The Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, and primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, further urged people to pray for Ukraine, for the army and the people, to forget mutual quarrels and misunderstandings and to unite in love for God and the homeland.
“In this tragic time, we express special love and support for our soldiers who stand guard and protect and defend our land and our people,” he stated. “May God bless and guard them!”
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South Africa has welcomed the decision by the Ukraine and Russia to hold talks amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
“We welcome the decision by the Ukraine and Russia to hold talks without preconditions. In this regard, South Africa expresses the hope that both parties will use diplomacy to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine, leading to a durable political and security outcome,” said International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor.
The Minister made these remarks at the High-Level Segment of the 49th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
“This 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council takes place against the backdrop of the worrying situation in the Ukraine. South Africa is deeply concerned about the escalation of the situation in the Ukraine,” said the Minister.
The High-Level Segment will afford countries, represented by Heads of State and governments, Foreign Affairs Ministers and/or Deputy Foreign Affairs Ministers, the opportunity to address the Council on their national efforts to promote and protect human rights and international cooperation. This also includes outlining their foreign policy approach to human rights.
Pandor said South Africa is committed to the advancement of human rights and freedom, “not just in our country, but the entire continent of Africa, in fact, globally”.
“Human rights, we believe, must not only be in a human rights instrument – A Bill of Rights Charter – they must be given practical meaning, they must be realised by all people in real terms. All of us should promote and protect the rights of all, effectively. And, we should ensure that all human beings tangibly enjoy access to human rights,” she said at Monday’s session.
This applies to all human rights and all people, the Minister said. She called on the gathering to treat all human rights as “universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, and in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis for all people”.
“The Human Rights Council is a proper multilateral forum to advance human rights. But in order to achieve that, the Council needs must remain true to its mandate and avoid the pitfalls that could destroy it.”
Pandor spoke out against politicisation, divisions, selectivity, and double standards.
“We must look at each problem in its full compass of issues. When we address human rights matters, be it thematic or country-specific issues, let us look at the full dimension of the problem.
“We need a Council that responds to all violations and abuses, regardless of where they have been committed or who has committed them. We need to use the opportunity of the review of the Council to rid it of the past crippling challenges,” she said.
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In his address to the delegation , the Holy Father recalled that Iraq is the cradle of civilization and of Christianity, remarking that it has also been a land of exiles since biblical times.
Referring to the tragic events of these recent years, he expressed his deep gratitude to the Christian communities of Iraq for their “courageous witnesses of fidelity to the Gospel” amid persecution.
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The thirst for hope and the spread of uncertainty have been so rampant in Ukraine that at least one Christian store has totally run out of Bibles.
Robert L. Briggs, president and CEO of American Bible Society, wrote a commentary Thursday for Christianity Today, explaining how Christians in Ukraine are responding to the Russian crisis.
“As people grapple with unknown, many are experiencing the Bible’s message for the first time ever,” Briggs wrote. “According to [Anatoliy Raychynets, deputy general secretary of the Ukrainian Bible Society], priests and pastors over the past weeks have been flocking to the Bible Society store in Kyiv to buy Bibles.”
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“The World Council of Churches affirms and supports the appeal issued on 24 February 2022 by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine (Moscow Patriarchate),” said Sauca.
“Recalling the ties of history and affinity between the Ukrainian people and the Russian people, His Beatitude called directly on President Putin to stop the war, which he likened to Cain’s murder of Abel.”
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“We navigate difficult times in which many feel the burden of uncertainty. But as Desmond Tutu said: nothing, no one, no situation is beyond redemption; no situation is totally devoid of hope.”
It was a privilege to have the Most Rev. Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town preach on the Transfiguration today, a story that was “a much beloved, central theme” to Archbishop Tutu’s theological thinking.He explores the Arch’s treatment of the Transfiguration as a “divine, radical transformation” that cleanses and cauterizes so that a new beginning becomes possible.
“Nothing was incapable of being transformed in the eyes of Jesus,” he reminds us, so as we strive for healing in a world racked with fear, poverty, prejudice, and war, “the Transfiguration leaves us no choice but to act…to come down from the mountain, renewed and revitalized, to be the yeast in the world.”
Watch his sermon from Sunday, February 27. The readings are Exodus 34:29–35, Psalm 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12—4:2, and Luke 9:28–36.
Watch the video below:
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The World Council of Churches denounces any and every use of deadly armed force to resolve disputes that could be resolved by dialogue. We firmly believe that dialogue – based on the principles of international law and respect for established national borders – was and is the proper path for the resolution of tensions surrounding Ukraine.
We call for an immediate end to the current armed hostilities, and for the protection of all human lives and communities threatened by this violence. We urge all member churches and all people of good will around the world to join us in prayer for peace for the people of Ukraine and the region.
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Photo: Unsplash
Bible Media News (BMN)* had the privilege to do an interview with Rev. Dr. theol. habil. Benjamin Simon from the World Council of Churches. Rev. Benjamin Simon is also the Programme Executive for Church Relations, professor at the Ecumenical Institute Bossey and Managing Editor of the International Review of Mission.
In the interview we speak with The World Council of Churches about their relation to South Africa, goals and so much more!
BMN: How many churches from accross the world does the World Council of Churches represent?
Rev. Dr. theol. habil. Benjamin Simon: Since our last Central Committee meeting in February 2022, we do have 352 member churches, in more than 150 countries representing over 600 million Christians. It is wonderful to see that even more churches are lining up to become members of WCC in the next few years.
Amongst the member churches we do have Orthodoxe churches, as well as Protestants like Methodists, Lutherans and reformed, we do have churches from the Anglican Communion, and even some charismatic-pentecostal as well as African Instituted Churches.
BMN: What is your relation to the churches in South Africa, where Bible Media News are based?
Rev. Dr. theol. habil. Benjamin Simon: In the Republic of South Africa (RSA) we do have 12 member churches. Just recently, the Apostolic Faith Mission was welcomed as a new member church of WCC.
WCC and its member churches in RSA are very closely tied with each other. Many programs are run together and deep corporations are ongoing. This is also the case with the South African Council of Churches.
During Apartheid, the South African churches experienced a strong support from WCC member churches from all over the world. Through the experiences in RSA, Racism became one of our most prominent programs at that time.
BMN: What is your perspective on churches working together (from all spheres) towards a common goal?
Rev. Dr. theol. habil. Benjamin Simon: WCC is mainly working on three issues: Justice, Reconciliation and Unity. Those three pillars of our work are guiding us. The main focus is to realize the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 17,21 “that they all may be one” – hereby, we do not see ourselves in becoming one in uniformity. It is rather about becoming one in diversity.
Even that our member churches are coming from very diverse contexts and traditions, the Gospel of Jesus Christ unites us. Fully aware that interpretations can sometimes differ, we need to sit together and learn from each other. A lot of empathy and patience is necessary. WCC also has an academic institute, The Ecumenical Institute Bossey where I do have the joy of being a faculty member too. Every year we welcome around 40 postgraduate students for either 6 or 12 month.
They all represent the diversity of WCC-member churches and even some non-member churches. They study and live under one roof. This is a life-changing experience for them. The orthodox monk is suddenly in a class together with a South African Pentecostal student and both are asked to prepare prayers…This requests empathy, the will to learn and to be humble. A wonderful preparation for more ecumenical cooperation.
BMN: What is your vision and the change your organization wants to make (the impact) on the world?
Rev. Dr. theol. habil. Benjamin Simon: The challenges in the world are too big, for ecclesial individualism. WCC brings the churches together. WCC offers a platform to cooperate and to get to know each other, to eradicate prejudices, to learn from each other and to act and pray together.
Christians and actually people of good faith need to talk with one voice, need to address injustices and exploitations and to speak up with one voice to share the good message of the Gospel. Actually, this voice needs to be a prophetic voice, speaking into the societies in which we are living as Christians. It is not enough if churches are only observers. We need to speak up, to raise our voice.
I think personally that WCC is able to be that voice. A voice, which is heard by governments and representatives of other religions, which can make a change.
BMN: How do you think a Christian can make a positive change in the community?
Rev. Dr. theol. habil. Benjamin Simon: Taking up the idea from above that Churches should speak up with a prophetic voice, I would say, that this concerns every single Christian. We are all called to be “Salt and Light” (Mt. 5) to or rather in the World. We are part of this world. Hence, it is important that Christians contribute to a change in community, transforming societies to become a better and safer place. We are all called to be that prophetic voice.
More about The World Council of Churches:
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures, and therefore seek to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
It is a community of churches on the way to visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ. It seeks to advance towards this unity, as Jesus prayed for his followers, “so that the world may believe.” (John 17:21)
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is the broadest and most inclusive among the many organized expressions of the modern ecumenical movement, a movement whose goal is Christian unity.
Follow their website here: https://www.oikoumene.org/
Photo: WCC
Pope Francis says his heart aches over the situation in Ukraine and announces a “Day of Fasting for Peace” on Wednesday.
During the General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis made a heartfelt appeal for peace in Ukraine, saying that the threat of war had caused “great pain in my heart.”
“Despite the diplomatic efforts of the last few weeks,” the Pope said, “increasingly alarming scenarios are opening up,” with many people all over the world feeling anguish and pain.
Disclaimer: Bible Media News (BMN)* is an independent faith-based media organization. Please note that all press releases and statements published by BMN do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Bible Media.
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As World Council Churches (WCC) member churches from the Caribbean met during the WCC central committee on 10 February, the group issued a clear call for reconciliation as a set of actions, not just an abstract idea.
“Most important to us is to remind the WCC 11th Assembly that the current embargo on Cuba and Haiti must cease if we are sincere in our call for reconciliation,” said Rev. Karl Johnson, of the Jamaica Baptist Union, member of the WCC central committee and moderator of the discussion.
The group discussed their interpretation of the theme of the WCC 11th Assembly, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.”
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Disclaimer: Bible Media News (BMN)* is an independent faith-based media organization. Please note that all press releases and statements published by BMN do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Bible Media.
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