WCC general secretary shares with pope aspirations for unity, justice and peace
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit with Pope Francis in an audience at the Vatican. © L'Osservatore Romano
In an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican, the
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse
Tveit stressed the significance of Christian unity. He also expressed
appreciation for Pope Francis’s call to pray for peace in Syria and his
call for churches to remember the poor, encouraging Christians to work
for economic justice.
The WCC general secretary, who represents a fellowship of 345 member churches in more than 110 countries, expressed these views on 7 March during his visit to Rome hosted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church.
In his remarks Tveit said, “I believe that in our time God is opening new ways for us to unity, and for how the world can see our communion in Christ, particularly in the ways we can serve the world together.” He was referring to Pope Francis’ recent Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium which speaks of the joy of sharing the gospel. The “WCC rejoices that the call to work for justice and peace, in deep Christian solidarity and for the benefit of all human beings, is seen as a gospel imperative by so many parts of the Christian family,” Tveit emphasized.
Tveit mentioned WCC documents such as The Church: Towards a Common Vision and Together towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in a Changing Landscapes. These documents, he said, stress the concept of “servant church” and how a “church must be inclusive, sharing in a mission from the margins”.
Tveit also spoke about Pope Francis’s planned visit to Jerusalem where he will meet with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Tveit said, “We heartily appreciate that you are going there as a pilgrim at a time urgently calling for a sustainable conclusion to the peace process.”
For many years the WCC has worked and prayed for peace in Jerusalem, he said.
“We know that religion and faith play a significant role in the conflict in what should be a city of peace. We believe that only peace with justice in a shared city of three religions, and Israel and Palestine as two independent states, can bring an end to the occupation and the violence in this region,” Tveit added.
Tveit pointed to the call from the WCC Busan assembly in 2013 asking churches and people of good will to join a “pilgrimage of justice and peace”.
Along with emphasizing the important role of faith leaders in seeking solutions to conflicts in the world, Tveit also spoke about issues of climate change and economic justice as major concerns in the pilgrimage of justice and peace.
“The future of humanity is threatened; the poorest among us are already feeling the worst consequences of them. We encourage you and the Roman Catholic Church to be with us in mobilizing a real change of mind, heart and priorities,” he said.
Tveit called his personal conversation with Pope Francis “very positive”.
Read article from the Vatican Radio: Pope greets members from World Council of Churches
Message of the WCC general secretary delivered in audience with Pope Francis
Cooperation between the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church
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The WCC general secretary, who represents a fellowship of 345 member churches in more than 110 countries, expressed these views on 7 March during his visit to Rome hosted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church.
In his remarks Tveit said, “I believe that in our time God is opening new ways for us to unity, and for how the world can see our communion in Christ, particularly in the ways we can serve the world together.” He was referring to Pope Francis’ recent Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium which speaks of the joy of sharing the gospel. The “WCC rejoices that the call to work for justice and peace, in deep Christian solidarity and for the benefit of all human beings, is seen as a gospel imperative by so many parts of the Christian family,” Tveit emphasized.
Tveit mentioned WCC documents such as The Church: Towards a Common Vision and Together towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in a Changing Landscapes. These documents, he said, stress the concept of “servant church” and how a “church must be inclusive, sharing in a mission from the margins”.
Tveit also spoke about Pope Francis’s planned visit to Jerusalem where he will meet with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Tveit said, “We heartily appreciate that you are going there as a pilgrim at a time urgently calling for a sustainable conclusion to the peace process.”
The Christian Council of Norway at the WCC headquarter.
The Christian Council of Norway at the Vatican.
For many years the WCC has worked and prayed for peace in Jerusalem, he said.
“We know that religion and faith play a significant role in the conflict in what should be a city of peace. We believe that only peace with justice in a shared city of three religions, and Israel and Palestine as two independent states, can bring an end to the occupation and the violence in this region,” Tveit added.
Tveit pointed to the call from the WCC Busan assembly in 2013 asking churches and people of good will to join a “pilgrimage of justice and peace”.
Along with emphasizing the important role of faith leaders in seeking solutions to conflicts in the world, Tveit also spoke about issues of climate change and economic justice as major concerns in the pilgrimage of justice and peace.
“The future of humanity is threatened; the poorest among us are already feeling the worst consequences of them. We encourage you and the Roman Catholic Church to be with us in mobilizing a real change of mind, heart and priorities,” he said.
Tveit called his personal conversation with Pope Francis “very positive”.
Read article from the Vatican Radio: Pope greets members from World Council of Churches
Message of the WCC general secretary delivered in audience with Pope Francis
Cooperation between the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church
March 10 - Sweden's Pentecostal Megapastor Converts to Catholicism
The founder of a 3,300-member megachurch in one of Sweden's largest cities announced yesterday [Sunday, March 9] his decision to leave his charismatic congregation and join the Roman Catholic Church. Ulf Ekman, who
introduced Sweden to the prosperity-emphasizing Word of Faith movement
when he founded Word of Life Ministries and Word of Life Church, had
stepped down from the pastorate at the Uppsala church last spring.
"I
have come to realize that the movement I for the last 30 years have
represented, despite successes and much good that has occurred on
various mission fields, is part of the ongoing Protestant fragmentation of Christendom," Ekman wrote in an op-ed for Swedish newspaper Daegens Nyheter. In joining the Catholic church, Ekman, founder of Scandinavia's largest Bible school, said he plans to pursue unity among Christian movements and denominations. Meanwhile, Word of Life Church announced that it would hold a special meeting for parishioners on Monday.
Ekman was ordained a
minister in the Swedish Lutheran Church in 1979 before leaving the
denomination to found Word of Faith Church in Uppsala in 1983, according to his website. More than 9,500 students have graduated from the ministry's affiliated Bible school.
In an note on his ministry website, Ekman explains that he and his wife, Birgitta Ekman,
have undergone a slow transformation over the past decade as they have
come to know practicing Roman Catholics, including many charismatic
Catholics. "It really challenged our protestant prejudices, and we
realized that we in many cases did not have any basis for our criticism
of them," Ekman said in the note. "We needed to know the Catholic faith better."
Below is the announcement of Ekman's switch:
We have seen a great love for Jesus and a sound theology, founded on the Bible and classic dogma. We have experienced the richness of sacramental life. We have seen the logic in having a solid structure for priesthood, that keeps the faith of the church and passes it on from one generation to the next. We have met an ethical and moral strength and consistency that dare to face up to the general opinion, and a kindness towards the poor and the weak. And, last but not least, we have come in contact with representatives for millions of charismatic Catholics and we have seen their living faith, Ulf Ekman explains.
We have seen a great love for Jesus and a sound theology, founded on the Bible and classic dogma. We have experienced the richness of sacramental life. We have seen the logic in having a solid structure for priesthood, that keeps the faith of the church and passes it on from one generation to the next. We have met an ethical and moral strength and consistency that dare to face up to the general opinion, and a kindness towards the poor and the weak. And, last but not least, we have come in contact with representatives for millions of charismatic Catholics and we have seen their living faith, Ulf Ekman explains.
In his speech to the church this Sunday, Ulf Ekman stressed that this step was not going from something, but more importantly going towards something else.
Sweden's Pentecostal Megapastor Converts to Catholicism
Ulf Ekman stuns his Word of Life megachurch in Sunday sermon: He's crossing the Tiber.
[ posted 3/10/2014 03:25PM ]
Screenshot of Word of Life recorded sermon.
Ulf Ekman breaks the news to his Word of Life congregation.
The founder of a 3,300-member megachurch in one of Sweden's largest
cities announced yesterday [Sunday, March 9] his decision to leave his
charismatic congregation and join the Roman Catholic Church.
Ulf Ekman, who introduced Sweden to the prosperity-emphasizing Word of
Faith movement when he founded Word of Life Ministries and Word of Life
Church, had stepped down from the pastorate at the Uppsala church last
spring.
"I have come to realize that the movement I for the last 30 years have
represented, despite successes and much good that has occurred on
various mission fields, is part of the ongoing Protestant fragmentation
of Christendom," Ekman wrote in an op-ed for Swedish newspaper Daegens Nyheter.
In joining the Catholic church, Ekman, founder of Scandinavia's largest
Bible school, said he plans to pursue unity among Christian movements
and denominations. Meanwhile, Word of Life Church announced that it
would hold a special meeting for parishioners on Monday.
Charisma and Aletheia report more details of Ekman's conversion. His announcement can be watched here.
Ekman was ordained
a minister in the Swedish Lutheran Church in 1979 before leaving the
denomination to found Word of Faith Church in Uppsala in 1983, according
to his website. More than 9,500 students have graduated from the
ministry's affiliated Bible school.
In a note
on his ministry website, Ekman explains that he and his wife, Birgitta
Ekman, have undergone a slow transformation over the past decade as they
have come to know practicing Roman Catholics, including many
charismatic Catholics.
"It really challenged our protestant prejudices, and we realized that
we in many cases did not have any basis for our criticism of them,"
Ekman said in the note. "We needed to know the Catholic faith better."
CT has written about other high-profile conversions to Catholicism, including a Q&A with Evangelical Theology Society president Francis Beckwith after he rejoined the Catholic Church in 2007.
CT has also covered Christianity in Sweden, including the Pentecostal World Conference in Stockholm and government evaluation that threatens the training of Swedish pastors. CT assessed the Word-Faith movement in the 1990s.
Below is the announcement of Ekman's switch:
During our last Sunday service, pastor Ulf Ekman shared the news that he and his wife Birgitta will ba accepted into the Catholic Church. A process of many years of prayer and reflection led to this decision.
During the last ten years, Ulf and Birgitta have had contact with catholics and catholic faith, mostly internationally but also in Sweden. This has made them reflect more on the catholic faith and on the spiritual life they have seen in their catholic brothers and sisters.
- For Birgitta and me, this has been a slow process were we have gone from discovering new things, to appreciating what we have discovered, to approach and even learn from our fellow Christians, Ulf Ekman says.
- We have seen a great love for Jesus and a sound theology, founded on the Bible and classic dogma. We have experienced the richness of sacramental life. We have seen the logic in having a solid structure for priesthood, that keeps the faith of the church and passes it on from one generation to the next. We have met an ethical and moral strength and consistency that dare to face up to the general opinion, and a kindness towards the poor and the weak. And, last but not least, we have come in contact with representatives for millions of charismatic Catholics and we have seen their living faith, Ulf Ekman explains.
- All this has been both attractive and challenging. It really challenged our protestant prejudices, and we realized that we in many cases did not have any basis for our criticism of them. We needed to know the Catholic faith better. This led us to the realize that it was actually Jesus Christ who led us to unite with the Catholic Church, Ulf Ekman says.
Ulf and Birgitta Ekman emphazises that this is about a personal journey.
- It has not been our agenda to lead Word of Life in this direction, or to collectively unite the church with the Catholic Church. That would be unreasonable.
In his speech to the church this Sunday, Ulf Ekman stressed that this step was not going from something, but more importantly going towards something else.
- We love the church that we have been a part of building and serving for the last thirty years, and we could never be anything but grateful for the time we have had together, but we have felt a clear calling from the Lord to take this new step. Now, when we do so, we are convinced that the Word of Life church is in good hands and will keep prospering and bear fruit in it's on vision.
