WCC NEWS: Berlin conference opens with pledges to take responsibility for colonialism—a crime with deep wounds

As the international conference “Berlin 1884–1885 and Anti-Black Racism: In Search of a Shared Anti-Racist Ecumenical Vision” opened on 18 May, those gathered in-person and online acknowledged that the deep wounds of colonialism carved 140 years ago are by no means healed. The international conference “Berlin 1884–1885 and Anti-Black Racism: In Search of a Shared Anti-Racist Ecumenical Vision” opened on 18 May, Berlin, Germany, Photo: Anna Rozkosny/Bread for the World 18 May 2025 Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, World Council of Churches (WCC) programme director for Life, Justice, and Peace, spoke of how political leaders met in Berlin 140 years ago to partition Africa. “They didn’t want to have a conflict over how they were going to share the resources of Africa,” said Mtata. “But today we are not to celebrate the decisions they took.” Rev. Christopher Easthill, chair of the Council of Churches in Germany, reflected that many churches were complicit in those decisions. "At a time when righting the wrongs of racism and colonialism itself is coming under significant pressure and criticism, and in fact even acknowledging the sinfulness of our colonialism is being attacked, this conference is very timely,” he said. “I also commend your choice of venue, returning, so to speak, to the scene of the crime.”Speakers acknowledged that, while they cannot unmake the 1884-85 conference, they could remake the conference so that it sends a very different message. “We are at the crime scene,” agreed Mtata, “hopefully this time not as complicit in the crimes.” Dr Silke Lechner, Protestant Church of Germany, a member of the EKD Council, and deputy commissioner for churches and religions for the City of Berlin, referred to the conference 140 years ago as a power grab. “The predecessors of the German churches have played a role in this development of racism,” she said, suggesting that, 140 years later, churches turn that agenda upside down. Mtata responded that Lechner’s vision was a powerful one. “One of the major challenges of colonization was at the level of knowledge production: who knows, and how is that knowledge shared?” he said. Rev. Dr Dagmar Pruin, president, Bread for the World (Germany), said that the relationship between churches and colonialism is one that we continue to examine with honest humility and courage. “Our institutions, our way of working, and even our understanding of development have been shaped by colonial legacies,” she said. “Acknowledging this is not about blame—it is about responsibility.” WCC Berlin Conference 2025 - Opening Session Rev. Rainer Kiefer director of the Association of Protestant Churches and Missions in Germany, gave an overview of the planning for the conference, and how those plans became more than just logistics but spoke to the very heart of what will become a long journey even after the conference closes. Having recently published “Decolonizing Mission,” Kiefer expressed the vision of continuing to translate that vision into work across the globe. Former WCC general secretary Konrad Raiser capped off the opening by grounding the conference’s purpose in the longstanding struggle of the ecumenical movement against racism and racial discrimination. “May God bless your work together during these days here in Berlin,” he said. The international conference “Berlin 1884–1885 and Anti-Black Racism: In Search of a Shared Anti-Racist Ecumenical Vision” opened on 18 May, Berlin, Germany, Photo: Anna Rozkosny/Bread for the World REGISTER here  Annotated agenda of the conference "Final call to join: A transformative WCC ecumenical conference on racism, colonialism, and faith in Berlin", (WCC news release, 15 May 2025) Learn more about the WCC work on overcoming Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia WCC offers new anti-racist and anti-bias material for churches and communities Online participants at the international conference “Berlin 1884–1885 and Anti-Black Racism: In Search of a Shared Anti-Racist Ecumenical Vision”, Berlin, Germany, Photo:  Anna Rozkosny/Bread for the World 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

EarthBeat Weekly: Women's empowerment and nature's protection go hand in hand

Women's empowerment and nature's protection go hand in hand Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change May 16, 2025 Mari Luz Canaquiri, from the Kukama Indigenous village of Shapajilla, in the Peruvian Amazon. (Goldman Environmental Prize) My own journey into caring for creation and recognizing how integral such concerns are to the Catholic faith stemmed from a class on feminist theology. In that course, I learned how the same hierarchical structures that prioritize the experiences of men over the experiences of women are also responsible for how we often prioritize technology and development over nature. The concept resonated with me then and is sadly something I still see reflected in our world every single day. That's why I am particularly grateful when we get to share stories at EarthBeat about how women's empowerment and nature's protection have worked hand in hand, as they so often do.  This week, Barbara Fraser reports how Mari Luz Canaquiri, from the Kukama Indigenous village of Shapajilla, in the Peruvian Amazon, was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize at a ceremony in San Francisco on April 21. Canaquiri is president of Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana, an organization of Kukama women whose name means "women who work." Last year, the organization triumphed in a landmark court case that recognized the rights of the Marañón River, on which their community relies. The women's efforts began from participation in a group at Santa Rita Parish, where members gained confidence and leadership skills. "The men in the area didn't want the women to get training, because it meant they would be out of the house, and because it also meant they'd be able to debate at the same level as men in public situations," said Bishop Miguel Angel Cadenas, pastor of St. Rita at the time. "As a result, some of the women received [violent] abuse from their husbands. Nevertheless, they persevered and have had an increasingly important voice, to the point of reaching this recognition." In her remarks at the Goldman award ceremony, Canaquiri summed up the importance of Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana's work for the entire Amazon basin, as well as the women's commitment to continuing it. "We Kukama women exist and resist in defense of nature, the rivers, our territory," she said. Read more: Environment prize winner's journey to protect river began in remote Amazon parish     What else is new on EarthBeat:   What Pope Leo means for global climate action and colonialism by Anita Hofschneider, Ayurella Horn-Muller , Grist  As the Trump administration dismantles climate action and cuts funding to Indigenous peoples around the world — and far-right politics continues to rise globally — experts see the conclave's selection of Robert Francis Prevost, or Pope Leo XIV as he is now known, as a clear beacon that the faith-based climate justice movement his predecessor led isn't going anywhere.     'Leo will follow Francis.' Amazon Catholics hope the new pope will protect the rain forest by Mauricio Savarese, Steven Grattan, Associated Press Clergymen and faithful in the Amazon region see Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV, who spent about two decades in Peru's countryside, as a pontiff who will protect the region and fight against climate change.     Federal court pauses transfer of Oak Flat sacred site to mining company by Brian Roewe A federal judge paused a land transfer of 2,400 acres — including the centuries-old Western Apache sacred site, Oak Flat — to a mining company while the Supreme Court considers a separate appeal on religious protection grounds.     I'm still waiting for the US church to have an 'ecological conversion' by Michael Wright On this 10th anniversary of one of the most extraordinary documents in the church's history, we need to revisit Laudato Si' and heed Pope Francis' call for an integral ecology and better stewardship of creation as a moral imperative.     What's happening in other climate news: An effort to kill off lawsuits against oil giants is gaining steam –Karen Zraick for the New York Times Republicans attack rules designed to keep workers safe from heat –Liza Gross for Inside Climate News If you want to claim the solar tax credit, install now –Tik Root for Grist First US trial over PFAS injuries to focus on kidney cancer –Pat Rizzuto for Bloomberg Environment Toxic cleanups in San Francisco take 4+ years longer in communities of color –Audrey Mei Yi Brown for San Francisco Public Press   Final Beat: Help us raise $300,000 for the National Catholic Reporter! We have raised $211,908 from 1,254 supporters. We are 70.6% of the way to our goal! When you make a donation to NCR during our Spring Fund Drive, you are supporting the independent reporting, analysis and spiritual reflection you have come to expect from us. Thank you for joining us in our mission, and thank you for choosing hope! Have a donor-advised fund? Check out this opportunity to support NCR. Questions? Call our Development Office at 1-800-444-8910, ext. 2233 or email mgasnick@ncronline.org Thanks for reading EarthBeat. Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Explore spirituality and social justice at Xavier University. Graduate theology degrees and certificates. Online options. Tuition discounts available.   Advertisement

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Truth and Action Roundup 5.16.25

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, a reliable weekly source of information, inspiration, and action for the second Trump administration. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. Today is Friday, May 16, and we’re continuing to monitor the ongoing changes wrought by the Trump administration. This week, we have updates on the budget reconciliation package with numbers attached. We highlight the size of cuts envisioned in the federal budget to programs such as SNAP and Medicaid, effects on the federal deficit, and more. What we want to encourage you to do as you take in these updates is to look beyond the numbers on a page and think instead of the people living in communities with real needs. Imagine how cuts to the programs they depend on will impact their lives. That, much more than the bottom line in dollars and cents, is why we’ll be spending the coming months relentlessly urging Congress to pass a moral budget and reject cuts that would be devastating to many of the most vulnerable people in our communities and nation. We hope you’ll join us in this critically important advocacy. — Rev. Adam Taylor and Rev. Moya Harris, Sojourners In the News Here’s what’s been happening this week: 1) The Trump administration’s efforts to challenge birthright citizenship came before the Supreme Court on Thursday. The court heard arguments regarding the numerous nationwide injunctions imposed by lower court judges to prevent the Trump administration from enforcing the executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship can remain in place. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution has this guarantee: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” 2) As congressional Republicans advance a giant budget reconciliation bill through the legislative process, the bill’s details paint an increasingly troubling picture: The House Agriculture Committee advanced $300 billion in cuts to SNAP (formerly called food stamps). More than 8.6 million people would go uninsured if its health portions become law, with cuts of at least $715 billion, with many analyses projecting even higher losses in coming years. The bill would add $2.5 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years. A provision quietly added to the bill echoes the language of last year’s so-called “nonprofit killer” bill, giving the Treasury Department wide latitude to strip nonprofits of their tax status if the president declares that the organizations support terrorism without due process. 3) The Trump administration admitted a group of white Afrikaners from South Africa this week after declaring them refugees, stoking outrage and causing the Episcopal Church to refuse to resettle them and end its refugee resettlement partnership with the federal government altogether. Trump circumvented the standard process in declaring white Afrikaners to be refugees — a dubious claim — and has shut the process down for nearly all other refugees. 4) Donald Trump had an eventful trip to the Middle East this week. A few of the developments included: Plans to accept the gift of a $400 million airplane from Qatar to be used as Air Force One, raising more alarming questions about corruption. A deal to sell Saudi Arabia nearly $142 billion in weapons. The end of sanctions on Syria following the toppling of the Assad regime last fall and a meeting with the country’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa. 5) Trump and DeSantis allies in Florida are pushing for a MAGA ally to be the next president of the state’s only HBCU, Florida A&M University. The candidate, Marva Johnson, has previously been appointed to several boards by Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Gov. Rick Scott, and is being criticized by the Florida NAACP and prominent FAMU alumni as lacking in qualifications for the position. Take Action Tell Congress: it's time for moral courage! Send a message directly to your elected representatives demanding that they act now with moral courage to protect programs such as SNAP and Medicaid that help vulnerable populations and end the Trump administration’s abuses of power. Join us at the U.S. Capitol for a Pentecost witness for a moral budget! On June 10, we will gather for a public procession and vigil in defense of programs that protect society’s most vulnerable people. We will gather in partnership with many other national and local faith organizations. Take Action: Tell Congress to save Head Start! Our children are too important for political games. Help us tell Congress to do right by our communities. Demand full funding and critical staffing of Head Start now! What We’re Reading and Watching MAGA Christians Have a Right to Practice Their Faith — But So Do I | President Donald Trump's anti-Christian bias task force only recognizes one very narrow type of Christianity.(By Adam Russell Taylor) How Authoritarian Politics Took Over My Christian College | I spent more than a year investigating my alma mater, Cornerstone University. What I discovered explains the Right's strategy to transform the U.S. (By Josiah R. Daniels) Parents Clash Over Faith Values as SCOTUS Hears Case on LGBTQ+ Education |  An upcoming Supreme Court case about LGBTQ content in the classroom could transform the nation's separation between church and state. (By Jordan Owens) Deep Breaths  Who Belongs "Trump administration welcomes first batch of white Afrikaners while US cuts off refugee programmes to other countries." — Al Jazeera This subhead from Al Jazeera is deeply unsettling. It lays bare the reality of power deciding who gets in and who is left out. Who is deemed worthy and who is disposable? Who is granted refuge, and who is left to face violence, poverty, or death? This policy doesn’t just expose a preference — it exposes a system where whiteness grants entry and protection, while Black and brown bodies are criminalized, surveilled, and shut out. We are in a moment where lines are being drawn based on race, gender identity, and ideology. And these lines aren’t just political or social — they’re theological. William Augustus Jones Jr., in God in the Ghetto, reminds us that theology shapes how we see people and how we structure society. When lawmakers create policies that harm the vulnerable, it's often because their theology limits who they believe is redeemable. Their view of God allows them to strip others of dignity, humanity, and belonging. But I remain hopeful. I believe more people are holding to a theology that sees God as love and justice. That considers every human being as made in God’s image. And I see it showing up in acts of kindness, courage, and resistance. People are rising up. They are standing for immigrant rights, shielding the vulnerable with their bodies, saying, not on our watch. My plea is simple: let your theology be known — through your actions, your words, and your presence. If we claim to follow Jesus, then we must embody his love, his justice, his mercy. Be light. Be salt. See the divine in others. Be like Jesus, not the empire. ––Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice, Sojourners The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Director of Racial Justice: Rev. Moya Harris Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Senior Adviser and Director to the President’s Office: Elizabeth Denlinger Reaves Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Director of Congregational Outreach & Education: Rev. Andrea Saccoccio Mobilizing and Policy Assistant: Miriam Tellez Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims Copyright © 2025 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842