An Ecumenical Journey

Home , Ecumenism

A timeline of the World Council of Churches

The Netherlands 1948 Zimbabwe 1998

USA 1954 Canada 1983

Sweden 1968 Australia 1991

India 1961

Kenya 1975 Brazil 2006

General Secretaries of WCC

W. A. Visser ’t Hooft (1900-1985) Philip Potter (1921-) Konrad Raiser (1938-) Olav Fykse Tveit (1960-) Term: 1938-1966 Term: 1972-1985 Term: 1993-2003 Term: 2010- A brilliant and visionary Christian leader from the A Methodist pastor, missionary and youth leader from A German theologian who served on the WCC staff under A pastor from the Lutheran communion, Tveit began his Netherlands, Willem Visser ’t Hooft was named WCC general Dominica in the West Indies, Potter was called to several Philip Potter, Raiser once described his ecumenical calling as term of office in January 2010 following seven years as secretary at the 1938 meeting in which the WCC’s process of positions in the WCC. During his mandate as general “a second conversion.” During a sometimes turbulent period leader of the Church of Norway’s council on ecumenical formation began. A Reformed minister, he emphasized the secretary, he insisted on the fundamental unity of Christian for the ecumenical movement, he led the Council as general and international relations. Bringing wide experience in importance of linking the ecumenical movement to enduring witness and Christian service and the correlation of faith secretary in a redefinition of its “Common Understanding inter-religious dialogue, Tveit had also served as co-chair manifestations of the church through the ages. In 1968 he and action. and Vision” and in a fundamental review of the participation of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum core group was elected honorary president of the WCC by the fourth of Orthodox member churches. and as a member of the WCC’s Faith and Order Plenary Emilio Castro (1927-) Commission. He began his term by preaching on “the assembly. Samuel Kobia (1947-) Term: 1985-1992 ecumenical movement of the cross.” Term: 2004-2009 Eugene Carson Blake (1906-1985) A native of Uruguay and a missiologist, Castro served as An ordained minister of the Methodist Church in Kenya, Term: 1966-1972 director of the WCC’s Commission on World Mission and Kobia was the first African to hold the position of WCC 150 Route de Ferney, PO Box 2100 A talented administrator and ecumenical leader in the Evangelism, then as general secretary. A Methodist pastor general secretary. Kobia brought his lifelong concern for CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland USA, Blake previously served as stated clerk of the United and theologian, he was noted for his eloquent preaching and Tel +41 22 791 6111 Fax +41 22 791 0361 Africa to the world-wide ecumenical movement. Following his Presbyterian Church in the USA and as president of the progressive views on Christianity and the social order, and www.oikoumene.org election, he called on the churches to “work tirelessly toward National Council of Churches in the USA. An ardent achieved prominence in Latin America. advocate of the civil rights movement, he helped launch the the healing of the world and the restoration of human dignity.” WCC’s Programme to Combat Racism. WCC0612jrs Design: Judith Rempel Smucker WCC photos: WCC Photo Archives

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1945 onInternational Affairs (CCIA), 1946 (nearGeneva) andoftheCommissionChurches • Foundation of WCC’s EcumenicalInstituteatBossey • World CounC W 1st WCCAS Delegates: 351(147memberchurches) Theme: “Man’s DisorderandGod’s Design” Amsterdam, The Netherlands•22 August to4September1948 H ITBy T O , 1947 RONTO, 1950 SEm W lUNd i l of ChurC I l B Delegates: 502(161memberchurches) Theme: “Christ—the Hopeofthe World” Evanston, USA•15-31 August 1954 2nd WCCAS 1950 l F ly I R N , 1952 ANKFURT g E

1955 N h • Christian Conference of Asia is first of the regional ecumenical councils, 1957 1957 councils, ecumenical regional the of first is of Asia Conference Christian • , es founded, 1948 1952 A SEm C , CRA, 1954 B ly T 1958 O 1960 K y B • Roman Catholic Second Vatican Council issues decree on ecumenism, 1964 1964 ecumenism, on decree issues Council Vatican Second Catholic Roman • Delegates: 577(197memberchurches) Theme: “Jesus Christ—theLightofthe World” New Delhi, India•19Novemberto5December1961 3rd WCCAS O E l , mONTREAl 1958 mEx F AST N lOUVAIN, A I , CO 1962 IROBI,

gENEVA, 1965 SEm C Delegates: 704(235memberchurches) Theme: “Behold, Imake allthingsnew” Uppsala, Sweden•4-20July1968 4th WCCAS by WCC and Roman Catholic Church, 1968 1968 Church, Catholic Roman and by WCC prepared jointly Unity Christian for Prayer • of Week I T , 1963 B y 1967 ly , 1963 1971 1966

1970 SEm lIm B B ly A A N , 1971 g A K C Delegates: 676(285memberchurches) Theme: “Jesus ChristFrees andUnites” Nairobi, Kenya •23Novemberto10December1975 5th WCCAS OK, 1975CRA, 1972-73 1974 C B A A m SEm N B g RId A B mEl • SelectedEcumenical Key Dates W WCC A interpretation Timeline VARIOUS WORl WORl WORl ly l 1980 1982 published, Ministry and Eucharist Baptism, of study • WCC O O g RE, R E lIm B Delegates: 847(301memberchurches) Theme: “Jesus Christ—theLifeofthe World” Vancouver, Canada•24Julyto10 August 1983 6th WCCAS

l OURNE, (USA), 1979 d mI d C d C d C 1978 SSEm A , OUNCIl ONFERENCE ONFERENCE W 1982 SSION ORl B 1980 l 1985 y SEm S d E T

AVAN • WCC initiatesDecadeofChurchesinSolidaritywith Women, 1988 C O B O CUm F ly

NFERENCE C O O S HRISTIAN g A N N E E Justice, Peace andIntegrityofCreation S Delegates: 852(317memberchurches) Theme: “Come, HolySpirit—Renewthe Whole Creation” Canberra, Australia •7-20February 1991 7th WCCAS N NICAl

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, 1990 PEST C N A E ONFERENCES d d N Youth andStudents Ecumenical GlobalGatheringof B WO SEm U d R , 1989 CATION

AZIl (USA), 1989 O S B R RK A 1995 ly d , 1993 NTIAg E S R A (WCCE) CO l Delegates: 996(336memberchurches) Theme: “Turn toGod—RejoiceinHope” Harare, Zimbabwe•3-14December1998 8th WCCAS V

• Common Understanding and Vision of the WCC policy, 1998 policy,1998 the WCC of and Vision Understanding Common • A O d mOSHI,

d O E R • WCC launches Decade to Overcome 2001 Violence, Overcome to Decade launches • WCC

2000 C (BR O NFERENCES SEm m 1996 AZIl P • SpecialCommissiononOrthodox Participation in WCC, 2002 OSTEl B ly ), 1996 A Interreligious Dialogue gENEVA, T A

2005 Delegates: 728(347memberchurches) Theme: “God, inyourgrace, transform theworld” Porto Alegre, Brazil •14-23February, 2006 9th WCCAS HENS, , 1993 2005 2005 K SEm U EdI

2010 A l B NBURg A Peace Convocation, 2011 • InternationalEcumenical ly

l and peace” (349memberchurches) Theme: “God ofLife, leadustojustice 30 Octoberto8November2013 Busan, RepublicofKorea • 10th WCCAS A m C RETE, H P UR,

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