WCC news: On second anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine, WCC reaffirms “war is incompatible with God’s very nature”

On the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay lamented the destruction of so many lives and called for an immediate end to the conflict.  August 2022: Irpin, Kyiv region, Ukraine. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 23 February 2024 “The Christian commitment to the sanctity and preservation of lives is fundamental,” said Pillay. “Accordingly, we reaffirm our position that war is incompatible with God’s very nature and will for humanity and against our core Christian and ecumenical principles.” Pillay also noted the worldwide economic turmoil resulting from this conflict. “It has driven much deeper divisions in the international community at a time when much greater international cooperation is urgently needed to respond to the collective global threat of climate change,” said Pillay. “A sustainable future for the entire living planet may yet prove to be the war’s greatest casualty.” Pillay called for an immediate end to the conflict. “We demand respect for human rights and international humanitarian law – especially regarding the protection of civilians – and for all the laws and institutions created in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War to protect the people of the world from the horrors of war,” he said. “We demand full accountability for all the crimes committed against these principles.” He also stressed the principles of freedom of religion and belief. “We pray for the restoration of our humanity and morality,” Pillay concluded. “Within the ecumenical movement, we pray for a renewal of commitment to the churches’ calling to be witnesses against the prevailing logic of the world – the logic of violence and imposed power – and for peace and the fullness of life which God desires for all God’s people.” Read the full statement See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland