(s) the interpretation of the Word of God" and "damage(s) intra-Christian relations".^[74]

In this context, what is a source of concern is that Islamic fundamentalisms are giving rise to a counter reaction of other religious fundamentalisms, the most dangerous of which is Jewish fundamentalism which exploits the Islamic fundamentalist phenomenon to justify before western societies the distasteful aberrations of Zionism in Palestine.

— WCC working paper, Lebanon, May 2013 ^[75]

See also[edit]

Christian denominations in English-speaking world
International associations Interdenominational associations World Council of Churches World Evangelical Alliance Denominational associations Friends World Committee for Consultation Mennonite World Conference Anglican Communion Baptist World Alliance World Convention of Churches of Christ Eastern Orthodox Church Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference International Lutheran Council Lutheran World Federation World Methodist Council Pentecostal World Conference International Conference of Reformed Churches Reformed Ecumenical Council World Communion of Reformed Churches World Reformed Fellowship Regional associations Africa All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) Association of Evangelicals of Africa (AEA) All Africa Baptist Fellowship Africa Lutheran Communion Asia Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) Evangelical Fellowship of Asia Asia Pacific Baptist Federation Asia Lutheran Communion Caribbean Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC) Evangelical Association of the Caribbean Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Europe Conference of European Churches (CEC) European Evangelical Alliance European Baptist Federation Pentecostal European Fellowship Middle East Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Latin America Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) Latin American Evangelical Fellowship (FIDE) Union of Baptists in Latin America North America North American Baptist Fellowship Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council Pacific Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) Evangelical Fellowship of the South Pacific (EFSP) Asia Pacific Baptist Federation
Australia Christian denominations in Australia Australian interchurch Australian Evangelical Alliance  • website National Council of Churches Catholic Catholic Church in Australia Anglican Anglican Church of Australia Holiness and Pietist Christian and Missionary Alliance Christian Outreach Centre Church of the Nazarene Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Church Historical Protestantism Australian Friends Australian Baptist Ministries Open Brethren Christian Reformed Churches of Australia Churches of Christ Fellowship of Congregational Churches Lutheran Church of Australia Presbyterian Church of Australia Uniting Church in Australia Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia Eastern Christian Antiochian Orthodox of Australia and New Z. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia Serbian Orthodox of Australia and New Z. Non-Chalcedonic Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia Pentecostal and related Australian Christian Churches (AOG) Christian City Church Intl. CRC Churches International Revival Centres International Vineyard Churches Australia Worldwide Church of God Other LDS Church v t e
Canada Christian denominations in Canada v t e Canadian interchurch Canadian Council of Churches Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America North Am. Presbyterian and Reformed Council Anabaptist & Friends Canadian Mennonite Brethren Churches Canadian Yearly Meeting (Quakers) Mennonite Church Canada Baptist & Stone-Campbell Baptist Association of Regular Baptist Churches Baptist General Conference of Canada Canadian Baptist Ministries Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists Fellowship of Evgcl. Baptist Churches, Canada North American Baptist Conference Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Evangelical Christian Church in Canada Anglican & Catholic Anglican Anglican Church of Canada Anglican Church in North America Independent Catholic Old Roman Catholic Church Polish National Catholic Church Roman Catholic Catholic Church in Canada Ukrainian Catholic, Winnipeg Holiness & Pietist Christian and Missionary Alliance, Canada Church of the Nazarene Evangelical Free Church of Canada The Salvation Army Wesleyan Church Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada Lutheran Church–Canada Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Methodist British Methodist Episcopal Church Free Methodist Church in Canada United Church of Canada Eastern & Oriental Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, N.Am. Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada Orthodox Church in America American-Canadian Macedonian Orthodox Diocese Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Oriental Orthodox Armenian Apostolic Diocese of Am. Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada Pentecostal Apostolic Church of Pentecost Canadian Assemblies of God Church of God of Prophecy Intl. Foursquare Gospel, Canada Intl. Pentecostal Holiness Church Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada Pentecostal Church of God Oneness Pentecostal United Pentecostal Church Intl. Presbyterian & Reformed Canadian and American Reformed Churches Christian Reformed Church in North America L'Église réformée du Québec Presbyterian Church in Canada Presbyterian Church in America Reformed Church in America United Church of Canada Other Evangelical Orthodox Church Messianic Jewish Alliance of America Plymouth Brethren Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada LDS Church Vineyard Canada Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada
Ireland Christian denominations in Ireland v t e Irish interchurch Irish Council of Churches Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Evangelical Alliance, UK Church of Ireland (Anglican) Association of Baptist Churches Catholic Church in Ireland Assemblies of God Elim Pentecostal Church Presbyterian Church in Ireland
New Zealand Christian denominations in New Zealand New Zealand interchurch National Council of Churches Māori Council of Churches Catholic Catholic Church in New Zealand Anglican Anglican Church of New Zealand Holiness and Pietist Christian and Missionary Alliance Church of the Nazarene Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Church Historical Protestantism Baptist Union of New Zealand Open Brethren Fellowship of Congregational Churches Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand Methodist Church of New Zealand New Zealand Friends Presbyterian Church of New Zealand Wesleyan Methodist Church in New Zealand Eastern Christian Antiochian Orthodox of Australia and New Zealand Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New Zealand Serbian Orthodox of Australia and New Zealand Non-Chalcedonic Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand Pentecostal and related Assemblies of God CRC Churches International Harbourside Church Revival Centres International Vineyard Churches New Zealand Worldwide Church of God Other LDS Church v t e
Nigeria Christian denominations in Nigeria Nigerian interchurch Christian Association of Nigeria Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria African initiated Cherubim and Seraphim Society Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Church of God Mission International Church of the Lord (Aladura) Anglican The African Church Church of Nigeria Baptist, Anabaptist, DC Church of the Brethren in Nigeria Churches of Christ in Nigeria Mambila Baptist Convention of Nigeria Nigerian Baptist Convention Catholic Catholic Church in Nigeria Holiness and Methodist African Methodist Episcopal Church in Nigeria Deeper Christian Life Ministry Redeemed Christian Church of God United Methodist Church of Nigeria Lutheran Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria Lutheran Church of Nigeria Pentecostal The Apostolic Church Nigeria Christ Apostolic Church General Council of the Assemblies of God Nigeria Gospel Faith Mission International Church of the Foursquare Gospel The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement New Apostolic Church in Nigeria Winners' Chapel Presbyterian and Reformed Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria Church of Christ in Nigeria Church of Christ in the Sudan Among the Tiv Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ N.K.S.T Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria Other Protestant Evangelical Church of West Africa QIC-United Evangelical Church Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria Word of Faith Ministries v t e
South Africa Christian denominations in South Africa South African interchurch South African Council of Churches Catholic Catholic Church in South Africa Anglican Anglican Church Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church Holiness and AIC Die Heilsleër Zion Christian Church Pentecostal Apostolic Faith Mission [Assemblies of God] Protestantism, Other Baptist Union Evangelical Lutheran Church LDS Church Methodist Church Reformed Dutch Reformed: NGK Dutch Reformed: NHK Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbyterian Church of Africa Reformed Church in Africa Reformed Churches: GKSA United Congregational Church Uniting Presbyterian Church Uniting Reformed Church v t e
United Kingdom Christian denominations in the United Kingdom v t e British interchurch Affinity (formerly British Evangelical Council) Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Evangelical Alliance, UK Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches Churches Together in England Action of Churches Together, Scotland (ACTS) Churches Together in Wales Evangelical Movement of Wales Anglican Church of England Church of Ireland Scottish Episcopal Church Church in Wales Baptist Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland Baptist Union of Great Britain Baptist Union of Scotland Baptist Union of Wales Catholic Catholic Church in the United Kingdom Catholic Church in England and Wales Catholic Church in Ireland Catholic Church in Scotland Holiness and Pietist Church of the Nazarene Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Church Wesleyan Holiness Church Lutheran Lutheran Church in Great Britain Methodist and Wesleyan Methodist Church of Great Britain Methodist Church in Ireland New Church Movement Newfrontiers Pioneer Church Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Greek Orthodox of G.B. Georgian Orthodox Romanian Orthodox Bulgarian Orthodox Oriental Orthodox Armenian Apostolic British Orthodox Coptic Orthodox Eritrean Orthodox Ethiopian Orthodox Syriac Orthodox Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church of God in Christ Elim Pentecostal Church Presbyterian and Reformed Asso. Presbyterian Churches, Scotland Church of Scotland Congregational Federation Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbyterian Church in Ireland Presbyterian Church of Wales United Free Church of Scotland United Reformed Church Other Newfrontiers LDS Church in England
United States Christian denominations in the United States American interchurch National Association of Evangelicals National Council of Churches Churches Uniting in Christ Anabaptist and Friends Church of the Brethren Mennonite Church USA Amish Anglican Anglican Church in North America Episcopal Church Baptist Alliance of Baptists American Baptist Association American Baptist Churches Baptist Bible Fellowship International Baptist Missionary Association of America Conservative Baptist Association of America Converge General Association of Regular Baptist Churches National Association of Free Will Baptists National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A. North American Baptist Conference Southern Baptist Convention Independent Baptist Churches African-American Baptist National Baptist Convention of America National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. National Missionary Baptist Convention of America Progressive National Baptist Convention Catholic Catholic Church in the United States Eastern Christian Eastern Orthodox Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Orthodox Church in America Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia Serbian Orthodox Church in USA Oriental Orthodox Armenian Apostolic Church in USA Coptic Orthodox Church in USA Syriac Orthodox Church Holiness and Pietist Christian and Missionary Alliance Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) Evangelical Covenant Church Evangelical Free Church of America Church of the Nazarene The Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Church Wesleyan Church Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod North American Lutheran Church Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Methodist African Methodist Episcopal Church African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Free Methodist Church United Methodist Church Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) Church of God in Christ Church of God of Prophecy Church on the Rock International Full Gospel Fellowship International Church of the Foursquare Gospel International Pentecostal Holiness Church Pentecostal Church of God Oneness Pentecostal Pentecostal Assemblies of the World United Pentecostal Church Intl. Presbyterian and Reformed Christian Reformed Church in North America Conservative Congregational Christian Conference Cumberland Presbyterian Church Evangelical Presbyterian Church Korean Presbyterian Church in America International Council of Community Churches National Association of Congregational Christian Churches Presbyterian Church (USA) Presbyterian Church in America Reformed Church in America United Church of Christ Stone-Campbell Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Christian churches and churches of Christ Churches of Christ International Churches of Christ Other LDS Church Community of Christ Grace Gospel Fellowship IFCA International Jehovah's Witnesses Messianic Jewish Alliance of America Plymouth Brethren Vineyard USA v t e
v t e

• John R. Mott
• John Romanides
• Joseph Oldham
• Nathan Soderblom
• Charles Henry Brent
• Christian ecumenism
• Conference of Secretaries of World Christian Communions
• Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians
• World Summit of Religious Leaders
• Programme to Combat Racism
• Authorship of the Bible
• List of the largest Protestant bodies

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

Sources[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• W. A. Visser 't Hooft, The Genesis of the World Council of Churches, in: A History of The Ecumenical Movement 1517–1948, R. Rose, S. Ch. Neill (ed.), London: SPCK 1967, second edition with revised bibliography, pp. 697–724.

External links[edit]

• Official website