WCC news: Timeline depicts flowing river of Christian witness and unity

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has released The Timeline of the World Council of Churches – An Ecumenical Journey, a revised and updated chronology of the council’s history capturing more than a century of milestones in the modern ecumenical movement. Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC 16 September 2025 Inspired by previous versions that portray the ecumenical journey as a flowing river, the new version traces key moments in Christian witness and unity from the late 19th century to the present, highlighting WCC assemblies, landmark conferences, theological breakthroughs, and joint efforts for justice and peace. The four streams that gradually converged to form the WCC—World Mission Conferences, Faith and Order, Life and Work, and the World Council of Christian Education—are presented as well. Events such as the 1910 Edinburgh World Missionary Conference; the 1948 founding assembly of the WCC in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; the 1982 publication of the Faith and Order paper "Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry"; and the 2022 WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, are charted alongside initiatives on women, youth, peace, and reconciliation. Download the WCC river chart 2025 See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland