WCC NEWS: WCC moderator: “What do we mean when we talk about speaking truth to power?”

World Council of Churches (WCC) moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, in his report to the WCC executive committee, posed complex questions and reasons for hope. WCC central committee moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 21 November 2024 “Should we act as prophets or as pastors?” he asked “And what do we mean when we talk about prophetically speaking truth to power?” He reflected on the power of prophetic speech, including aspects of prophecy and prudence. In outlining seven dimensions of speaking to power, he also underscored aspects of the Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity. "How can the churches critically accompany political processes?” he asked. “When should they speak up to power in ways which are more shocking than comforting and sustaining?” He acknowledged that the answers to these questions are highly contextual. “But it is helpful to ask these questions no matter what our context is,” he said. "The way we speak to people in power as churches must take different dimensions into account.” He described prophetic speech as characterized by the passion for justice. “Its goal must be the actual improvement of the situation of the most disadvantaged,” he said. “When we reflect upon what we say to people in power, the preferential option for the poor must guide us.” In addition, prophetic speech must always include prudence, suggested Bedford-Strohm. “Therefore we must always ask ourselves: Is our speech really in the service of God’s call to make a difference?” he said. “Or is it only an expression of one’s personal anger?” He also suggested that churches have a special function as agents in civil society. “They know about the indisputable moral truths on which a society depends such as the dignity of every human being and the preference of the poor for which the biblical prophets stand,”  he said. “At the same time, they see the world as a whole reconciled by God in Jesus Christ and therefore stand for the inclusion of each member of society into a commonwealth based on those moral truths.” The WCC executive committee is convening in Paralimni, Cyprus, from 21-26 November to focus on planning for 2025, including the budget and implementation of WCC strategies. The thematic focus of the gathering is on peace-building in the context of occupation, war, and conflicts. Read the full report WCC executive committee to convene in Cyprus with focus on peace-building (WCC news release, 21 November 2024) 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 Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland