World Council of Churches

Criteria of admission

Theological criteria

In its life and its testimony, the Church professes the faith in God trinitaire according to the Writings, and such as this faith is reflected in the Symbol of Nicée-Constantinople.

There exists in this Church a ministry of proclamation of the Gospel and celebration of the sacraments according to the design of its doctrines.

the Church baptizes in the name of only God, “Father, Fils and Holy Spirit”, and recognizes the need for going towards the recognition of the baptism of other Churches.

the Church recognizes the presence and the activity of Christ and the Saint Spirit apart from his own borders and requests so that all receive from God wisdom to become aware owing to the fact that other Churches members also believe in the Holy Trinity and the salvific grace of God.

the Church recognizes in the other Churches members of the COE of the elements of the true Church, even if she does not regard them as “Churches in the truth and full direction of the term” (Declaration of Toronto).

Criteria of organization

the Church must prove the permanent autonomy of its life and its organization.

the Church must have the possibility of making the decision to present its candidature officially and to continue to belong to the fraternal community of the COE without having to obtain the authorization of another organization or another person.

In general, a Church candidate must count at least fifty thousand members. For exceptional reasons, the Central committee can give up applying this criterion and admitting a Church which would not satisfy there.

a Church candidate more than cash 10.000 members but less 50.000, to which was not granted the membership for exceptional reasons under article I.3.b) 3) of the Payment, but which satisfies all the other criteria of admission, can be allowed like member in the following conditions: (A) it will not have the right to take part in decision making to the Parliament; (b) it will be able to take part with other Churches in the choice of five representatives in the Central committee, in accordance with the IV.4.b article) 3) of the Payment. In all other connections, this Church is regarded as a Church member pertaining to the community of the COE.

the Churches must recognize the essential interdependence of the Churches members belonging to the community of the COE, in particular those of the same confession. They must make all their possible to maintain the constructive oecumenical relationships to other Churches of the country or area. That supposes normally that they are members of the National council of the Churches or a similar organization and regional or sous-régionale oecumenical organization.

Churches members

List of the Churches and the Councils members of the COE

Catholic church

The Roman Catholic church is only observant there (she does not wish to become member about it owing to the fact that the other Churches do not recognize the primacy in dignity to him that she claims), but automatically takes part in the commission Foi and constitution .

For the catholic definition of the word Church, to see the article Subsistit in. The Catholic church is defined as a eucharistic Church with Jesus-Christ in her center while the churches resulting from the Reform developed their particular designs of the real presence of which some are not Sub specie aeternitatis (see detailed article " Consubstantiation ").

General secretaries

The successive general secretaries of the COE were:

the Netherlander Willem To screw' T Hooft (1948 - 1966)
the American Eugene Carson Blake (1966 - 1972)
Caribéen Philipp Potter (1972 - 1984)
the Uruguyan Emilio Castro (1985 - 1992)
the German Konrad Raiser (1993 - 2003)
the Kenyan Samuel Kobia (since January 2004)

See too

Oecumenism

External bond

Official site of the World Council of Churches

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