wfn.org | WCC Central Committee Mid-Point

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.apc.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release
For Immediate Use
17 September 1996

CENTRAL COMMITTEE, No.  3

            WORLD COUNCIL CENTRAL COMMITTEE FOCUSES
             ON FINANCES AND VISION FOR THE FUTURE

GENEVA, Switzerland (WCC)-- Halfway through its annual meeting in Geneva,
the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches is wrestling with a
serious financial crisis while its members debate a "common understanding
and vision" of the council's future role.

And despite a firm decision to hold the Eighth Assembly of the WCC in
Harare, Zimbabwe, in September 1998, some members expressed misgivings about
the site because of the council's financial problems and because of
President Robert Mugabe's outspoken public remarks on homosexuality.

The 156 representatives of the WCC's 330 member churches around the world,
joined by  advisors and observers from other ecumenical organizations, are
meeting here from 12 to 20 September. Sub-committees will now formulate
recommendations on most of the items discussed in the first four days of the
meeting and decisions will be made by the Committee as a whole on Thursday
and Friday (19-20 September).

Raiser cites financial crisis as 'danger and opportunity'

In his opening report, WCC General Secretary Konrad Raiser noted that
strenuous efforts to cut expenses have still left the Council facing a 1997
deficit of about 1.35 million Swiss francs (approximately US$1.1 million).

Raiser stressed that the WCC remains viable and that "its basic mandate is
not in jeopardy." Even so, with a decline in income of nearly 50 per cent
over the past seven years (from 117 million Swiss francs in 1991 to a
projected 60 million in 1997), the general secretary said "income is no
longer sufficient to maintain the present level of activities of the WCC."

In the last two years the WCC also suffered from unfavourable exchange rates
and losses on investments. Although the churches' membership contributions
to the budget have remained stable, Raiser predicted that these -- which in
fact accounted for less than 8 per cent of total income in 1995 -- will
decline further. Only 60 per cent of member churches contributed to the WCC
in 1995.

With 237 full-time equivalents currently on the payroll (down from 270 in
1992 and 250 in 1995) further cuts are planned, Raiser said, with at most
190 full-time equivalents in 1997.

Many Central Committee members responding to Raiser's address praised its
candour. At one point, the general secretary conceded that "mistakes were
made" in the efforts to communicate the need for layoffs to the staff
representative group.

But Raiser also sounded a hopeful note, and called on the Central Committee
to invest its energies in perfecting the draft of the "Common Understanding
and Vision" document, to be submitted to the member churches as a basis for
a public reaffirmation of their commitment to the ecumenical movement at the
Assembly in 1998.

In a special briefing Finance Committee Moderator Birgitta Rantakari
(Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland) noted that the committee has
maintained its insistence on a balanced budget for 1997. It was unclear at
the midpoint of the meeting whether such a balanced budget would be ready
for approval before adjournment, but a finance sub-committee has been named
to work with the staff to reduce the remaining deficit.

Common Understanding and Vision

The budget problems have given new energy to the Common Understanding and
Vision process, which began during the Central Committee's 1989 meeting in
Moscow. Central to the "CUV" process is the attempt to articulate a new
understanding of the WCC and its role as one of many partners in the
ecumenical movement, in order to equip the churches of the world to meet the
challenges of the 21st century.

Some Central Committee members said they hoped the document would rekindle
the founding spirit of the WCC. "What is left of the passion that set the
hearts on fire among the forefathers, the idea that the church exists for
others?" asked Bjorn Bue (Church of Norway). "It is imperative that we get
in touch once again with this passion."

Two important chapters in the document -- "Criteria for Deciding About
Structures" and "A Future Profile for the WCC" -- have not yet been written.
On the basis of comments from the Central Committee, a consultation next
month will complete the document before it is sent to member churches for
their reactions.

Those responses will then be incorporated into a final draft to be presented
to the Central Committee in September 1997. The Committee will also decide
then if the changes in WCC structure and role it suggests require
constitutional amendments to be proposed to the Assembly.

As it stands now, the document seeks to define the Council's role in the
ecumenical movement, declare its "self-understanding" as a fellowship of
churches, define relationships between the WCC and other ecumenical
partners, including non-member churches, and outline an "ecumenical vision"
for the next century.

Several members of the Central Committee saw opportunities in the CUV
process for creative re-organization. "We need a more coherent system of
cooperation between the WCC, regional and national ecumenical bodies and
Christian World Communions," said Peter Lodberg (Evangelical Lutheran Church
of Denmark) during a hearing on CUV issues. "We should structure the WCC on
the basis that we are one movement with one system of organization. We need
a better system of representativity which takes church leaders more=
 seriously."

Wesley Granberg-Michaelson (Reformed Church in America) said "we are
hopelessly enmeshed in governing structures that call people together to
make decisions that are neither clear not well-implemented. Our
decision-making structures should be small. Doing business should not be the
primary purpose of our meetings."

Zacharias Mar Theophilus (Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, India)
reminded Committee members of one of the founding purposes of the WCC.
"Where are we when the poor and oppressed are suffering?" he asked. "Our
vision of hope must be more explicit."
=09
Plans for the Harare Assembly

During two ninety-minute Saturday plenary sessions on the Eighth Assembly,
some Committee members voiced disappointment at an Assembly Planning
Committee decision that, due to differences among the churches over
eucharistic practices, the Assembly programme not include a common
celebration of the Lord's Supper. Proposed instead are separate Sunday
eucharists, not as a part of the official Assembly programme, to be held in
local congregations of four different traditions: Roman Catholic, Eastern
Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Protestant.

"I do not want to celebrate division and pain," said Bishop Amos Omodunbi
(Methodist Church, Nigeria). "I want to celebrate unity. Therefore I want an
open table made available to us... The goal of the WCC is unity; I wonder
why we are running away from this."

But Bishop Nifon of Slobozia and Calarasi (Romanian Orthodox Church) found
the planning committee's proposal "reasonable. We must have the courage to
be realistic. One table would frustrate those whose tradition prevents them
from partaking."

Addressing concerns about a potentially hostile climate for homosexual
visitors to the Assembly, Raiser shared a Memorandum of Understanding signed
by the WCC, the Zimbabwe government and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches,
which he said provides "satisfactory guarantees."

Recounting his meeting with President Mugabe last month, Raiser said that
"the President clearly attributes great significance to the coming of the
WCC Assembly to Harare".

He added that he had told Mugabe that "while there was no common mind among
the member churches on the moral and ethical assessment of homosexuality,
there was probably a fairly broad consensus that active discrimination
against homosexuals and even more so the criminalization of homosexuality
was unacceptable." According to Raiser, Mugabe affirmed the understandings
in the memorandum, which states that the government will "ensure adequate
measures will be taken for protection of participants attending the
Assembly," and guarantees "freedom of association and of expression of
opinion for all participants within the premises in which the Assembly is
held [the campus of the University of Zimbabwe in Harare]".

Nevertheless, some Central Committee members expressed misgivings about how
gays and lesbians are treated in Zimbabwe. "I have a letter from a gay
person in Zimbabwe who says that they are looked on as subhuman and are not
even safe in their own homes," said Aukje Westra (Reformed Churches in the
Netherlands). "If that is so, can our consciences be at peace? How do we
sustain people who are suffering?" Raiser replied that the minister of home
affairs has given assurances that he is prepared to follow up any genuine
violation of human rights.

Some Central Committee members, including Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk
(Russian Orthodox Church) and Leonid Kishkovsky (Orthodox Church in
America), noted that the Committee remains divided on the issue of
homosexuality and asked that a formal vote be taken to put the matter to
rest. "This discussion is dangerous for the whole ecumenical movement," said
Kirill. "Sooner or later there will be a confrontation. Should we not have
this confrontation here and now rather than at the Assembly?"

But Raiser said he would oppose a vote, "just as I would oppose a vote on
doctrinal issues."

The Central Committee Moderator, Aram I (Armenian Apostolic Church,
Cilicia), rejected suggestions that the Assembly should be moved to a
different location. "We will go to Harare," Aram declared. "I will go to
Harare."

Plenaries on HIV/AIDS and ethics

Central Committee members expressed their concerns for persons living with
HIV and AIDS during a plenary session on Saturday, 14 September, and urged
member churches to provide ministries of pastoral care for persons who have
the virus and their families.

In the discussion, Metropolitan Kirill urged the committee not to avoid the
themes of personal ethics and personal sinfulness. "When we talk about
sexual wickedness, we seem to find the reasons only in the social
conditions," he said. "Modern civilization is sick... Our prophetic witness
should be very strong and against the mainstream. If the World Council of
Churches does not speak so, it will lose its strength."

But G=81nter Krusche (Evangelical Church in Germany) reminded the committee
that Jesus had warned a crowd not to stone a woman caught in adultery unless
they were without sin. "That is applicable to AIDS victims," said Krusche.
"We should insist that (people) return to proper ways of conduct, (but) we
should also stand with all the victims." And Eugene Turner (Presbyterian
Church, USA) expressed concern that "many of our churches are still refusing
to provide pastoral care to persons with HIV and AIDS."

Anne L. Tveter (Church of Norway) noted that many women are infected with
the virus because their culture discourages them from refusing their
husband's sexual advances even if the man has been promiscuous. "It is time
we as churches stand up to their men who are not being faithful to them and
give (women) the right to say no," Tveter said.

Responding to a question in a press conference following the session,
Christoph Benn, a German medical doctor who chaired the WCC's Consultative
Group on AIDS, said he understood the concern behind Metropolitan Kirill's
comments in the plenary session. "Where we differ," he added, "is probably
on how to address that. We have to find the right language to convey the
message. What we wanted to avoid was any condemnation of people. It's not
our duty to condemn anyone but to receive people and make them feel they are
accepted."

In morning worship prior to the plenary session on HIV/AIDS, members of the
Central Committee received a red ribbon as a sign of solidarity with persons
living with the virus.

The plenary on Ecclesiology and Ethics, moderated by WCC President Aaron
Tolen (Presbyterian Church of Cameroon), featured case studies on the
churches' responses to urgent ethical issues.

Gordon Gray, a pastor in Northern Ireland, offered a slide presentation on
the question of violence and peace-making in his country. Dolores Williams,
professor of theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York, focused on
the issue of violence against women. And John de Gruchy, professor of
theology at the University of Capetown, dealt with the role of South African
churches in the overcoming of apartheid. All three stressed the need for
churches to work together to confront ethical issues.

Public Issues

Little disagreement was expressed during a Sunday afternoon session in which
the Public Issues Committee proposed two statements for action later in the
Central Committee meeting.=20

One, dealing with the situation in Burundi, would condemn the use of
violence by armed groups in Burundi, deplore that the military coup there in
the wake of a July massacre of more than 300 civilians in a refugee camp
"has jeopardized the fragile peace process initiated by regional
governments", and appeal to the United Nations Security Council, the
Organization of African Unity and East African Heads of States "to continue
their efforts to provide protection to the people of Burundi".

Another proposed text, on the "Intensified US Sanctions Against Cuba and
Their Assertion of Extraterritoriality", condemns the provisions of the
"Helms-Burton amendment" as "a new act of economic aggression against the
people of Cuba" and a violation of international law and international trade
agreements.

A third action, a proposed "Minute on US Attacks on Iraq", would express the
WCC's concern about recent US missile attacks on Iraq while expressing the
view that "Iraq's violations of Security Council decisions cannot be=
 condoned".

Continuing work

Following two days (Monday and Tuesday) in which the Central Committee
members meet in five committees (one for each of the WCC's four programme
units and one for the general secretariat), the Committee will resume
plenary work for their final three days. Action on public statements and
staff nominations (including the reappointment of Raiser for a second term
as general secretary) is expected on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will be
devoted to recommendations from the unit committees, beginning with actions
on Assembly plans and finances. The meeting closes with a final worship
service on Friday afternoon 20 September.

*****
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 330, in more
than 100 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 Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Press and Information Office
Tel:  (41.22) 791.61.52/51
Fax:  (41.22) 798 13 46
E-Mail: jwn@wcc-coe.org

P.O. Box 2100
CH-1211 Geneva 2