Editing World Council of Churches

{{Short description|Inter-church organization}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox religion
|name= World Council of Churches
|image= World Council of Churches logo.svg
|imagewidth= 
|caption= World Council of Churches logo
|abbreviation= WCC
|main_classification= 
|orientation= 
|polity= 
|founder=
|leader_title= General secretary
|leader_name= [[Jerry Pillay]]
|founded_date= {{Start date and age |1948}}
|associations=
|area= International
|headquarters= 
|congregations = 
|members= 352 (member churches)
|ministers=
|publications= 
|website= {{URL|https://www.oikoumene.org/}}
|footnotes= 
}}
{{Christianity|expanded=hide}}

The '''World Council of Churches''' ('''WCC''') is a worldwide [[Christianity|Christian]] inter-church organization founded in 1948 to work for the cause of [[ecumenism]].<ref name="Harmon2010"/> Its full members today include the [[Assyrian Church of the East]], most jurisdictions of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=January 1948 |title=Church of Greece |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/church-of-greece |url-status=live |website=www.oikoumene.org |location=[[Le Grand-Saconnex]], [[Switzerland]] |publisher=World Council of Churches |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718153257/https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/church-of-greece |archive-date=18 July 2024 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref> (including the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]]),<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=January 1948 |title=Ecumenical Patriarchate |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/ecumenical-patriarchate |url-status=live |website=www.oikoumene.org |location=[[Le Grand-Saconnex]], [[Switzerland]] |publisher=World Council of Churches |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212225240/https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/ecumenical-patriarchate |archive-date=12 December 2024 |access-date=21 January 2025}}</ref> the [[Oriental Orthodox Churches]], the [[Union of Utrecht (Old Catholic)|Union of Utrecht]], the [[Lutheran World Federation]], the [[Anglican Communion]], the [[Mennonites|Mennonite churches]], the [[World Methodist Council]], the [[Baptist World Alliance]], the [[World Communion of Reformed Churches]], several [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal churches]], the [[Moravian Church]], and the [[Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church]].<ref name= "Harmon2010">{{cite book |last1= Harmon |first1=Steven R. |title= Ecumenism Means You, Too: Ordinary Christians and the Quest for Christian Unity |date=15 March 2010 |publisher=Wipf & Stock |isbn= 978-1-62189-277-9 |page=97 |quote= Since its creation, it has also established a cordial cooperation with the World Council of Churches and regularly names Catholic observers at various ecumenical gatherings and invites observers of "fraternal delegates" of other churches or ecclesial communities to major events of the Catholic Church. The PCPCU publishes a journal called ''Information Service'' four times a year, in English and French. The WCC is the broadest and most inclusive among the many organized expressions of the modern ecumenical movement. It brings together 349 churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 100 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 560 million Christians and including most of the world's Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well as many United and Independent churches.  […] It describes itself as a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Savior according to the Scriptures and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with the goal of visible unity in one faith and one Eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ.}}</ref><ref name="Roberson1995"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/list |title=Member list |publisher=World Council of Churches |year=2014 |access-date=2014-11-12 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225212121/https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/list%20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Notably, the [[Catholic Church]] is not a full member, although it sends delegates who have observer status to meetings.<ref name="Harmon2010"/><ref>{{cite book |author1=Cross |author2=Livingstone |name-list-style= amp |year=1974 |title= The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church |url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780192115454 |url-access= registration |publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn= 978-0-19-211545-4}}</ref>

The WCC describes itself as "a worldwide fellowship of 352 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://publications.oikoumene.org/index.php?2070&backPID=2046&alp=A&aalp=A&tt_products=343 |title=Handbook of Churches and Councils |publisher=World Council of Churches |access-date=2013-08-09 |url-status= dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314104545/http://publications.oikoumene.org/index.php?2070&backPID=2046&alp=A&aalp=A&tt_products=343 |archive-date=14 March 2012}}</ref> It has no head office as such, but its administrative centre is at the [[Ecumenical Centre]] in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/faq |publisher=World Council of Churches |title=Frequently Asked Questions |access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref> The organization's members include [[Christian denomination|denominations]] which claim to collectively represent over 600 million people across the world in more than 110 countries.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us | title = What is the World Council of Churches? | publisher = World Council of Churches | access-date = 2020-04-07 }}</ref><ref name="k650">{{cite web | title=On behalf of global Christian fellowship, WCC calls for explanation of Olympics opening ceremony | website=World Council of Churches | date=2024-07-29 | url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/on-behalf-of-global-christian-fellowship-wcc-calls-for-explanation-of-olympics-opening-ceremony#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20WCC%20is%20represented%20by,immediate%20response%20to%20our%20request.%E2%80%9D | access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>

Many regional affiliates of the World Council of Churches, such as the [[Middle East Council of Churches]] and [[National Council of Churches in Australia]], work for the cause of Christian unity at the domestic level, with member denominations including the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Lutheran churches, Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox churches, Methodist churches, Anglican Communion, Reformed churches, among others.<ref>{{cite web |title= Churches |url= https://www.mecc.org/churches |publisher=[[Middle East Council of Churches]] |access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Member Churches |url= https://www.ncca.org.au/about/memberchurches |publisher= [[National Council of Churches in Australia]] |access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref>

==History==
The [[Christian ecumenism|Ecumenical Movement]] met with initial successes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the [[Edinburgh Missionary Conference]] of 1910 (chaired by future WCC Honorary President [[John R. Mott]]). In 1920, the former [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]], [[Germanus V of Constantinople|Germanus V]], wrote a letter addressed 'To all the Churches of Christ, wherever they may be', urging closer co-operation among separated Christians, and suggesting a 'League of Churches', parallel to the newly founded [[League of Nations]]".<ref name="Ware1993">{{cite book|last=Ware|first=Kallistos|title=The Orthodox Church|date=29 April 1993|publisher=Penguin Adult|isbn=9780140146561|page=322|quote=From the beginning of the twentieth century the Ecumenical Patriarchate has shown a special concern for Christian reconciliation. At his accession in 1902, Patriarch Joachim III sent an encyclical letter to all the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches, asking in particular for their opinion on relations with other Christian bodies. In January 1920 the Ecumenical Patriarchate followed this up with a bold and prophetic letter addressed 'To all the Churches of Christ, wherever they may be', urging closer co-operation among separated Christians, and suggesting a 'League of Churches', parallel to the newly founded League of Nations. Many of the ideas in this letter anticipate subsequent developments in the WCC. Constantinople, along with several of the other Eastern Orthodox Churches, was represented at the Faith and Order Conferences at Lausanne in 1927 and at Edinburgh in 1937. The Ecumenical Patriarchate also participated in the first Assembly of the WCC at Amsterdam in 1948, and has been a consistent supporter of the work of the WCC ever since.}}</ref> Church leaders agreed in 1937 to establish a World Council of Churches, based on a merger of the ''[[Faith and Order Movement]]'' (under [[Charles Brent]] of the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] of the United States) and ''[[Life and Work (conference)|Life and Work Movement]]'' (under [[Nathan Söderblom]] of the Lutheran [[Church of Sweden]]) organisations.

Its official establishment was deferred with the outbreak of [[World War II]] until 23 August 1948. Delegates of 147 churches assembled in [[Amsterdam]] to merge the [[Faith and Order Movement]] and Life and Work Movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/who-are-we/background/history/assemblies.html|title=WCC Assemblies 1948 - today|publisher=World Council of Churches|access-date=2011-08-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908154936/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/who-are-we/background/history/assemblies.html|archive-date=2011-09-08|url-status=dead}}</ref> This was consolidated by a second meeting at [[Lund]] in 1950, for which the British Methodist [[Robert Newton Flew]] edited an influential volume of studies, ''The Nature of the Church''.<ref>Flew's ODNB entry: [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/39614 Retrieved 18 September 2011. Subscription required.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729212042/https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-39614;jsessionid=4678453D0BC3791F580939404240868B |date=29 July 2021 }}</ref> Subsequent mergers were with the [[International Missionary Council]] in 1961 and the World Council of Christian Education, with its roots in the 18th century [[Sunday School]] movement, in 1971.

WCC member churches include the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] and the [[Oriental Orthodox Church]]es, almost all of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]es and [[Lutheran Church]]es; the [[Moravian Church]]; the [[Anglican Communion]]; some [[Old Catholic Church]]es; the Methodist churches; the [[Presbyterian]] and other [[Reformed churches]], a sampling of [[United and uniting churches|united]] and independent churches, and some [[Baptist]] and [[Pentecostal]] churches.<ref name="Harmon2010"/><ref name="Roberson1995">{{cite book |last1=Roberson |first1=Ronald G. |title=Oriental Orthodox-Roman Catholic Interchurch Marriages: And Other Pastoral Relationships |date=1995 |publisher=USCCB Publishing |isbn=978-1-55586-097-4 |page=81 |language=en|quote=These Churches are the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Syrian Orthodox Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in India. In addition, an independent Orthodox Church of Eritrea was established following that country's independence from Ethiopia in 1993. All are members of the World Council of Churches and have committed themselves to the contemporary ecumenical movement. In total, there are probably about thirty million Oriental Orthodox faithful in the world today.}}</ref>

Many churches who refused to join the WCC joined to form the [[World Evangelical Alliance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldea.org/|title=WEA - World Evangelical Alliance Est 1846|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>

Neither the WCC nor the U.S.-based [[National Council of Churches]] (NCC) include denominations such as [[Jehovah's Witnesses|Jehovah’s Witnesses]], [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormons]]), [[The Church of Scientology]], and other groups which have historically refused to affirm certain widely accepted creeds of Christendom (for example, the [[Trinity|Holy Trinity]] as canonized by the [[Nicene Creed]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.equip.org/articles/the-world-and-national-councils-of-churches/|title=The World and National Councils of Churches|via=Christian Research Institute}}</ref>

[[File:Meeting with World Council of Churches Delegation. Bp. G. Brook Mosely, Sec. State Dean Rusk, Dr. Kenneth L. Maxwell - NARA - 194177.jpg|thumb|President [[John F. Kennedy]] with World Council of Churches Delegation. Bp. G. Brook Mosely, Sec. State [[Dean Rusk]], Dr. Kenneth L. Maxwell, Dr. [[Frederick Nolde]], President Kennedy, [[Archbishop Iakovos of America]], Dr. [[Franklin Clark Fry]], Bp. B. Julian Smith, Bp. [[John Wesley Lord]], Judge [[James M. Tunnell Jr.]], Dr. [[Roswell Parkhurst Barnes]]. White House, Cabinet Room in 1962.]]
Delegates sent from the member churches meet every seven or eight years in an Assembly, which elects a Central Committee that governs between Assemblies. A variety of other committees and commissions answer to the Central Committee and its staff. Assemblies have been held since 1948.

[[File:1951 Greek special passport for Italy & Switzerland and used to participate in the work of the "World Council of Churches".jpg|thumb|1951 Greek special passport for Italy & Switzerland and used to participate in the work of the "World Council of Churches".]]

The "human rights abuses in communist countries evoked grave concern among the leaders of the World Council of Churches."<ref>{{cite book|last=Forsythe|first=David P.|title=Encyclopedia of Human Rights, Volume 1|year=2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0195334029|page=277}}</ref> However, historian Christopher Andrew claims that, during the Cold War, a number of important WCC representatives of the Orthodox Church in Eastern Europe had been working for the KGB, and that they influenced the policy of the WCC.<ref name= andrew>Christopher Andrew, "KGB Foreign Intelligence from Brezhnev to the Coup"', in: Wesley K. Wark (ed), ''Espionage: past, present, future?'', Routledge, 1994, [https://books.google.com/books?id=vmXGUkB4ZKQC&dq=wcc+kgb&pg=PA52 p. 52]: "One recently declassified document of 1969 describes the work of five KGB agents on the WCC Central Committee and the appointment of another to a 'high WCC post'. A similar report from 1989 claims that, as a result of agent operations to implement 'a plan approved by the KGB leadership', the WCC Executive and Central Committee adopted public statements (eight) and messages (three) which corresponded to the political course of Socialist [Communist] countries'. While it would be naive to take such boasting entirely a face value, there can be little doubt about the reality of Soviet penetration of the WCC."</ref> From 1955 to 1958, [[Robert S. Bilheimer]] co-chaired a WCC international commission to prepare a document addressing the threat of [[nuclear warfare]] during the Cold War.<ref>{{Cite book|page=194|title=Cold War Christians and the Spectre of Nuclear Deterrence, 1945-1959|author=Jonathan Gorry|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]|year=2013|isbn=978-1137334244}}</ref>

At the 1961 conference, a 32-year-old Russian Orthodox Bishop named Aleksey Ridiger was sent as delegate to the assembly, and then appointed to the WCC's central committee. He was later elected as Russian patriarch in 1990 as [[Alexy II of Moscow|Alexei II]].<ref>John Gordon Garrard et al., ''Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent: Faith and Power in the New Russia.'', p. 37 f. Google books preview here [https://books.google.com/books?id=1ZxqRHfRz-QC&dq=world+council+of+churches+kgb&pg=PA37].</ref>

The ninth assembly took place in [[Porto Alegre, Brazil]] in February 2006, under the theme "God, in your grace, transform the world".<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/assembly/2006-porto-alegre/official-report-of-the-wcc-9th-assembly/@@download/file/poa_report.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024213026/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/assembly/2006-porto-alegre/official-report-of-the-wcc-9th-assembly/@@download/file/poa_report.pdf |archive-date=2014-10-24 |url-status=live |title=Official Report of the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches|publisher=World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref> During the first Assemblies, theologians [[Vasileios Ioannidis]] and Amilkas Alivizatos contributed significantly to the debates that led to the drafting of the "Toronto Statement", a foundational document which facilitated Eastern Orthodox participation in the organization and today it constitutes its ecclesiological charter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/other-meetings/visits/archbishop-christodoulos/wcc-general-secretary-welcome-speech.html|title=WCC General Secretary Welcome Speech of the Official Visit of His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and of All Greece to the World Council of Churches, 29 May 2006|work=World Council of Churches|access-date=2011-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007105411/http://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/other-meetings/visits/archbishop-christodoulos/wcc-general-secretary-welcome-speech.html|archive-date=7 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The 10th Assembly was held in [[Busan]], Republic of Korea, from 30 October to 8 November 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-assembly.info|title=10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>

In 2013 Dr. [[Agnes Abuom]] of Nairobi, from the Anglican Church of Kenya, was elected as moderator of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches; she is the first woman and the first African to hold this position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201311081461.html|title=allAfrica.com: Kenya: First Woman and African Moderator Elected to the WCC Central Committee|work=allAfrica.com|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>

The 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches took place in [[Karlsruhe]], Germany, from 31 August to 8 September 2022, under the theme "Christ's love moves the world to reconciliation and unity".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unity Statement of the WCC 11th Assembly |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/unity-statement-of-the-wcc-11th-assembly |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=World Council of Churches |language=en}}</ref>

==Events and presidents==

===Assemblies===
The World Council of Churches has held 11 Assemblies to date, starting with the founding assembly in 1948:<ref>[http://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/organizational-structure/assembly/since-1948 Timeline | | World Council of Churches] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116134826/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/organizational-structure/assembly/since-1948 |date=16 January 2014 }}. Oikoumene.org. Retrieved 2014-01-15.</ref>
#[[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]], 22 August – 4 September 1948
#[[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]], 15–31 August 1954
#[[New Delhi]], [[India]], 19 November – 5 December 1961
#[[Uppsala]], [[Sweden]], 4–20 July 1968
#[[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]], 23 November – 10 December 1975
#[[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]] 24 July – 10 August 1983
#[[Canberra]], [[Australian Capital Territory|ACT]], [[Australia]], 7–21 February 1991<ref>[http://www.wcc-assembly.info/index.php?id=514 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches — WCC 10th Assembly] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720012741/http://www.wcc-assembly.info/index.php?id=514 |date=20 July 2011 }}. WCC-Assembly.info (2012-10-29). Retrieved on 2013-08-09.</ref>
#[[Harare]], [[Zimbabwe]], 3–14 December 1998
#[[Porto Alegre]], [[Rio Grande do Sul]], [[Brazil]], 14–23 February 2006
#[[Busan]], [[South Korea]], 30 October – 8 November 2013
#[[Karlsruhe]], [[Germany]], 31 August – 8 September 2022<ref>{{Cite web|title=New 2022 date decided for WCC 11th Assembly as "opportunity to deepen visible unity"|url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/new-2022-date-decided-for-wcc-11th-assembly-as-opportunity-to-deepen-visible-unity|access-date=2022-02-04|website=World Council of Churches|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=WCC 11th Assembly, 31 August – 8 September 2022|url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-11th-assembly-31-august-8-september-2022|access-date=2022-02-04|website=World Council of Churches|language=en}}</ref>

=== Presidents ===

Presidents elected at the 11th Assembly<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Council of Churches elects new presidents |url=https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/world-council-of-churches-elects-new-presidents/ |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=Presbyterian Mission Agency |date=5 September 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> are:
* Africa: Rev. Dr. Rufus Okikiola Ositelu, ([[Church of the Lord (Aladura)]])<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-11 |title=Ositelu emerges WCC President for African region |url=https://guardian.ng/sunday-magazine/ositelu-emerges-wcc-president-for-african-region/ |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Asia: Rev. Dr Henriette Hutabarat-Lebang ([[Toraja Church|Gereja Toraja]])  
* Europe: Rev. Dr. Susan Durber ([[United Reformed Church]])<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nye |first=Ann-Marie |date=2022-09-07 |title=URC minister elected as WCC president |url=https://urc.org.uk/urc-minister-elected-as-wcc-president/ |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=United Reformed Church |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* Latin America and Caribbean: Rev. [[Philip S. Wright|Philip Silvin Wright]] ([[Anglican Diocese of Belize]], [[Church in the Province of the West Indies]]) 
* North America: Rev. [[Angelique Walker-Smith]] ([[National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.|National Baptist Convention USA]])
* Pacific: Rev. François Pihaatae ([[Maòhi Protestant Church]])
* Eastern Orthodox: H.E. Metropolitan Dr. Vasilios of Constantia – Ammochostos, [[Church of Cyprus]]
* Oriental Orthodox: H.H. Catholicos [[Aram I]] (Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Weekly |date=2022-09-07 |title=His Holiness Aram I elected a president of the World Council of Churches |url=https://armenianweekly.com/2022/09/07/his-holiness-aram-i-elected-a-president-of-the-world-council-of-churches/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001100701/https://armenianweekly.com/2022/09/07/his-holiness-aram-i-elected-a-president-of-the-world-council-of-churches/ |archive-date=October 1, 2022 |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=The Armenian Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref>

Former presidents of the World Council of Churches include:
* The Rev. [[Gloria Nohemy Ulloa Alvarado]] (Presbyterian Church in Colombia)
* [[Chang Sang]] ([[Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea]])
* [[T. C. Chao]], Chinese theologian
* [[Ignatius Zakka I Iwas]] (Patriarch of Antioch and all of the East [[Syriac Orthodox Church]])
* [[John X of Antioch]] (Patriarch of the [[Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch]])
* [[Karekin II]] (Catholicos of the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]])
* Rev. Dr. [[S.A.E. Nababan]], Indonesian theologian
* Rev. [[Martin Niemöller]], the famous Protestant anti-[[Nazism|Nazi]] [[theology|theologian]]
* Mele'ana Puloka ([[Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga]])
* [[Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel]] ([[Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa]])
* Archbishop [[Anders Wejryd]] ([[Church of Sweden]])

===General secretaries===
Since the World Council of Churches was officially founded in 1948, the following men have served as general secretary:<ref>[http://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/organizational-structure/general-secretary/since-1948 WCC general secretaries since 1948 | | World Council of Churches] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061557/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/organizational-structure/general-secretary/since-1948 |date=4 March 2016 }}. Oikoumene.org. Retrieved 2014-01-15.</ref>

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
!Years
!Name
!Churches
!Nationality
|-
|1948–1966||[[Willem Visser 't Hooft|W. A. Visser 't Hooft]]||[[Dutch Reformed Church]]<ref>[https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/grondlegger-van-wereldraad-van-kerken-wilde-muren-tussen-mensen-slechten~b0c533b8/ Grondlegger van Wereldraad van Kerken wilde muren tussen mensen slechten] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205014701/https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/grondlegger-van-wereldraad-van-kerken-wilde-muren-tussen-mensen-slechten~b0c533b8/ |date=5 February 2021 }} in Trouw</ref>/[[Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches]], [[Geneva]]||[[Netherlands]]
|-
|1966–1972||[[Eugene Carson Blake]]||[[United Presbyterian Church in the USA|United Presbyterian Church]] (USA)||[[United States]]
|-
|1972–1984||[[Philip Potter (church leader)|Philip A. Potter]]||[[Methodist Church]]||[[Dominica]]
|-
|1985–1992||[[Emilio Castro]]||Evangelical Methodist Church of Uruguay||[[Uruguay]]
|-
|1993–2003||[[Konrad Raiser]]||[[Protestant Church in Germany]] (EKD)||[[Germany]]
|-
|2004–2009||[[Samuel Kobia]]||Methodist Church in Kenya||[[Kenya]]
|-
|2010–2020||[[Olav Fykse Tveit]]||[[Church of Norway]]||[[Norway]]
|-
|2020–2022||[[Ioan Sauca]]||[[Romanian Orthodox Church]]|||[[Romania]]
|-
|2023–||[[Jerry Pillay]]||[[Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa]]|||[[South Africa]]
|}

==Commissions and teams==
There are two complementary approaches to ecumenism: dialogue and action. The ''Faith and Order Movement'' and ''Life and Work Movement'' represent these approaches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/whatis-e.html|title=World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref> These approaches are reflected in the work of the WCC in its [http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/who/commissions.html commissions], these being:
*Echos – Commission on Youth (ages 18–30)
*Commission of the Churches on Diakonia and Development
*Commission on Education and Ecumenical Formation
*Commission of the Churches on International Affairs
*Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation
*Commission on World Mission and Evangelism
*Faith and Order Plenary Commission and the Faith and Order Standing Commission
*Joint Consultative Group with Pentecostals
*Joint Working Group WCC – Catholic Church (Vatican)
*Reference Group on the Decade to Overcome Violence
*Reference Group on Inter-Religious Relations
*Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC

===Diakonia and development and international relations commissions===
The WCC acts through both its member churches and other religious and social organizations to coordinate ecumenical, evangelical, and social action.

Current WCC programs include a [[Decade to Overcome Violence]], an international campaign to combat [[AIDS|AIDS/HIV]] in [[Africa]] and the ''Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)'' initiative.

===Faith and Order Commission===
{{main|Faith and Order Commission}}
WCC's [[Faith and Order Commission]] has been successful in working toward consensus on [[Baptism]], [[Eucharist]], and [[Christian ministry|Ministry]], on the date of [[Easter]], on the nature and purpose of the [[Christian church|church]] ([[ecclesiology]]), and on ecumenical [[hermeneutics]].

====Texts====
* ''[[Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry]]'' (Faith and Order Paper No. 111, the “Lima Text”; 1982)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-order-commission/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/baptism-eucharist-and-ministry-faith-and-order-paper-no-111-the-lima-text|title=Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (Faith and Order Paper no. 111, the "Lima Text")|access-date=2015-07-09|archive-date=4 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404233443/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/commissions/faith-and-order/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/baptism-eucharist-and-ministry-faith-and-order-paper-no-111-the-lima-text|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* ''The Churchː Towards a Common Vision'' (Faith and Order Paper no. 214; 2013<ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-order-commission/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/the-church-towards-a-common-vision |date=* }}</ref>) after ''The Nature and Mission of the Church – A Stage on the Way to a Common Statement'' (Faith and Order Paper no. 198; 2005<ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-order-commission/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/the-nature-and-mission-of-the-church-a-stage-on-the-way-to-a-common-statement |date=* }}</ref>) and ''The Nature and Purpose of the Church'' (Faith and Order Paper no. 181; 1998<ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-order-commission/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/previous-stage-the-nature-and-purpose-of-the-church-a-stage-on-the-way-to-a-common-statement |date=* }}</ref>)
* ''Towards a Common Date of Easter''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/towards-a-common-date-for-easter|title=Towards a Common Date for Easter|access-date=2021-12-17}}</ref>

===Justice, Peace and Creation Commission===
Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) has drawn many elements together with an [[environment (biophysical)|environmental]] focus. Its mandate is:

{{blockquote|To analyze and reflect on justice, peace and creation ''in their interrelatedness'', to promote values and practices that make for a [[Culture of Peace|culture of peace]], and to work towards a culture of solidarity with young people, women, Indigenous Peoples and racially and ethnically oppressed people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/index-e.html|title=World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>}}

Focal issues have been [[globalization]] and the emergence of [[new social movements]] (in terms of people ''bonding together'' in the struggle for justice, peace, and the protection of creation).<ref>{{Cite book
  | last = Schmitthenner
  | first = Ulrich
  | title = Contributions of churches and civil society to justice, peace and the integrity of creation: a compendium (with CD-ROM)
  | publisher = IKO
  | year = 1999
  | location = Frankfurt, Germany
  | isbn = 978-3-88939-491-0}}
</ref>

Attention has been given to issues around:
*economy<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/economy.html|title=JPC Concerns - economy|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
*environment<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/ecology.html|title=World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
*Indigenous Peoples<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/indig.html|title=World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
*peace<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/peace.html|title=JPC Concerns - Peace|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
*people with disabilities<ref>[http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/disabil.html World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050502073921/http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/disabil.html |date=2 May 2005 }}. Wcc-coe.org (2013-08-04). Retrieved on 2013-08-09.</ref>
*[[Programme to Combat Racism|racism]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/racism-e.html|title=World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
*women<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/women.html|title=World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
*youth<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/youth-e.html|title=World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>

===Relations with the Roman Catholic Church===
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2019}}
The largest Christian body, the [[Roman Catholic Church]], is not a member of the WCC, but has worked closely with the council for more than three decades and sends observers to all major WCC conferences as well as to its Central Committee meetings and the Assemblies (cf. [[Joint Working Group between the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches|Joint Working Group]]).

The [[Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity]] also nominates 12 members to the WCC's ''Faith and Order Commission'' as full members. While not a member of the WCC, the Catholic Church is a member of some other ecumenical bodies at regional and national levels, for example, the [[National Council of Churches in Australia]] and the National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil (CONIC).

[[Pope Pius XI]] stated in 1928, that the only means by which the world Christian community was to return to faith, was to return to Roman Catholic worship. In this regard, the Papacy rejected, to a great extent, the idea of the participation of the Catholic Church within the World Council of Churches.

Pius XI stated that the ‘One True Church’ was that of the Roman Catholic denomination, and therefore there was the implication that the Catholic Church was not permitted at this stage to engage with other denominations, which the Papacy considered to be irrelevant. A similar policy was followed by his successor, [[Pope Pius XII]]; the Catholic Church, therefore, did not attend the 1948 meeting of the WCC, in addition to the idea that all members of the Church were barred from attending WCC conferences.

[[Pope John XXIII]] took a different stance however, and in 1958 he was elected as the head of the Catholic Church. [[Ecumenism]] was a new element of Catholic ideology which had been permitted, which was signified to a great extent, when John XXIII met with the then Archbishop of Canterbury, [[Geoffrey Fisher]]. This was the first meeting between an Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Pope in the Vatican for 600 years. John XXIII later developed the office of the [[Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity|Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity]]; which symbolised a dramatic shift in support for the ecumenical movement, from the Catholic Church, led from the Vatican. 1961 saw Catholic members attend the Delhi conference of the WCC, which marked a significant shift in attitude toward the WCC from the Papacy. There was the idea in addition to this, that the Pope invited non-Catholics to attend the Vatican II Council.<ref name="Harmon2010"/> This new approach to inter-denominational relations was marked within the ''[[Unitatis redintegratio|Unitatis Redintegratio]]'' decree.

This document marked several key reforms within the Catholic approach:

I.	‘[[Separated brethren]]’ was the new term for non-Catholics, as opposed to the previously used ‘heretics’ {{citation needed|date=February 2019}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Welsh |first=Robert K. |date=2013 |title=The Ecumenical Legacy of the Second Vatican Council: A Disciples Perspective |url= |journal=Journal of Ecumenical Studies |volume=48 |issue=2 |page=180 |via=EBSCO}}</ref>

II.	Both Catholic and non-Catholic elements are held responsible for [[Reformation|the schism between Catholicism and the Protestant movement]] {{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

III.	Non-Catholics are recognised to the contributions that they make to Christian belief overall {{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

Further reforms have been enacted with regard to the nature of the Catholic Church on the world stage, for instance the 1965 union with the Patriarch of Constantinople, whereby the 1054 schism was undermined. In addition to this, [[Michael Ramsey|Michael Ramsay]], the then Archbishop of Canterbury, received an [[Ecclesiastical ring|episcopal ring]] in 1966; a mark of union which had not been seen since prior to the [[Reformation]]. Moreover, the Anglican, Roman Catholic International Committee was additionally established as a means of promoting communication and cohesion between the two denominations. This has since marked a new level of participation of the Catholic Faith in the aforementioned ecumenical movement, and therefore is the basis for increased participation from the faith, in the WCC.

===Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC===
A ''Special Commission'' was set up by the eighth Harare Assembly in December 1998 to address Orthodox concerns about WCC membership and the council's decision-making style, public statements, worship practices, and other issues. It issued its final report in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|last1=World Council of Churches|title=Final report of the Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/assembly/2006-porto-alegre/3-preparatory-and-background-documents/final-report-of-the-special-commission-on-orthodox-participation-in-the-wcc|website=World Council of Churches|access-date=2014-08-30|date=14 February 2006}}</ref> Specific issues that it clarified were that the WCC does not formulate doctrine, does not have authority to rule on moral issues, nor does it have any ecclesiastical authority. Such authority is entirely internal to each individual member church. It proposed that the WCC adopt a [[Consensus decision-making|consensus]] method of decision making. It proposed that Orthodox members be brought in parity with non-Orthodox members. It further proposed clarification that inter-confessional prayer at WCC events is not worship, particularly "it should avoid giving the impression of being the worship of a church", and confessional and inter-confessional prayer each be specifically identified as such at WCC events.

==Peace journalism==
The WCC is also a prominent supporter and practitioning body for [[Peace journalism]]: journalism practice that aims to avoid a value bias in favor of violence that often characterizes coverage of conflict.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.overcomingviolence.org/en/peace-convocation/preparatory-process/living-letters-visits.html|title=Living Letters visits to churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>

==Spin-offs and related organizations==
The [[ACT Alliance]], bringing together over 100 church-backed relief and development organizations worldwide, was born out of the merger of ACT International (Action by Churches Together International) and ACT Development ([[Action by Churches Together for Development]]) in March 2010. Both [[ACT International]], established in 1995, and [[ACT Development]] (2007) were created through the leadership of the World Council of Churches (WCC). The two bodies coordinated the work of agencies related to the member churches of the WCC and the Lutheran World Federation in the areas of humanitarian emergencies and [[poverty reduction]] respectively.<ref name="oikoumene">{{cite press release|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1634/churches-launch-major-hum.html|publisher=oikoumene.org|title=WCC press release: Churches launch major humanitarian alliance (24/03/2010)|access-date=2017-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716203534/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1634/churches-launch-major-hum.html|archive-date=2010-07-16|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance]] was officially founded in December 2000 at a meeting convened by the WCC. There are currently 73 churches and Christian organizations that are members of the Alliance, from Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. These members, representing a combined constituency of tens of millions of people around the world, are committed to working together in public witness and action for justice on defined issues of common concern. Current campaigns are on Food and on HIV and AIDS.<ref name="oikoumene2">{{cite press release|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1634/christian-alliance-for-ad.html|publisher=oikoumene.org|title=WCC press release: Christian alliance for advocacy marks successes, future challenges (09/12/2010)|access-date=2017-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405051959/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1634/christian-alliance-for-ad.html|archive-date=2012-04-05|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Ecumenical Church Loan Fund (ECLOF) was founded in 1946 as one of the world's first international micro-credit institutions in the service of the poor. [[Willem Visser 't Hooft]], then general secretary of the "WCC in process of formation" played an important role in founding ECLOF. It was he who sketched the prospects and challenges for the proposed institution and gave specific ideas on potential sources of funds. His inspiration and teamwork marked the beginning of a long and fruitful cooperation between ECLOF and the WCC.<ref name="eclof">{{cite web|url=http://www.eclof.org/archiv/english/newhorizon/nheng20/wccbday.htm|publisher=eclof.org|title=ECLOF press release: Happy Birthday WCC! (Dec. 1998)|access-date=2017-07-15}}</ref>

The Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society U.A (now known as [[Oikocredit]]) was developed from discussions at the 1968 Uppsala 4th Assembly, regarding church divestment from financial institutions supporting apartheid-era South Africa and the war in Vietnam. After several years of planning, the cooperative society was founded in 1975 in the Netherlands to provide an alternative ethical investment vehicle to church institutions, by providing credit to productive enterprises serving economically disadvantaged populations. Originally organized for large institutional members of the WCC, by 1976 local congregations developed Support Associations to enable congregations as well as individuals to participate. EDCS became independent from the WCC in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oikocredit.coop/about-us/history|title=History of Oikocredit|author=Oikocredit|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>

[[Ecumenical News International]] (ENI) was launched in 1994 as a global news service reporting on ecumenical developments and other news of the Christian churches, and giving religious perspectives on news developments worldwide. The joint sponsors of ENI, which was based at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, were the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches, which also had their headquarters at the Ecumenical Centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eni.ch/information/introduction.shtml|title=eni.ch|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref> A shortage of funds led to the suspension of the work of ENI in 2012.<ref name="christianpost">{{cite web|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/ecumenical-news-international-suspends-operations-82587/|publisher=The Christian Post|title=Ecumenical News International Suspends Operations|date=2 October 2012|access-date=2017-07-15|author-first1=Michael|author-last1=Gryboski}}</ref> As of 2024 ENI remains closed.

==Regional/national councils==
The WCC has not sought the organic union of different Christian denominations, but it has, however, facilitated dialogue and supported local, national, and regional dialogue and cooperation.

Membership in a regional or national council does not mean that the particular group is also a member of the WCC.
*Africa
**[[All Africa Conference of Churches]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aacc-ceta.org|title=All Africa Conference of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
** [[Organization of African Instituted Churches]]<ref>{{cite web| url=https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/organizations/organization-of-african-instituted-churches|title= Organization of African Instituted Cburches|website=Berkley Centre for Religion, Peace and World Affairs|publisher= Georgetown University|access-date=2017-02-13}}</ref>
*Asia (including Australia and New Zealand)
**[[Christian Conference of Asia]] (CCA),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cca.org.hk|title=Index<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref> [[Hong Kong]]
**[[National Council of Churches in Australia]]
**[[National Council of Churches in the Philippines]]
*Caribbean
**[[Caribbean Conference of Churches]]
*Europe
**[[Conference of European Churches]],<ref name="cec-kek">{{cite web|url=http://www.cec-kek.org|publisher=cec-kek.org|title=www.cec-kek.org|access-date=2017-07-15|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050714081857/http://www.cec-kek.org/|archive-date=2005-07-14}}</ref> [[Geneva, Switzerland]]
**[[Council of Christian Churches of an African Approach in Europe]]
*Latin America
**[[Latin American Council of Churches]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clailatino.org/|title=clailatino.org|access-date=2015-07-09|archive-date=14 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114100124/http://www.clailatino.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Middle East
**[[Middle East Council of Churches]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mec-churches.org|title=Middle East Council of Churches|access-date=2015-07-09}}</ref>
*North America
**[[Canadian Council of Churches]]
**[[National Council of Churches|National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA]]
*Pacific
**[[Pacific Conference of Churches]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pacificforum.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010101315/http://www.pacificforum.com/|title=Pacificforum.com - Stay Tuned!|archive-date=2007-10-10|access-date=2015-07-09|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Suva]], [[Fiji]]

==Criticism==
===Alleged neglect of suffering church in Eastern Europe===
{{POV|date=May 2020}}
Some historians, the U.S. State Department and former KGB officers themselves have alleged and provided corroborating evidence that the KGB's influence directly, or through lobbying by means of a front organization, the Christian Peace Conference, resulted in the WCC's failure to recognize or act on calls for help from persecuted East European Christians at the 1983 Vancouver General Assembly.<ref name= "active">{{cite web|url= http://jmw.typepad.com/files/state-department---a-report-on-active-measures-and-propaganda.pdf | title = Soviet Influences: A Report on Active Measures and Propaganda 1986-7 | work= US State Department Report | date= August 1987 | page= 12 |access-date=2015-02-27| archive-url =  https://web.archive.org/web/20150227052417/http://jmw.typepad.com/files/state-department---a-report-on-active-measures-and-propaganda.pdf | archive-date= 2015-02-27}}</ref><ref name= "mitrokhin" />{{rp|647–8}}

===Claims of infiltration and influence by the KGB===
It is claimed the [[KGB]] has infiltrated and influenced past WCC councils and policy.<ref name= andrew /> In 1992, Father [[Gleb Yakunin]], a vice Chairman of a Russian parliamentary commission that investigated the activities of the KGB, citing verbatim KGB reports, claimed that its [[KGB#Directorates|Fifth Directorate]] was actively involved in influencing WCC policy from 1967 to 1989.<ref name="active" /><ref name= "gleb">{{cite web|url= http://intellit.muskingum.edu/russia_folder/pcw_era/sect_16e.htm |last= Yakunin |first=Gleb |title= Soviet Active Measures in the "Post-Cold War" Era 1988-1991 | via = The United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations by the United States Information Agency |publication-date= June 1992 |issue= 1,1 |work =[[Argumenty i Fakty]] |date=January 1992 |access-date= 2015-02-26}}</ref> For example, in the 1983 WCC General Assembly in Vancouver, one cited document described the presence and activities of 47 KGB agents to secure the election of an "acceptable" candidate as General Secretary.<ref name="gleb" /><ref>Polosin, Vyacheslav (Chair Russian Supreme Soviet's Committee on Denominations and Freedom of Religion), Megapolis Ekspress, January 21, 1992.</ref> The [[Mitrokhin Archive#Penetration of churches|Mitrokhin Archive]] reveals more about the depth of the penetration and influence wielded by the KGB over the WCC.<ref name= "mitrokhin">{{Cite book |last1= Andrew |first1=Christopher |last2= Mitrokhin |first2= Vasili |title= The Mitrokhin Archive |publisher= Penguin |location=London |date=1999 |isbn=978-0-14028487-4}}</ref> [[Nikodim Rotov|Metropolitan Nikodim]] was a KGB agent, codenamed SVYATOSLAV, who served as one of six WCC Presidents from 1975 until his death.<ref name= "mitrokhin" />{{rp|729}}<ref name= "besier">{{Cite book |last1= Besier |first1=Gerhard |last2=Boyens |first2= Armin |last3=Lindemann|first3=Gerhard |title=Nationaler Protestantismus und ökumenische Bewegung : kirchliches Handeln im Kalten Krieg (1945-1990) |publisher= Duncker & Humblot |location=Berlin |page=1074 |date=1999 |isbn= 978-342810032-3}}</ref> His earlier intervention had resulted in the WCC making no comment on the invasion of Czechoslovakia.<ref name= "mitrokhin" />{{rp |636}} As a result of his influence and that of other agents, it is claimed the USSR was rarely publicly criticised.<ref name="mitrokhin" />{{rp|637}} In 1989, copies of the KGB documents claim "the WCC executive and central committee adopted public statements (eight) and messages (three)" which corresponded to its own political direction.<ref name="mitrokhin" />{{rp |637}} Appeals from suffering dissidents both from within the Russian Orthodox Church and Protestants were ignored in 1983.<ref name="mitrokhin" />{{rp|647–8}}  Metropolitan Aleksi Ridiger of Tallinn and Estonia was repeatedly alleged to be a KGB agent codenamed DROZDOV, who in 1988 was awarded an honorary citation for services to the KGB by its chairman.<ref name="mitrokhin" />{{rp |650}}<ref>{{Cite news| first = Felix | last = Corley |title= Patriarch Alexy II: Priest who stayed close to the Kremlin while guiding the Russian Orthodox Church into the post-Soviet era |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/patriarch-alexy-ii-priest-who-stayed-close-to-the-kremlin-while-guiding-the-russian-orthodox-church-into-the-postsoviet-era-1054454.html|work=[[The Independent]] |date=8 December 2008 |access-date=2008-12-06 |location= London|url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081207082812/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/patriarch-alexy-ii-priest-who-stayed-close-to-the-kremlin-while-guiding-the-russian-orthodox-church-into-the-postsoviet-era-1054454.html|archive-date=2008-12-07}}</ref><ref name="CWNrep">{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=13868 |title=Confirmed: Russian Patriarch Worked with KGB | via = Catholic World News | publisher = Keston Institute |date=2000-09-22 |access-date= 2015-03-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150303223306/http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=13868|archive-date=2015-03-03}}</ref> Despite official disavowals, [[The Guardian]] described the evidence as "compelling".<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/feb/12/1 |title=Russian Patriarch "was KGB spy" |work= [[The Guardian]] |date=1999-02-12 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150303223655/http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/feb/12/1 |archive-date= 2015-03-03}}</ref>  In 1990 he became [[Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow|Alexius II]], the 15th Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Upon his death in 2008, the WCC's official tribute, by its Council officers, described him as "courageous", "supportive and constructive" and the recipient of "abundant blessing", no reference was made to the allegations.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/general-secretary/tributes |title=Tributes from the General Secretary |publisher= World Council of Churches |access-date=2015-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227104653/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/general-secretary/tributes |archive-date= 2015-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/patriarch-alexy-ii-a-powerful-voice-constructive-and-critical |title= Patriarch Alexy II: a powerful voice, constructive and critical |publisher=World Council of Churches |date= 2008-12-05 |access-date= 2015-02-28 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150227104730/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/patriarch-alexy-ii-a-powerful-voice-constructive-and-critical |archive-date=2015-02-27}}</ref>

===Attitude towards Israel===
The World Council of Churches has been described as taking an adversarial position toward the state of Israel.<ref name= merkley>{{Cite book | last = Merkley | first = Paul | title =  Christian Attitudes Towards the State of Israel | publisher = Mcgill Queens Univ Press | location = Montreal| page = 284 | date = March 1, 2007 | isbn = 9780773532557}}</ref> It has also been claimed the council has focused particularly on activities and publications criticizing Israel in comparison with other human rights issues.<ref name=vermaat>{{Citation | last = Vermaat | first = J.A.Emerson  | title = The World Council of Churches, Israel and the PLO | journal = Mid-Stream | pages = 3–9 |date=November 1984}}</ref><ref name="Rottenberg">{{Cite book | last = Rottenberg | first = Isaac| title = The Turbulent Triangle: Christians-Jews-Israel: A Personal-Historical Account | publisher = Red Mountain Associates | location = Hawley, Pa. | pages = 61–2| date = 1989 | isbn =9780899627465}}</ref> It is similarly claimed that it downplayed appeals from Egyptian Copts about human rights abuses under Sadat and Mubarak, in order to focus on its neighbour.<ref name= merkley /> In 2009, the Council called for an international [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions|boycott]] on goods produced in Israeli settlements, which it described as 'illegal, unjust' and 'incompatible with peace'.<ref name="BDS">{{cite web | url= http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/central-committee/2009/report-on-public-issues/statement-on-israeli-settlements-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory | title = Statement on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory | work= World Council of Churches website | date = 2009-09-02 | access-date= 2015-08-11| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150811210314/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/central-committee/2009/report-on-public-issues/statement-on-israeli-settlements-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory | archive-date= 2015-08-11}}</ref> In 2013, the General Secretary was reported to claim in Cairo, "We support the Palestinians. The WCC supports the Palestinians, because they are in the right."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=107349 | title = World Council of Churches condemns Israeli occupation | work = World Bulletin | date = 2013-04-24 | access-date = 2015-02-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150220172800/http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=107349 | archive-date = 2015-02-20 | url-status = usurped }}</ref> The WCC's [[Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel]] (EAPPI) has been criticised by the [[Board of Deputies of British Jews]] for promoting "an inflammatory and partisan programme at the expense of its interfaith relations".<ref name= JChron>{{cite web|url= http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/69714/board-deputies-statement-synod-eappi-vote |title= Board of Deputies statement on the Synod EAPPI vote | work= Jewish Chronicle |date= 2012-07-12 | access-date= 2014-08-02}}</ref> The WCC secretariat was involved in preparing and helped disseminate the [[Kairos Palestine| Kairos Palestine Document]], which declares “the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land is a sin against God and humanity because it deprives the Palestinians of their basic human rights”, and in the view of one critic, its "authors want to see a single state".<ref name=lowe>{{cite web| last =Lowe| first =Malcolm| title =The Palestinian KairosDocument: A Behind-the-Scenes Analysis| work =New English Review. | date =April 2010| url =http://www.newenglishreview.org/Malcolm_Lowe/The_Palestinian_%22Kairos%22_Document%3A_A_Behind-the-Scenes_Analysis/| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150225035801/http://www.newenglishreview.org/Malcolm_Lowe/The_Palestinian_%22Kairos%22_Document%3A_A_Behind-the-Scenes_Analysis/|archive-date= 2015-02-25}}</ref>
On the other hand, the WCC claims "Antisemitism is sin against God and man".<ref name="oikoumene3">{{cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/general-secretary/messages-and-letters/rosh-ha-shanah-2015|publisher=oikoumene.org|title=Rosh Ha-Shanah greetings 2015 — World Council of Churches|access-date=2017-07-15}}</ref>

=== Opposition to Christian Zionism ===
[[Christian Zionism]], which has long represented a major thread of [[Christian Zionism#Protestant Reformation|historic and contemporary Protestants]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wesley-fellowship.org.uk/Zionist_Hymn.html |title=''A Wesley 'Zionist' Hymn?'' Charles Wesley's hymn, published in 1762 and included by John Wesley in his 1780 hymn-book, A Collection of Hymns for the use of the People called Methodists |work=The Wesley Fellowship |date=2010-07-01 |access-date=2014-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717011126/http://wesley-fellowship.org.uk/Zionist_Hymn.html |archive-date=2014-07-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=lewis>{{cite book | last = Lewis | first = Donald | title = The Origins of Christian Zionism: Lord Shaftesbury And Evangelical Support For A Jewish Homeland | publisher = Cambridge University Press | date = 2 January 2014 | location = Cambridge | page = 380 | isbn =9781107631960}}</ref> is characterised as a view which "distort(s) the interpretation of the Word of God" and "damage(s) intra-Christian relations".<ref name="mnd2">{{cite web | url= http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/public-witness-addressing-power-affirming-peace/middle-east-peace/statement-on-christian-presence-and-witness-in-the-middle-east | title= Statement on Christian presence and witness in the Middle East | work= World Council of Churches and The Middle East Council of Churches International | date= 2013-05-25 | access-date= 2015-02-21 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150207040331/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/public-witness-addressing-power-affirming-peace/middle-east-peace/statement-on-christian-presence-and-witness-in-the-middle-east/ | archive-date= 2015-02-07 | url-status= dead }}</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=In this context, what is a source of concern is that Islamic fundamentalisms are giving rise to a counter reaction of other religious fundamentalisms, the most dangerous of which is Jewish fundamentalism which exploits the Islamic fundamentalist phenomenon to justify before western societies the distasteful aberrations of Zionism in Palestine. |author=WCC working paper, Lebanon, May 2013<ref name="mnd">{{cite web | url = http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/public-witness-addressing-power-affirming-peace/middle-east-peace/ME_conference_working_paper.pdf | title = Middle East Council of Churches International & Ecumenical Conference "Christians in the Middle East: Presence and Witness" | work = World Council of Churches | date = 25 May 2013 | access-date = 2015-02-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924091644/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/public-witness-addressing-power-affirming-peace/middle-east-peace/ME_conference_working_paper.pdf | archive-date = 2015-09-24 | url-status = dead}}</ref>}}

Frank Chikane, moderator of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) of the World Council of Churches (WCC), was criticised for using the term 'demons' to describe advocacy for Zionism in 2021.<ref name= "alg">{{cite web | url = https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/02/10/church-official-declares-war-on-israel-and-its-supporters/| title = Church Official Declares War on Israel and Its Supporters | work = The Algemeiner | date = 10 February 2021 | access-date = 2021-02-17}}</ref>

On January 4, 2023, World Council of Churches general secretary [[Jerry Pillay]] joined the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and all the churches of the Holy Land in condemning the desecration of the historic Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-condemns-desecration-of-historic-protestant-cemetery-in-jerusalem |title=WCC condemns desecration of historic Protestant cemetery in Jerusalem |work=World Council of Churches |date=4 January 2023 |access-date=2023-01-04}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Christian denominations in the English-speaking world}}
*[[Lima Liturgy]]
*[[John R. Mott]]
*[[John Romanides]]
*[[J. H. Oldham|Joseph Oldham]]
*[[Jeanne Audrey Powers]]
*[[Nathan Soderblom]]
*[[Charles Henry Brent]]
*[[Christian ecumenism]]
*[[Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians]]
*[[World Summit of Religious Leaders]]
*[[Programme to Combat Racism]]
*[[Authorship of the Bible]]
*[[List of the largest Protestant bodies]]
*[[Jennifer Marianne Hart]]
{{Clear}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|32em}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* World Council of Churches. [http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches.html Members by country and by church] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115003951/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches.html |date=15 January 2013 }}  Retrieved 2010-03-31.
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
* [[W. A. Visser 't Hooft]], ''The Genesis of the World Council of Churches'', in: ''A History of The Ecumenical Movement 1517–1948'', R. Rose, S. Ch. Neill (ed.), London: SPCK 1967, second edition with revised bibliography, pp.&nbsp;697–724.

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.oikoumene.org}}

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