wfn.org | WCC Assembly Approves Creation of a Universal Christian `Forum'

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16-December-1998 
98426 
    WCC Assembly Approves Creation of 
    a Universal Christian `Forum' 
 
    by Jerry Van Marter 
    Ecumenical News International 
 
HARARE, Zimbabwe -The eighth assembly of the World Council of Churches has 
given its backing to the creation of a "Forum of Christian Churches and 
Ecumenical Organizations," which could extend the organization's ecumenical 
reach far beyond its 330-plus member churches. 
 
    The proposed forum could potentially bring to a single ecumenical table 
nearly all of the main Christian churches and organizations in the world, 
including  many churches and organizations that are not WCC members, such 
as the Roman Catholic Church and major Pentecostal and Evangelical 
churches.  The forum could also include regional ecumenical organizations 
(REOs), Christian world communions (CWCs) and international ecumenical 
organizations. 
 
    The idea for the forum was contained in a policy statement - "Towards a 
Common Understanding and Vision for the WCC" (CUV) - which was received on 
Dec. 12 by the assembly. CUV is a restructuring of the WCC's programed and 
service, intended to make the organization more effective and more closely 
integrated with the work of its member churches. 
 
    But the WCC assembly held considerable debate before accepting the 
proposal for a forum. 
 
    An amendment proposed by Klaus Heidel of the Evangelical Church in 
Germany (EKD)  - that would have allowed only "occasional gatherings" among 
the WCC and nonmember groups, rather than a formal forum - was defeated. 
The vote on Heidel's proposed amendment was declared as 128 in favour, 287 
against and 56 abstentions.  To many observers and delegates the vote 
seemed much closer, but a motion calling for a  recount was soundly 
defeated. 
 
    Opponents of the forum argued that it would divert attention away from 
structural unity and create a "parallel" ecumenical structure to the WCC. 
"We cannot neglect the pain of ecumenical relations," said Wilfried Neusel 
of the EKD.  "This free market of religious thought could dilute the 
strength of the WCC assembly." 
 
    Livingstone Thompson, of the Moravian Church in Jamaica, agreed.  "Our 
main task is to renew the WCC," he said.  "And I don't want that to be 
diverted by the creation of this forum." 
 
    While acknowledging the danger of a "second-class status" being 
accorded to forum participants who were not WCC members, Clifton 
Kirkpatrick, of the Presbyterian Church (USA), supported the proposal. 
"Renewal comes from reaching out, not reaching in," he said, "and the forum 
represents a creative way to involve the broader body of Christ in the 
search for unity." 
 
    Approval of the forum represented a significant victory for WCC general 
secretary Konrad Raiser, who has floated the idea several times over the 
past two years. The proposal was included in the CUV policy when it was 
adopted by the WCC's central committee in 1997. 
 
    However, the WCC leadership suffered an overwhelming defeat when one of 
the constitutional amendments to implement CUV policy, to transfer election 
of the eight presidents of the WCC from the assembly to the Central 
Committee, attracted less than 50 votes from among the 960 delegates. 
 
    The presidents, who are elected by region, are often the WCC's most 
visible figures in the regions.  They generally liaise between the churches 
in their region, expressing their concerns to the 150-member central 
committee. 
 
    One major reason for the failed bid to transfer the election of the 
presidents to the central committee was to avoid embarrassing disputes 
within regional delegations over the choice of president. 

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