WARC: ''We are committed to justice,'' say Reformed church leaders

Leaders of two global networks of Reformed churches set to merge in June have issued a statement declaring their commitment to a continued focus on justice concerns following the merger. The text includes specific reference to racial justice.

The statement was drafted by members of a joint working group following meetings in Grand Rapids, United States, last week which focussed on the creation of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) from a union of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC).

Recognizing the role of some churches during the apartheid era in South Africa, the statement says, “We must confess that we have not always been faithful to God in working for justice. Apartheid, other forms of racism, gender injustice, injustice in the economy and climate injustice are just a few of the areas in which churches have often found themselves complicit.”

“The WCRC will build on a long history of justice related actions. This history includes declaring apartheid sinful and its theological justification a heresy”, the statement declares.

 

WARC’s president, Clifton Kirkpatrick, emphasizes, "This statement demonstrates clearly that the way we repudiate apartheid and all other forms of injustice as contrary to the gospel will continue in the life of the WCRC. We are absolutely committed to continue the tradition of active advocacy to end apartheid in all forms."

 

In affirming the joint commitment of the two organizations to principles of justice based on biblical text, REC’s president, Peter Borgdorff says, "The member churches of REC will enter the formation of the WCRC with enthusiasm for the proclamation of the ‘good news’ and the pursuit of biblical justice in every realm of God's creation.”

 

Richard van Houten, REC’s general secretary, notes, "It is very important that we affirm our commitment to justice at the beginning of the WCRC.  Justice is a profound biblical theme that reflects God-given rights to all human beings."

 

The WCRC is to be launched at the Uniting General Council (UGC) on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids (18-28 June).

 

WARC’s General Secretary, Setri Nyomi says, "I am glad that in this meeting of the joint working group we made a clear statement on justice.  Coming four months before the Uniting General Council, I look forward to how the World Communion of Reformed Churches will build on the Accra Confession and other instruments to continue a firm commitment to dismantling injustice in every form."

 

The Accra Confession, issued by WARC member churches in 2004, declares economic injustice and environmental destruction to be contrary to biblical teachings.

 

The full statement by the joint working group follows.

 

Statement by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) – Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) Joint Working Group

 

WARC-REC Joint Working Group calls on

WCRC Uniting General Council to commit to Justice

 

The Joint Working Group of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council calls on its member churches and delegates to the Uniting General Council to renew commitments to Justice in the world. This call was made in its meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, February 1 to 4, 2010.

 

Commitment to justice is very consistent with Reformed Theology and will be an important value and emphasis for the World Communion of Reformed Churches, which will come into being in June 2010.  The WCRC will build on a long history of justice related actions.  This history includes declaring apartheid sinful and its theological justification a heresy, as well as working for gender justice, economic justice and justice for persons affected by HIV/AIDS.  All members of the working Group affirm such a forthright stance of faith and continue to call for strengthening our Christian witness in any situation in which life is compromised.  We must confess that we have not always been faithful to God in working for justice.  Apartheid, other forms of racism, gender injustice, injustice in the economy and climate injustice are just a few of the areas in which churches have often found themselves complicit.  We give thanks to God that we all agree that these injustices should not be found in our churches. We are called upon to expose them and to work for justice.

 

The WCRC and its member churches understand our calling as a communion to be intricately linked with our commitment to justice. The ongoing reflection of churches on Communion and justice, as well as the work of covenanting for justice in the economy and the earth, will provide key elements for the discussions that will provide vision and direction for the future.  The encounters with native Americans during the Uniting General Council will be an expression of our commitment to justice for all.  We pray that what we will learn in those encounters will inspire us to honour people of the first nations in the Americas as well as deepen our commitment for justice for all.

 

We celebrate with joy the work of the Holy Spirit in uniting the two ecumenical instruments of the Reformed family. This union will foster spiritual and church renewal as well as deepen how we apply Reformed theology to actions and challenges of the 21st century.   

 

We invite all to pray towards the Uniting General Council and the formation of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

 

The WARC-REC Joint Working Group consists of five members each from the Reformed Ecumenical Council and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches including their Presidents and General Secretaries.


WARC, 10 February 2010

Schweiz: Minarett-Verbot belastet den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt

Thomas Wipf: Recht auf freie Ausübung des Glaubens darf nicht aufgegeben werden
Das Minarett-Verbot löst keine Probleme, sondern wird neue schaffen. Gegenseitiger Respekt ist Voraussetzung für gelingende Integration und gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt.

ARD-Meldung über Ausgang der Volksabstimmung in der Schweiz
Wien (epdÖ) In der Debatte um Kreuze an öffentlichen Orten hat der evangelische Oberkirchenrat H.B. am Dienstag, 17. November, eine Stellungnahme veröffentlicht. Darin verwehrt sich das evangelisch-reformierte Leitungsgremium ''gegen jegliche Vereinnahmung seitens der Kreuz-Befürworter''.

Setri Nyomi beim Festkonzert zur Ehre Calvins in Budapest

Calvin prägte in Europa besonders Theologie und Kirche im Karpaten-Becken
(Budapest) – Am Abend des 9. November 2009 hat ein Festkonzert im Palast der Künste in Budapest stattgefunden. Die Festhalle war überfüllt. Der Generalsekretär des Reformierten Weltbundes (Genf), Pfarrer Setri Nyomi war als Ehrgast mit dabei. In seinem Grußwort sagte er: „Ungarn hat eine wunderbare Zukunft”. Er verwies auf den 22. Mai 2009, als in Debrecen eine gemeinsame Verfassung der ungarsprachigen Reformierten verabschiedet und in Kraft gesetzt wurde. Damit entstand die Grenzen grenzübergreifende Ungarisch-Reformierte Kirche.

Reformierter Weltbund: Georges-Lombard-Preis geht an Eun Young Hwang

Korean student wins Lombard Prize for study of Calvin and ecology
A Korean theology student has won the 2009 Lombard Prize for his study of the implications of John Calvin’s theology for the current ecological and economic crisis.

Meldung des Reformierten Weltbundes (WARC), www.warc.jalb.de

SEK: Thomas Wipf für einen Grundkonsens der Religionen

''Die Religionen sollten anerkennen, dass unser Staat auf dem Recht beruht und nicht auf dem Bekenntnis zu einer bestimmten Religion''
Es braucht einen verbindlichen „Grundkonsens über die Voraussetzungen des Zusammenlebens“ zwischen den Religionen, so SEK-Ratspräsident Thomas Wipf während der Abgeordnetenversammlung des Kirchenbundes.

Medienmitteilung des Schweizerischen Evangelischen Kirchenbunds (SEK), Bern, 2. November 2009

Calvin als Ökumeniker in und für Europa

Thomas Wipf über die Perspektive der Reformation der Flüchtlinge und die Vision einer Gemeinschaft mit Christus, aufs Engste verknüpft mit der Gemeinschaft in Europa und weltweit

Barbara Schenck
Clifton Kirkpatrick, Präsident des Reformierten Weltbundes, nannte in seiner Predigt Lewis S. Mudge ''the leading ecumenist in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)''.

Barbara Schenck

WARC congratulates Obama on Nobel Peace Prize

Setri Nyomi: ''the right choise''
The General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Setri Nyomi, has sent a letter of congratulations to Barrack Obama following the announcement Friday that the President of the United States has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

Quelle: WARC Homepage, 10/12/2009

Reformierte in Europa wählen neuen Sekretär

Pfarrer Alexander Horsburgh von der Church of Scotland ist seit heute (9. Oktober 2009) der Sekretär des Europäischen Gebietes des Reformierten Weltbundes.
Die in Wuppertal tagende Ratsversammlung der reformierten Kirchen Europas hat den schottischen Pfarrer Alexander Horsburgh (41) zu ihrem neuen Sekretär (Geschäftsführer) gewählt. Horsburgh tritt sein Amt sofort an. Horsburgh ist auch Mitglied des Leitungsausschusses des Reformierten Weltbundes.

Jörg Schmidt, Generalsekretär des Reformierten Bundes

Das ''reformierte Europa'' trifft sich in Wuppertal

Kirchenleitende aus 19 reformierten Kirchen Europas tagen am 8./9. Oktober im ''Theologischen Zentrum Wuppertal''
Bischof Dr. Gusztáv Bölcskei, Ungarn, hat am 8. Oktober in Wuppertal die Tagung von Vertretern des Europäischen Gebiets des Reformierten Weltbundes eröffnet. Etwa 35 Kirchenleitende aus insgesamt 19 reformierten Kirchen Europas kommen zwei Tage lang zu ihrer turnusmäßigen Ratsversammlung zusammen. Tagungsort für diese alle zwei Jahre stattfindende Sitzung ist das ''Theologische Zentrum Wuppertal'' auf der Hardt. Gastgeber ist der Reformierte Bund in Deutschland.

Pfr. Jörg Schmidt, Generalsekretär des Reformierten Bundes
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