WCC news: Ecumenical officers share perspectives on peacebuilding in a world marked by conflicts

The first of a series of drop-in thematic online sessions of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Officers Network was held on 20 May and focused on the role of the churches in peacebuilding.  Photo: Teresiah Njoki/WCC 21 May 2026 Ecumenical officers are designated WCC member church officials appointed to encourage, assist, and resource Christian unity. They work to build relationships, organize joint community initiatives, and foster theological dialogue between different Christian denominations.   Carla Khijoyan, WCC programme executive for Peacebuilding in the Middle East, was invited to open the conversation with an overview of the situation of the conflict in the Holy Land. "Our churches are present in all of the countries, while having their headquarters in one place. This puts our churches in a very difficult situation because sometimes these countries are in war,” she said.  Nordic Baltic regional challenges Dr Jonas Adelin Jørgensen, academic secretary at the Council on International Relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, discussed the challenges facing the Nordic Baltic region, including hybrid warfare, geopolitical changes, and a cost-of-living crisis. "Mental health crisis among young people and changes in religious life are leading to discussions among Nordic churches about collaborative efforts to address these issues, including a proposed joint Nordic project to build capacity in countering misinformation, polarization, and attempts at political domination,” he said. Global church solidarity and polarization Bishop Dale Bowers, from the Diocese of St Helena, Anglican Church of Southern Africa, raised concerns about polarization spreading worldwide and asked how churches can effectively address and combat polarization. His concerns were shared by Miriam Weibye, church relations officer at the Scottish Episcopal Church. She shared about an upcoming joint project between the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland titled “Christian Responsibility in an Age of Extremism.” "We've been reflecting on how we respond when Christian symbols are being used to justify hateful rhetoric,” she said.  The online encounter also included an overview of the upcoming International Ecumenical Peace Convocation “World Peace and the Korean Peninsula: The Church as a Community of Healing, Reconciliation, and Peacebuilding,” organized by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) in collaboration with the Christian Conference of Asia and the WCC, presented by Rev. Minji Kim, NCCK program coordinator of the Peace, Reconciliation, and Reunification Committee, who also closed the meeting with a prayer for peace in regions affected by conflict. Dr Marcelo Schneider, WCC programme executive for church and ecumenical relations and communication, expressed hope that these sessions will create spaces where ecumenical officers can "listen to one another, reflect together, and share experiences around issues that deeply affect the life and witness of our churches worldwide.” The next drop-in session of the Ecumenical Officers Network is scheduled for 8 July.  More information and contact details of the WCC's Church and Ecumenical Relations area 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 356 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