wfn.org | Title: Youth: ecumenical present, ecumenical future

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches 7 Feature
    
WCC Internship Programme
Youth learn about ecumenical present, shape ecumenical future
	    Lisa Yablonsky

					   Free photo available - see below

What is the World Council of Churches and what does it do?  Well, each year
the WCC invites a group of interns to find out.  This year's interns, six
in total, have come from the four corners of the globe to learn more about
ecumenism, bringing a new voice and a new understanding to the WCC.

Since its founding in 1948, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has been a
focal point in the ecumenical movement, bringing together Christians from
different communions and regions around the world - Christians with
different backgrounds, cultures, interpretations and understandings of
Christ. That makes 56 years of arguments and resolutions, 56 years to
identify problems and implement solutions and, more importantly, 56 years
of ecumenical leaders affecting generations of Christians to come.

Where are the voices of these generations, the voice of Christian youth? If
the truth be told, they were heard nearly a century before the WCC came
together as a formal ecumenical body: in the Young Men's and Young Women's
Christian Associations (YMCA/YWCA) formed in 1844 and 1855. These
organizations, shortly followed by Student Christian Movements founded in
countries around the world, as well as the cohesive World Student Christian
Federation, continue to take part in ecumenical dialogue today.

The voice of Christian youth continues to be heard within the ecumenical
movement, not only through ecumenical youth organizations, but also through
the WCC itself. Each year, a new class of interns brings fresh insights to
the work of the WCC, while contributing to a new understanding of the WCC
and its role in ecumenism.

"There is concrete work being done," remarks Katherine Pastukhova (Russian
Orthodox Church), 28, of Belarus. She is working on the WCC study on
Ecclesiology and Baptism, and describes the Council as "a living organism
exuding a positive impulse of ecumenism and unity". Katherine notes that
her ecumenical ideas have not always been well received, but as she
continues to study the life of the church, she finds ecumenism to be more
relevant, more necessary than ever before.

However, Katherine's role at the WCC is not limited to concrete tasks. As
part of the third class of interns to take part in an ecumenical formation
process, Katherine is able to share her experience and her perspective,
giving shape to an ever-changing youth constituency. "It is an important
asset for the WCC to have young people with ecumenical knowledge and
experience in the churches, people we can count on to bring ecumenism
further and who can contribute with substance", says Rev. Freddy Knutsen,
WCC programme executive in charge of the internship programme.

Marlone Zakeyo (The Church of the Province of Central Africa), a
23-year-old intern from Zimbabwe working with International Affairs,
aspires to be one of these people. He hopes to become "better equipped to
tackle human rights issues with fellow Christians in Zimbabwe". Marlone,
who recently finished his Bachelor of Law degree, has continued to be
actively involved in political movements during a time when his country is
experiencing increasing economic stress and high inflation.  Through his
hands-on experience with ecumenism, he continues to question his
government's domestic policy and its treatment of human rights activism in
the country. "For me", he says, "the emphasis on service, human rights and
economic justice is among the most vital work that the WCC is doing".

There is human rights work to be tackled in other regions as well.
"Churches are not responding to the issues of Dalits," states Mrinal
Lankapalli (Andhrea Evangelical Lutheran Church), a 26-year-old Dalit from
India working with the WCC Dalit programme. Dalits, previously known as
"untouchables" under the now-illegal caste system, continue to experience
discrimination in both public and private spheres. Mrinal, who has
completed a Bachelor of Law and a Master of Social Work, is active in both
Dalit and Christian movements in India, and now continues that work through
the WCC.  He sees the internship programme as an opportunity to observe
ecumenism more closely while contributing to the relationship between the
WCC, Dalits and the churches.  Through his internship and his ecumenical
study with the WCC, he hopes to gain a rich experience to bring back to
his country and his cause.

"The interns challenge us as an organization to see things from a new
perspective," says Knutsen, emphasizing the importance of the ecumenical
realities that young people bring to the WCC.  Though their contribution to
the ecumenical movement is not only in what they bring to the WCC, but also
in what they take back home.

Before coming to the WCC, Rachel Medema (Reformed Church of America), 24,
from the United States, studied Latin American development issues in
Guatemala and Honduras. Yet her work in the WCC on service and justice
issues in developing countries has not merely reflected her previous
education; it has suggested a new dimension for further studies. "I am
beginning to think about graduate school in theology, specifically related
to social ethics," she says, "and this is a great introduction".

Rachel is not alone in her ecumenical and academic pursuits. "Ecumenism
gives a broader perspective to my theological studies," states Eva
Osterlind (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark), 25, from Denmark.
Following her internship in the general secretariat of the WCC, she will
return to her studies to become a pastor. "Practical experience, and
knowing what goes on in the real world is as important - if not more so -
as theoretical knowledge", she adds.

As an intern myself, I agree. Since our arrival in September, I have
learned a lot, shared a little, and begun to search for more direction in
my own academic future, as well as my role as a Christian and an ecumenist.
I am 22, from the United States and a member of the Presbyterian Church
USA.  For me, the WCC is a crossroads: a place to teach and to be taught,
and a place to listen and to be heard.

For Katherine, Marlone, Mrinal, Rachel, Eva and myself, the WCC represents
more than 56 years of arguments and resolutions, problems and solutions; it
is a place that facilitates service and justice where Christians can gather
to learn, to listen and to share new ideas. It is also 56 years of
ecumenical Christian youth challenging each idea and presenting their own.
After all, without young people, where will the WCC, and the ecumenical
movement, be in another 56 years?

Lisa Yablonsky, 22, of the United States, is a WCC intern in the Media
Relations office. She studies Comparative Literature, and is currently
developing her ecumenical comunications skills.

A free photo is available at:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/press_corner/interns04.html 

For more information contact:
	 Media Relations Office
 tel: (+41 22) 791 64 21 / (+41 22) 791 61 53
 e-mail:media@wcc-coe.org 
 http://www.wcc-coe.org 

 The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in
 more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
 traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
 cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
 which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
 inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
 general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.