wfn.org | WCC - WITH AN EYE TOWARDS QUOTAS AND BALANCE...

["Sheila MESA" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release
For Immediate Use
3 September 1999

CENTRAL COMMITTEE No. 18  

WITH AN EYE TOWARDS QUOTAS AND BALANCE, WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES NAMES MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Following intense discussion on inclusiveness and quotas for Orthodox Christians, women and youth, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee has approved a list of more than 200 people to serve on its committees and advisory bodies.  

The Central Committee took its action during the closing days of its meeting in Geneva August 26 - 3. September.   

It was the intent of the nominating committee that the committees include 25 percent Orthodox, 50 percent women and 20 percent youth, along with a balance from the various parts of the world and from among the WCC's 336 member churches. "We came close," said Clifton Kirkpatrick, a Presbyterian from the United States of America, moderator of the nominating committee, as Central Committee members carefully analyzed the slate of candidates searching for balance.  

In several cases, when churches proposed alternate candidates for committee membership, the matter was turned over to the WCC Executive Committee, which will make the final decision. All those nominated, must have the endorsement of the church body to which they belong.  

The Commissions to which persons were nominated, along with the one named moderator of the commission, are:

Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, The Rev. Ruth Bottoms of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, moderator.  

Commission on International Relations, Mr. Bethuel Kiplagat, Anglican Church of Kenya, moderator.  

Commission on Education, the Rev. Ofelia Ortega, Presbyterian Church in Cuba, moderator.  

Advisory Group on Church and Ecumenical Relations, Father Michael Tita, Romanian Orthodox Church, moderator.  

Advisory Group on Regional Relations and Ecumenical Sharing, Bishop Mvume Dandala, Methodist Church of South Africa, moderator.  

Advisory Group on Inter-Religious Relations and Dialogue, the Rev. Ipe Joseph, Mar Thoma Church, India, moderator.  

Advisory Group on Justice, Peace, and Creation, The Rev. Stanley McKay, United Church of Canada, moderator.  

Advisory Group on Women, Mukami McCrum, Church of Scotland, moderator.  

Advisory Group on Youth, Mr. Hildo Bos, Russian Orthodox Church, moderator.  

Joint Consultative Group with Pentecostals, Dr. Bruce Robbins, United Methodist Church, USA, moderator.  

Advisory Group on Communication, Manoushag Boyadjian, Armenian Orthodox Church, Lebanon, moderator. 

Nominations were also made for the Faith and Order Commission, a group which includes participants from the Roman Catholic Church; and for the WCC's Joint Working Group with the Roman Catholic Church.   

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of 336 churches, 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.

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