WEA APPOINTS NEW GENERAL SECRETARY

The International Council (IC) of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has announced the appointment of Dr Thomas Schirrmacher as the next Secretary General / CEO. He will assume leadership of the WEA on March 1, 2021.

Dr Schirrmacher has served in various roles in the WEA since 1999, and is currently the Associate Secretary General for Theological Concerns. Prior to this, he was a member of the Religious Liberty Commission, developed the International Institute for Religions Freedom, built up WEA’s Office for Intrafaith and Interfaith Relations, is Chair of WEA’s Theological Commission, and WEA’s Ambassador for Human Rights.

He studied theology at colleges in Switzerland, the United States, Netherlands and also received a degree from India. He was pastor and co-pastor of local churches in the Bonn area of Germany from 1982 - 2000 and, in 2015, was consecrated as an episcopal leader serving the Communio Messianica, a global body of Christians from another faith background.

As a strong advocate for religious liberty for all, Dr Schirrmacher has a great concern for the persecuted church and has been a promoter of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) that was founded by the WEA more than two decades ago.

Dr Schirrmacher said: “I am humbled that so many esteemed leaders are putting their trust in me. Having been part of the leadership for a long time, I already feel very much at home in the WEA. Beside all my academic and socio-political involvement, the centre of my convictions has always been the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ for each individual and the whole world.” (WEA)

WCC REFLECTS ON CHURCHES’ ROLE IN PANDEMIC

During a World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee meeting that convened online from November 9-13, WCC moderator Dr Agnes Abuom and interim general secretary Rev Prof Dr Ioan Sauca shared highlights on the WCC’s role in a world facing great challenges.

Abuom shared her perspective on what is inspiring the WCC’s work, noting that the world is still in a big fight against Covid-19. “It has abruptly disrupted the momentum towards achievement of the development agenda, having triggered the most profound economic and societal crisis the world has seen for the last century,” she said.

Abuom also noted that, according to the World Food Programme, 10 million of the world’s children could face acute malnutrition. “Alongside social distancing, case isolation and contract tracing, regular hand washing with water and soap is recognised as one of the most important measures to prevent transmission of Covid-19,” she said. “Yet many people still do not have a hand washing facility with water and soap available at home.”

The dramatic rise in sexual and physical violence against women and girls in the previous 12 months was of grave concern, she continued: “The number is likely to increase as security, health, and money worries heighten tensions and strains and are accentuated by cramped and confined living conditions during and after the Covid-19 period.”

Abuom also expressed concern over the re-emergence and rise of authoritarian governments. “Though directives such as lockdowns and travel restrictions are welcome to mitigate the spread of the virus in the short-term, this tendency is providing leeway for governments to infringe on human rights even in the future if not closed, checked and rebuffed,” she said.

Sauca said that the WCC continues to seek the goal of visible unity. “On the way, we continue to learn from each other what it entails to be this fellowship committed to discover and live in the unity of apostolic faith and to engage in a common witness to the world, how Christian unity and the unity of humankind and all creation are intertwined,” he said. (WCC)

PRAYERS FOR PEACE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

As the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region moved into a second month, the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) joined with its member church, the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, to “call for justice and peace, and to unite in prayer to Almighty God to ‘let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’ (Amos 5:24).”

A statement from the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East said “The supposed principle of ‘territorial integrity’ is being improperly invoked. It is being raised without historical integrity and without being anchored in a strong foundation of justice and peace that is sustainable in the long term.”

The WCRC called on member churches to pray and work for an immediate ceasefire, followed by a lasting peace of justice and reconciliation. (WCRC)

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