With Zimbabwe and other African nations heading for elections in the coming months, churches in the region recently reflected on their role in strengthening democratic governance and electoral process.

Power, social injustice, the threat of extremism and Christian-Muslim relations will be among the main themes of a conference on the situation of Christians in the Middle East. The conference is set to take place next week in Lebanon. The international conference will bring together some 150 participants from the Middle East and beyond, representing churches as well as regional [...]

LWF President Younan Speaks at Danish Church Days AALBORG, Denmark/GENEVA, 15 May 2013 (LWI) – At the 2013 Danish Church Days, Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan, President of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), spoke of his hope for peaceful coexistence of religions and nations in Middle East.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has expressed concern at the methodology and results of the Albania Census 2011. He has raised questions in regard to the reliability of the process which, he said, has implications for the rights of religious minorities and religious freedoms guaranteed in the country’s constitution.

In Tahiti, an ecumenical delegation was told about the need for re-inscription of French Polynesia (Maohi Nui) on the United Nations list of countries to be decolonized. The delegates discussed various pressing concerns while meeting with the local church leaders, civil society organizations and President Oscar Manutahi Temaru during their visit to French Polynesia from 26 April to 1 May.

The WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, and Abune Mathias, patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, affirmed their commitment in Addis Ababa to “continue working together to accomplish visions for justice and peace”.

For the first time in their history, the patriarch of the Antiochian Orthodox Church has asked the believers to adorn the traditional Palm Sunday processions with black ribbons tied on candles rather than the usual white ribbons expressing their sadness because of the two abducted church leaders from Aleppo, Syria.

As the uncertainty of the whereabouts of two Syrian church leaders kidnapped in Syria on Monday continued Wednesday, the patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox churches have issued a joint communique calling on churches around the world to “stand fast in the face of what is going on and witness to their faith in the power of love [...]

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, has strongly condemned the abduction of two Syrian archbishops who were kidnapped yesterday near Aleppo in Syria.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, has offered prayers and support for advocacy against violence on behalf of the WCC member churches in light of the bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday. In a letter to the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, he said, “This violence in [...]