World Communion of Reformed Churches
World Communion of Reformed Churches | |
---|---|
Presbyterian | |
President | Najla Kassab |
Interim General Secretary | Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi |
Headquarters |
|
Origin | 2010 |
Members | 80 million |
Official website | wcrc |
The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Reformed (
Among the biggest denominations in the WCRC are the
History
The WCRC traces its origins to 1875, with several unifying Reformed organizations emerging in London, England.
After a two-day meeting ending on 1 February 2006, Douwe Visser, president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council, and Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, said in a joint letter to their constituencies, "We rejoice in the work of the Holy Spirit which we believe has led us to recommend that the time has come to bring together the work of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council into one body that will strengthen the unity and witness of Calvinist Christians."
After first calling the potential body "World Reformed Communion", this was modified into "World Communion of Reformed Churches".
A Uniting General Council of the WCRC, bringing the organization into existence, took place from 18–26 June 2010 at
Work
The 2010 Uniting General Council stated that the WCRC should be "called to communion and committed to justice." Its two main program offices are thus focused on these aspects, with theological work included with communion. The Theology and Communion office serves as coordinator for official dialogues with other religious organizations, organizes a bi-annual Global Institute of Theology, and brings Calvinist theological scholars together for various discussions. The Justice office promotes economic, ecological and human rights, basing much of its work on the Accra Confession, a statement adopted at the 2004 General Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and re-endorsed at the 2010 Uniting General Council.
The WCRC also has a General Secretariat which includes the general secretary's office, the communications office and other organizational responsibilities. Through the General Secretariat, the WCRC promotes dialogue between churches, advocates for causes on a global scale and supports the activities of its member churches.
The global headquarters of the WCRC are located in Hanover, Germany, with a North American non-profit subsidiary based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Originally based in Geneva, Switzerland, which played host to John Calvin and earned a reputation as the "Protestant Rome", the group's Executive Committee announced on 8 November 2012, that they would relocate the headquarters to Hanover, Germany, by December 2013, due to overbearing financial strains caused by the high value of the Swiss franc.[5]
Organization positions
Ordination of women
In 2017, WCRC published the Declaration of Faith Concerning Women's Ordination, in which it supports the practice of
Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
In the same year, WCRC became the 5th signatory of the
Same-sex marriage
The WCRC has no official position on human sexuality. However, many of its member denominations promote
Leadership and General Council
General Councils
Council year | City and country | Theme |
---|---|---|
2010 | Grand Rapids , U.S. |
Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace |
2017 | Leipzig, Germany | Living God, Renew and Transform Us[11] |
2025 | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Persevere in Your Witness[12] |
Presidents
WCRC presidents are ordinarily elected for a term of seven years at every General Council:
Year | Name | Church affiliation |
---|---|---|
2010–2017 | Jerry Pillay | Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa |
2017–2025 | Najla Kassab | National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon |
General Secretaries
WCRC general secretaries are elected for seven years at every General Council (held septennially):
Year | Name | Church affiliation |
---|---|---|
2010–2014 | Setri Nyomi | Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana |
2014–2021 | Chris Ferguson | United Church of Canada |
2021–2023 | "Collegial General Secretariat" | (see below) |
2023–2025 | Setri Nyomi | Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana |
Setri Nyomi's term was a continuation of his term as general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Upon the conclusion of Chris Ferguson's term as general secretary in August 2021, the WCRC Executive Committee appointed a "Collegial General Secretariat" originally composed of the three executive secretaries: Hanns Lessing (Secretary of Communion and Witness, Evangelical Church of Westphalia), Philip Vinod Peacock (Secretary of Justice and Witness, Church of North India), and Phil Tanis (Secretary of Communications and Operations, Reformed Church in America).[13] They were joined in the Collegium by Muna Nassar (Secretary of Mission and Advocacy) in December 2022.[14] In 2023, Setri Nyomi was installed as interim general secretary, to serve until the 2025 General Council.[15]
Member churches
This is a list of members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches as of February 2016:[16]
- Algeria
- Eglise Protestante d'Algérie
- Angola
- Igreja Evangélica Congregacional em Angola(IECA)
- Igreja Evangélica Reformanda de Angola(IERA)
- Argentina
- Iglesia Evangélica del Rio de la Plata
- Iglesia Evangélica Congregacional
- Australia
- Congregational Federation of Australia
- Uniting Church in Australia
- Austria
- Evangelical Church of the Helvetic Confession in Austria/Evangelische Kirche HB (Reformiert) in Österreich
- Evangelical Church of the Helvetic Confession in Austria/
- Bangladesh
- Church of Bangladesh
- Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Church in Bangladesh
- Belgium
- Verenigde Protestantse Kerk in Belgie
- Bolivia
- Iglesia Evangélica Presbiteriana en Bolivia
- Botswana
- Dutch Reformed Church in Botswana
- Brazil
- Igrejas Evangélicas Reformadas no Brasil
- Igreja Presbiteriana Independente do Brasil
- Igreja Presbiteriana Unida do Brasil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Association of Reformed Evangelical Churches of Burkina Faso/Eglise evangelique reformee du Burkina Faso
- Association of Reformed Evangelical Churches of Burkina Faso/
- Cameroon
- Eglise protestante africaine
- Eglise évangélique du Cameroun
- Eglise presbyterienne camerounaise
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Eglise Protestante du Christ-Roi
- Chile
- Iglesia Evangélica Presbiteriana en Chile
- Iglesia Presbiteriana de Chile
- China, Hong Kong
- The Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China
- China, People's Republic of
- China Christian Council (associate member)
- Colombia
- Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia(Synodo presbiteriano)
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Communaute evangelique du Congo
- Communaute presbytérienne au Congo
- Communaute presbyterienne du Kasai oriental
- Communaute presbyterienne de Kinshasa
- Communauté presbytérienne au Kasai occidental/Communauté presbytérienne réformée en Afrique
- Communauté Réformée des Presbyteriens
- Congo, Republic of the
- Eglise évangélique du Congo
- Costa Rica
- Iglesia Evangélica Presbiteriana Costarricense
- Croatia
- Reformirana Krscanska Crkva U Hrvatskoj
- Cuba
- Iglesia Presbiteriana-Reformada en Cuba
- Czech Republic
- Ceskobratrská Cirkev Evangelická
- Denmark
- Den reformerte Synode i Danmark
- Dominican Republic
- Christian Reformed Church in the Dominican Republic
- Iglesia Evangélica Dominicana
- Egypt
- Evangelical Church of Egypt (Synod of the Nile)/El-Kanisah El-Injiliyah
- El Salvador
- Iglesia Reformada Calvinista de El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Iglesia Reformada Presbiteriana de Guinea Ecuatorial
- Ethiopia
- Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus/Ye Etiopia Wangelawit Betakristian Makane Yesus
- France
- Fiangonana Protestanta Malagasy
- National Union of Protestant Reformed Evangelical Churches of FranceEglises protestantes réformées évangeliques de France(UNEPREF, formerly EREI)
- Eglise Réformée d'Alsace et de Lorraine
- United Protestant Church of France/Église protestante unie de France
- Germany
- Lippische Landeskirche
- Evangelical Reformed Church in Bavaria and Northwestern Germany(Synode evangelisch-reformierter Kirchen in Bayern und Nordwestdeutschland)
- Reformierter Bund
- Evangelical Old-Reformed Church in Lower Saxony
- Ghana
- Presbyteria Nyanyui Hame le Ghana
- Presbyterian Church of Ghana
- Greece
- Helliniki Evangeliki Ekklesia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Iglesia Evangélica Nacional Presbiteriana de Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Iglesia Cristiana Reformada de Honduras
- Hungary
- Reformed Church in Hungary/Magyarországi Református Egyház
- India
- Church of North India
- Church of South India
- The Congregational Church of India (Maraland)
- Evangelical Church of Maraland
- Presbyterian Church of India
- Reformed Presbyterian Church, North East India
- Indonesia
- Christian Church in Central Sulawesi
- Christian Church in Luwuk Banggai
- Christian Church in South Sulawesi
- Christian Church of Southern Sumatra (GKSBS)
- Christian Church of Sumba (GKS)
- Christian Churches of Java
- Christian Evangelical Church in Bolaang Mongondow?
- Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa
- Christian Evangelical Church in Timor
- Church of Toraja Mamasa(GTM)
- The East Java Christian Church
- Evangelical Christian Church in Halmahera
- Evangelical Christian Church in West Papua
- Evangelical Church in Kalimantan
- Indonesia Christian Church
- Indonesian Protestant Church in Buol Toli-Toli
- Indonesian Protestant Church in Donggala
- Indonesian Protestant Church in Gorontalo
- Javanese Christian Churches(GKJ)
- Karo Batak Protestant Church (GBKP)
- Pasundan Christian Church
- Protestant Christian Church in Bali
- Protestant Church in Indonesia
- Protestant Church in the Moluccas
- Protestant Church in Southeast Sulawesi
- Protestant Church in West Indonesia
- Sangihe-Talaud Evangelical Church
- Toraja Church
- Iran
- Synod of the Evangelical Church in Iran
- Ireland
- Italy
- Chiesa Evangelica Valdese
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Church of Christ in Japan/Nippon Kirisuto Kyokai
- Korean Christian Church in Japan/Zainichi Daikan Kirisuto Kyokai Sokai
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Ekaretia ni Boretetanti i Kiribati
- Korea, Republic of
- Presbyterian Church of Korea (TongHap)
- Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDongChunTong)/Hap Dong Jeong Tong/Hap Dong Chung Tong
- Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea/Ki Jang
- Presbyterian Church in Korea (Daeshin)/Dae Shin
- Latvia
- Evangeliska Reformatu-Braju Draudze
- Lebanon
- National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon
- The Al-Ittihad Al Injili Al-Watani Fi Lubnan
- Մերձաւոր Արեւելքի Հայ Աւետարանական Եկեղեցիներու Միութիւն
- Lesotho
- Kereke ea Evangeli Lesotho
- Liberia
- Lithuania
- Evangelical Reformed Church in Lithuania/Lietuvos Evangeliku Reformatu Baznycia
- Evangelical Reformed Church in Lithuania/
- Luxembourg
- Eglise Protestante Réformée du Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Fiangonan'i Jesoa Kristy eto Madagasikara
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Gereja Presbyterian Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Reformed Congregational Churches
- Jarin Parik Dron
- Mauritius
- Eglise presbytérienne de Maurice
- Mexico
- Iglesia Presbiteriana Asociada Reformada de México(IPAR)
- Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de México, A. R.
- Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada de México
- Morocco
- Evangelical Church in Morocco/Eglise évangélique au Maroc
- Mozambique
- Igreja Evangelica de Cristo em Mocambique
- Presbyterian Church of Mozambique/Igreja Presbiteriana de Moçambique
- Igreja Reformada em Mocambique
- Igreja de Christo Unida em Mocambique(Ex-Missao American Board)
- Myanmar
- Christian Reformed Church in Myanmar
- Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Myanmar
- Independent Presbyterian Church of Myanmar
- Mara Evangelical Awnanopa
- The Kawlram Presb Kohhran
- Reformed Presbyterian Church in Myanmar
- The Netherlands
- Covenant of Free Evangelical Congregations in the Netherlands
- The De Protestantse Kerk in Nederland(PKN)
- Remonstrantse Broederschap
- New Caledonia
- Eglise evangélique en Nouvelle Calédonie et aux Îles Loyauté
- New Zealand
- Niue Niue Church/Ekalesia Niue
- Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
- Niue Niue Church/
- Niger
- Ekklisiyar Bishara Ta Kasar Niger
- Nigeria
- Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria
- Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ
- Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
- Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria
- Habaddiyar Ekklisiyar Kristi a Nigeria
- Universal Reformed Church of Christ (formerly Nongo u Kristu u ken Sudan hen Tiv)
- Pakistan
- The Philippines
- Poland
- Reformed Evangelical Church in Poland/Kosciol Ewangelicko-Reformowany w Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
- Reformed Evangelical Church in Poland/
- Portugal
- Igreja Evangélica Presbiteriana de Portugal
- Romania
- Reformed Church in Romania (Oradea)/Kiralyhagomelleki Reformatus Egyhazkeruelet (Oradea)
- Reformed Church in Romania – Transylvanian District/Romaniai Reformatus Egyhaz – Erdelyi Egyhazkerület
- Rwanda
- Eglise presbytérienne au Rwanda
- Samoa
- Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa
- Ekalesia Fa' apotopotoga Kerisinao I Samoa
- Senegal
- Eglise protestante du Sénégal
- Serbia, Republic of, and Montenegro, Republic of
- Reformatska Hriscanska Crkva u SFRJ
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Reformovaná Krest. Cirkev na Slovensku
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- United Church in the Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Dutch Reformed Church (DRC)/Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk(NGK)
- Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA)/(NGKA)
- Dutch Reformed Church of Africa/Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika(NHKA)
- Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa
- Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ
- Volkskerk van Afrika
- Presbyterian Church of Africa
- Reformed Church in Africa, South Africa
- United Congregational Church of Southern Africa
- Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
- Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa/ Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider Afrika
- Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ
- Dutch Reformed Church (DRC)/
- South Sudan
- Sudanese Reformed Churches
- Spain
- Iglesia Evangélica Espanola
- Sri Lanka
- Dutch Reformed Church in Sri Lanka
- Presbytery of Lanka
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Equmeniakyrkan (founded 2011 by member church Mission Covenant Church of Swedenand two other denominations)
- Switzerland
- Protestant Church of Switzerland or (Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz, Église évangélique réformée de Suisse, Chiesa evangelica riformata in Svizzera, Baselgia evangelica refurmada da la Svizra)
- Tahiti
- Église Protestante Maòhi
- Taiwan
- Tâi-oân Ki-tok Tiúⁿ-ló Kàu-hōe
- Thailand
- Togo
- Eglise évangélique presbytérienne du Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Presbyterian Church in Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Te Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Christian Reformed Church of East Africa
- Reformed Presbyterian Church in Uganda
- Reformed Presbyterian Church in Africa (Uganda)
- Ukraine
- Karpataljai Reformatus Egyhaz
- United Kingdom
- Church of Scotland
- The Presbyterian Church in Ireland
- Eglwys Bresbyteraidd Cymru
- Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg
- United Free Church of Scotland
- United Reformed Church
- United States of America
- Christian Reformed Church in North America
- Cumberland Presbyterian Church
- Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America
- ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (provisional member)[17]
- Hungarian Reformed Church in America
- Korean Presbyterian Church in America
- Lietuviu Evangeliku Reformatu Baznycia-JAV
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Reformed Church in America
- United Church of Christ
- Uruguay
- Iglesia Evangelica Valdense de Rio de la Plata
- Vanuatu
- Presbiterian Jyos Blong Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Iglesia Presbiteriana de Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Presbyterian Church of Vietnam
- Zambia
- Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Synod of Zambia
- Reformed Church in Zambia
- United Church of Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Former members
On June 22, 2023, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church approved a resolution by which it withdrew from the World Communion of Reformed Churches.[18]
See also
References
- ^ "Called to communion. Committed to justice" (PDF). World Communion of Reformed Churches. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ "World Communion of Reformed Churches | World Council of Churches". www.oikoumene.org. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "WCRC History". World Communion of Reformed Churches. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) have merged to form a new body representing more than 80 million Calvinist Christians worldwide.
- ^ "26th General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches" (PDF). wcrc.ch. 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Steffan, Melissa. "'Protestant Rome' No More: Reformed Group Abandons Geneva". News & Reporting.
- ^ "World Communion of Reformed Churches publishes declaration of faith supporting female ordination". Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Declaration of Faith on Female Ordination of the World Communion of Reformed Churches" (PDF). Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "World Communion of Reformed Churches calls for member denominations to accept female ordination". Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ a b "26th Assembly of the World Communion of Reformed Churches" (PDF). Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" (PDF). 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ {{https://wcrc.ch/gc2017}}
- ^ {{https://wcrc.ch/gc2025}}
- ^ https://wcrc.ch/news/collegial-leadership-begins-guiding-communion
- ^ https://wcrc.ch/news/nassar-appointed-executive-secretary
- ^ https://wcrc.ch/news/nyomi-elected-interim-general-secretary
- ^ "Members".
- ^ "ECO received as a member-church of WCRC" (June 3, 2013), The Layman Online. Accessed June 5, 2013.
- ^ "Provisional Minutes of the 43rd General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (USA):Recommendation 43-10 of the Committee on Interchurch Relations" (PDF). 22 June 2023. p. 226. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
External links