World Council of Churches

Historical Background

The modern ecumenical movement, dedicated to the search for church unity, began in the late 19th century, when Christians regularly began to pray and work across ecclesiastical boundaries in search of greater oneness in Christ. Discussions arising from the World Missionary Conference held at Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1910 led to the creation of the International Missionary Council and several other movements for closer interchurch relations. Among these movements were “Faith and Order,” concerned with matters of doctrine and church government; “Life and Work,” focusing on cooperation in social, medical, and service ministries; and an alliance of churches acting to promote world peace.

Following World War I (1914–1918), the Eastern Orthodox synod of Constantinople addressed a letter “to all the churches” proposing the establishment of a fellowship of Christian churches similar in form to the League of Nations. In 1937 to 1938, church leaders agreed to establish the WCC. In August 1948, representatives of 147 churches were able to assemble in Amsterdam and constitute the WCC. Most of the founders were from Protestant and Anglican churches in western Europe and North America.

In 2010, WCC membership stood at 349 churches and reflected the dramatic growth of Christianity in Africa, in Asia, and throughout the Global South.

The chief executive officer of the WCC is the general secretary. This office has been filled by Willem A. Visser't Hooft, a Reformed minister from The Netherlands (while the WCC was in the process of formation, 1938–1948, and following the WCC's inauguration, 1948–1966); Eugene Carson Blake, a Presbyterian minister from the United States (1966–1972); Philip Potter, a [Page 1380]Methodist minister from the West Indies (1972–1984); Emilio Castro, a Methodist minister from Uruguay (1985–1992); Konrad Raiser, a minister of the Evangelical or Protestant church in Germany (1993–2003); Samuel Kobia, a Methodist minister from Kenya (2004–2009); and Olav Fykse Tveit, a Lutheran minister from the Church of Norway (2010–present).

The WCC holds its assemblies every 6–8 years. The First Assembly at Amsterdam was convened in 1948, and in 2006 the Ninth Assembly was held in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The next assembly is due to be held in 2013 in Busan, South Korea. The WCC central committee and executive committee meet regularly to guide the work of the council between assemblies.

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