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Wednesday October 24, 2007

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New Reformed body to be formed

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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, October 22, 2007 The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) today agreed to unite with the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) to create a new global Reformed body representing more than 80 million Reformed Christians worldwide. The historic decision took place… More

END THE SILENCE CONCERNING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

World Alliance of Reformed Churches

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The best guarded secret

Esly Carvalho · Forum

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Culture of Peace

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How can we construct a culture of peace in our community and in our country? Share your experience. More news Receive the ALC email news service absolutely FREE.You will be sent a message with all of the week's news from ALC. Latest headlines More

Wealth versus greed

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 22, 2007

When does the pursuit of economical wellbeing turn into greed? This is one of the questions to be discussed at a 5-9 November ecumenical consultation in Dar es Salaam. Joint church strategies and actions for addressing the interlinked problems of poverty, excessive wealth, and ecological… More

Cuba begins its election process

Cuba, October 22, 2007

Millions of Cubans have voted in municipal polls, starting an election cycle that could decide if Fidel Castro will officially stay Cuba's leader. More

HIV and AIDS rights advocate appointed conference Bible study leader

October 17, 2007

The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) is pleased to announce that Ms Phumzile Zondi-Mabizela will serve as the leader of daily Bible study and prayers sessions for Congress 2008, the world communication conference scheduled for October 6-10, 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa. The… More

CLAI participates in the public presentation of the Christian Ecumenical Council of Guatemala

Guatemala, October 15, 2007

On September 28, in the historic Oslo Room of the House of Reconciliation, and with a resounding “Yes” to the question, “Will the prophetic voice of God and God’s people be heard against social injustice?” the Reverend Eduardo Chinchilla, Regional Secretary of the Latin American Council of Churches… More

Luther’s thinking, work and legacy to be commemorated

BOGOTA, Colombia, October 15, 2007

On the occasion of the celebration of the 490th anniversary of the Reformation of October 31, 1517, and the 527th anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther, the Lutheran Community of Colombia and its St. John the Apostle and Evangelist church in Bogotá, together with the German Lutheran Church,… More

Dirty War priest gets life term

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, October 10, 2007

A court in Argentina has convicted a former Roman Catholic police chaplain of collaborating in murders during the country's military rule. More

Christians should laugh more, says Japanese church leader

TOKYO, Japan, October 9, 2007

The leader of Japan's largest grouping of churches is known for his sense of humor, which he says comes from the gospel. More

History of Christianity’s interest in Afro-American Christianity awakened

HAVANA, Cuba, October 8, 2007

The complex nature of African and Afro-American Christianity, that has so often been ignored and even rejected by the Christian churches, both Catholic and Reformed and Evangelical, was the theme that caused an intense discussion among the students attending the post-graduate course on the History… More

Costa Rica supports US trade deal

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, October 8, 2007

The President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, has said the country has given its backing to a free trade agreement with the United States. More

Evangelicals ask for equality and the declaring of the Day of the Bible

CARACAS, Venezuela, October 4, 2007

On Tuesday, October 2, representatives from Venezuelan Evangelical churches asked the parliamentarians who make up the general commission that is studying the Project of Constitutional Reform, that the equality of all religions be recognized in the country’s Magna Carta. More

Church economist urges moral reform of global system

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2007

A World Council of Churches economist has criticized the global economic system for creating "material and spiritual poverty" and called for a people-centered economy in which morality replaces mathematics. More

Correa 'to shut' Ecuador Congress

QUITO, Ecuador, October 1, 2007

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has said he will dissolve the national Congress after claiming victory in constituent assembly elections. More

Anglican Communion Secretary Responds to Episcopal Bishops

USA, September 27, 2007

The Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, issued a statement September 26 on behalf of the Joint Standing Committee (JSC) of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council, in light of its recent meeting with the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops in New Orleans. More

Church of South India Jubilee Fund boasts million dollar success

India, September 27, 2007

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the Church of South India has raised the equivalent of US$1 million for social projects, after most of its four million members each contributed at least 10 rupees, or 25 US cents, towards a special jubilee fund. More

Nuns excommunicated for heresy

USA, September 27, 2007

Six Catholic nuns have been excommunicated for heresy after refusing to give up membership in a Canadian sect whose founder claims to be possessed by the Virgin Mary, the Diocese of Little Rock announced Wednesday. More

The Accra Confession: a call to courage to change the world

LOUISVILLE, USA, September 20, 2007

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches’ (WARC) Accra Confession is “a call to courage” to bring change, a gathering of Presbyterians from the United States was told on 18 September in Louisville, Kentucky. More

US churches to share experiences of violence and peacemaking

GENEVA, Switzerland, September 13, 2007

Church leaders and communities facing situations of violence in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New Orleans will share their experiences with an international ecumenical team visiting the United States from 15-23 September. More

On 9/11 anniversary, Williams makes plea for suspected terrorists

Great Britain, September 12, 2007

The dignity of every human being - including suspected terrorists - is non-negotiable, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has told members of the Christian Muslim Forum during a lecture marking the sixth anniversary of 9/11. More

The Lutheran Church firmly committed to the “NO” to the FTA

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, September 10, 2007

In February of this year, organizations of the Popular Ecumenical Movement of Costa Rica declared their opposition to the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between that country and the United States. Seven months later and less than a month before the referendum to take place on October 7, the… More

Hurricane devastated north coast of Nicaragua

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 7, 2007

Photographs at www.clailatino.org More

Latin American Lutheran Churches Consultation on Water in El Salvador

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, September 6, 2007

From September 4 to 8, the World Lutheran Federation and its Mission and Development offices, and the MEIS office in Geneva, are holding a Latin American consultation in El Salvador with the theme, “Moving the Waters.” More

E-tithing across North America expands Adventist church's donor base

USA, September 5, 2007

When the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kettering, Ohio (USA), decided to accept donations through the Internet, treasurer Ed Mann noticed contributions from people who hadn't usually given. More

Ecumenical schools promote theological education

SAO LEOPOLDO, Brazil, August 30, 2007

The real development of theological education takes place within the ecumenical associations and schools of theology, markedly characterized as spaces of freedom and creativity, deeply committed to God’s purpose. More

The Venezuelan Evangelical Pentecostal Union celebrates half a century of its existence and witness

MARACAIBO, Venezuela, August 28, 2007

From August 23 to 26 in the city of Maracaibo, the Venezuelan Evangelical Pentecostal Union (UEPV in Spanish) celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation, which coincided with its XLIII National Convention and the II Latin American and Caribbean Bolivarian Evangelical Congress. More

Bogotá city councilor asks that rapist priests and pastors appear on the walls of infamy

BOGOTA, Colombia, August 27, 2007

“The first persons who should be on the so-called walls of infamy of the city are those priests and pastors who, taking advantage of their positions of power or affection, sexually abuse minors,” Bogotá city Councilwoman Gilma Jiménez has asked of the capital district’s city council. More

Argentine Evangelical Methodist Church commitment to a more just society

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, August 22, 2007

The Argentine Evangelical Methodist Church (IEMA in Spanish) has sent a message to the country and to its communities at the end of its XX General Assembly, which took place in the Ward School in the western section of Greater Buenos Aires, from August 17 to 20. More

Abducted Colombian Episcopal priest found

BOGOTA, Colombia, August 22, 2007

The Colombian priest, the Rev. Ricardo Morales Gaviria, who was abducted August 20 by outlaw militias has been found disoriented and heavily drugged, Colombia Bishop Francisco Duque-Gomez confirmed August 21. He is being evaluated at a local hospital. More

Shared experience of a visit to Chincha and Pueblo Nuevo

LIMA, Peru, August 22, 2007

In the letter that follows, Bishop Jorge Bravo C. of the Methodist Church of Peru shares the experience of a visit on August 18 to communities affected by the recent earthquake. More

Photographs of the earthquake in Peru

QUITO, Ecuador, August 22, 2007

Photographs of the earthquake in Peru More

New pastoral letter addresses the impact of the paper mills

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, August 14, 2007

As a result of having been convened again by the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI in Spanish), a gathering took place on Friday, August 3, in the parish church of Our Lady of the Pilar, in Fray Bentos, Uruguay. Leaders of different Christian churches gathered together as they had done… More

Denied by government, Namibia church-backed grants proceed

August 13, 2007

After more than three years of trying to convince the Namibian government to allocate 100 Namibian dollars (US$14) a month to the poor, churches and non-governmental organizations in the country have decided to go it alone, and have selected a village near Windhoek to test their idea. More

Votes on gay clergy fuel further controversy for US Lutherans

NEW YORK, USA, August 13, 2007

For years, the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States has avoided some of the rancor over the issue of same-sex relationships that has divided the Episcopal (Anglican) Church and, to a lesser extent, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Methodist Church. More

Japanese Christian leader hails U.S. resolution on sex slaves

TOKYO, Japan, August 7, 2007

The head of the National Christian Council in Japan has welcomed a U.S. House of Representatives resolution that demands Tokyo's formal apology for a system of sexual slavery that existed during the Second World War, and whose victims were euphemistically called "comfort women". More

Progress towards a Christian code of conduct on religious conversion

GENEVA, Switzerland, August 6, 2007

With Evangelical and Pentecostal representatives joining in at an 8-12 August consultation in Toulouse, the joint Vatican-WCC study process on religious conversion gets one step closer to its goal of a common code of conduct in seeking converts to Christianity. More

Torrijos enacts law declaring September to be the "Month of the Holy Scriptures"

PANAMA CITY, Panama, August 2, 2007

The law declaring “September as being the month of the Holy Scriptures” in Panama is sufficiently broad and respectful, in such a way that no person is obligated to celebrate it and it does not go against the freedom of worship, has expressed Representative Vladimir Herrera. More

Colombia diocese's care for neediest affirmed by Presiding Bishop

BOGOTA, Colombia, July 31, 2007

Care for the neediest -- especially children and widows without adequate food and shelter -- is central to the ministry of the Episcopal Church's Diocese of Colombia, which welcomed Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori for a July 18-21 pastoral visit. More

Killing of hostages in Afghanistan hurts all Koreans says church

SEOUL, Korea, July 31, 2007

The head of the World Council of Churches has joined the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea in denouncing the killing of a second Korean Christian hostage in Afghanistan, while the Korean denomination has called on the US and Afghanistan to negotiate the freeing of the hostages with the Taliban. More

President of the UENIC assures that there is a future for a liberation theology from Nicaragua

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, July 24, 2007

When asked if there is a future for a liberation theology, Benjamín Cortes, President of the Evangelical Nicaraguan University (UENIC in Spanish), replied: “I am not at all certain. A lot depends on what we are doing today. It also depends on the re-readings of our history, on the criticism of the… More

Jewish groups welcome Vatican declaration over conversion prayer

NEW YORK, USA, July 25, 2007

US-based Jewish groups have praised a Vatican declaration that it will consider the elimination of a prayer of conversion that exists in the church's traditional Latin Mass. In 1963, Pope Paul VI declared that, following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Tridentine Mass, as the service… More

Lutherans are encouraged to intercede for ecumenism

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, July 23, 2007

The President of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB in Spanish), has encouraged pastors and preachers to intercede on behalf of the cause of ecumenism, in the Sunday services during the coming weeks. More

President of AIPRAL asks that there not be a disheartening in the task of unity

SAO PAULO, Brazil, July 18, 2007

“Has Christ been divided?” With Paul’s question to the Corinthians the Rev. Clayton Leal da Silva, President of the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches of Latin America (AIPRAL in Spanish), begins his reaction to the recent statements of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. More

Churches accompany task of Bolivian Constituent Assembly

SUCRE, Bolivia, July 16, 2007

The processes taking place in the Constituent Assembly in Bolivia and their main concerns, were the subject of analysis at a seminar and gathering that took place in the city of Sucre on June 27 and 28, organized by the Indigenous Pastoral Ministry of the World Council of Churches (CMI – Consejo… More

SEARCH FOR NEW DIRECTOR OF ALC

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, July 17, 2007

The Latin American and Caribbean News Agency (ALC in Spanish) is looking for a new director. The search process will continue through September 30, 2007. The details of the profiles involved can be found at https://alcnoticias.org/articulo.asp?artCode=6301&lanCode=2 More

Minister Filmus fulfills what was promised to CLAI

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, July 16, 2007

With the signature on July 3 of Daniel Filmus, Minister of Education, Science and Technology of the Argentine Republic, the book, “Learning to Educate for Peace” (“Aprender a educar para la paz” in Spanish), was declared to be of “educational interest.” Written by Marcelo Rezende Guimaraes and… More

WARC questions Vatican statement on status of Reformed churches

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 10, 2007

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) wrote to the Vatican 10 July, questioning Rome’s clarification on the status of non-Catholic churches, saying the statement “takes us back to the kind of thinking and atmosphere that was prevalent prior to the Second Vatican Council.” More

Brazil, U.S.- based churches share common mission

Brazil, July 9, 2007

Two wooden chalices -- both newly carved from the same block of cedar -- tell of shared faith and friendship rooted in Brazil and the United States. More

Hans Bodenmann, founder of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ecuador, dies

QUITO, Ecuador, July 4, 2007

On Wednesday morning, July 4, the founder of the tri-congregation Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ecuador (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana del Ecuador), Hans Bodenmann, died at the age of 97. More

President Correa urged to reconsider decision not to give any more news conferences

QUITO, Ecuador, July 3, 2007

Reporters Without Borders deplores President Rafael Correa’s verbal attacks on the press and above all his decision not to give any more news conferences. The aggressiveness of some of the news media towards him is undeniable, but he should try to defuse the tension between the press and the… More

Colombia rebels 'killed hostages'

BOGOTA, Colombia, June 28, 2007

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has accused the FARC rebel group of murdering 11 politicians they were holding captive last week. More

Rapid urban growth leading to religious renewal, UN report says

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 28, 2007

More people in the world are living in cities than ever before, and this is leading to renewed interest in religion, and confounding those who predicted a growth of secularization, according to a new UN report. More

Latin American consultation of the World Christian Forum begins

SANTIAGO , Chile, June 27, 2007

The consultation for Latin America of the World Christian Forum (FCM in Spanish) began in Santiago, Chile on June 26, in coordination with the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI in Spanish), the Latin American Conference of Bishops (CELAM in Spanish), and the World Council of Churches (CMI in Spanish). More

Presentation of the book: “Building Peace: Sustainable reconciliation in divided societies”

BOGOTA, Colombia, June 26, 2007

On Wednesday, June 27 in the Andes Plaza Hotel, the joint program In Solidarity with Colombia of the National Secretariat for the Social Pastoral Program of Catholic Relief Services (CRS Colombia) and the United Nations Development Program in Colombia, will present the Colombian edition of John… More

Evangelical ecological agriculture project celebrates its first anniversary

Peru, June 21, 2007

The Land of Grace (Tierras de Gracia) project, being carried forward by a group of Evangelical brothers and sisters who are involved in an important effort of agro forestry and ecological production in the Department of Tacna (in the south of Peru), celebrated its first anniversary last June 10. More

The detention, torture and murder of an Evangelical because of religious motives, denounced

MEXICO CITY, Mexico, June 20, 2007

The Bar of Christian Lawyers has made known the death of a citizen, member of an Evangelical church, murdered presumably because of religious motives in the state of Chiapas. The lawyers assure that this murder has taken place because “the authorities have let the majority of the offenses having to… More

Repudiation and calls for justice follow attack on the office of Justapaz in Bogotá

SAO LEOPOLDO and BUENOS AIRES, Brazil and Argentina, June 19, 2007

The Latin American and Caribbean Theological Education Community (CETELA in Spanish), has repudiated the attack on the office of Justapaz (“Just Peace”) in Bogotá, and has expressed its solidarity with that organization, the Mennonite Church of Colombia, and with all the persons of the two… More

Curacao premières theatrical presentation of the Song of Solomon

WILLEMSTAD, Curazao, June 19, 2007

A theatrical version of the Song of Solomon in Papiamento, the native language of Curacao, called “Kanto di tur Kanto,” has begun its presentations in the Luna Blou Theatre of Willemstad, in the Dutch Caribbean. More

Episcopal Church’s Executive Council declines to participate in Primates' 'pastoral scheme'

NEW YORK, USA, June 14, 2007

The Episcopal Church's Executive Council told the Anglican Communion June 14 that no governing body other than General Convention can interpret Convention resolutions or agree to deny "future decisions by dioceses or General Convention." More

Peru interfaith delegation seeks pollution controls on US factory

NEW YORK, USA, June 14, 2007

Members of an interfaith delegation from Peru are seeking public support in the United States for efforts to pressure a US corporation to lower the level of lead emissions from its smelter plant in their country. The plant has reportedly made the Peruvian city of La Oroya one of the world's most polluted places. More

Cuba ordains first woman bishop

HAVANA, Cuba, June 11, 2007

The Episcopal Church in Cuba has consecrated a woman bishop - the first in the developing world. The Reverend Nerva Cot is now the 18th female bishop in the world. More

Tutu tells G8 leaders in Germany, 'We can survive only together'

COLONIA, Germany, June 8, 2007

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu has joined other religious leaders and globalization critics in sending an anti-poverty message to leaders of the Group of Eight industrial nations who are meeting in Germany. More

Peruvian Congress greets Methodist Church on its anniversary

LIMA, Peru, June 8, 2007

The Congress of the Republic of Peru has publicly expressed its congratulations and greetings to the Methodist Church, on the occasion of the celebration of the 130th anniversary of the establishing of its first missionary work in the country. More

Evangelical churches organize ecumenical meeting on the environment in Gualeguaychú

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, June 7, 2007

Even though the daily national news no longer continues to inform about what was called “the conflict between Argentina and Uruguay over the paper mills,” the consequences of the years of resistance in Gualeguaychú, on the Argentine side, and the location of the Botnia plant in Fray Bentos, on the… More

India's Catholic schools deflect 'elite' label with more Dalit places

NEW DELHI, India, June 5, 2007

The Roman Catholic Church in India say it will give greater priority to marginalized groups such as Dalits, to people known as tribals and to the poor in admissions to its vast network of nearly 15 000 educational institutions. More

The Catholic Church to search for the distanced

SAO PAULO, Brazil, June 5, 2007

The Catholic Church is to widen and emphasize home visitations as one way of meeting with Catholics who are distanced from the church. The proposal is endorsed by the final document issued by the V General Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops, which ended Thursday, May 31, in… More

British government wants faith schools to twin with other religions

LONDON, Great Britain, May 30, 2007

The British government is urging faith-based schools in England and Wales to twin with similar establishments of other beliefs as part of a legal obligation, which comes into force on September 1. More

Mass conversion to Buddhism shows religious freedom say Indians

NEW DELHI, India, May 29, 2007

Church leaders in India say they are elated at a mass conversion ceremony in Mumbai said by organizers to have gathered nearly 100,000 people at which thousands of oppressed Dalits and nomadic people embraced Buddhism. More

Former PA Congressman Edgar chosen new Common Cause President/CEO

WASHINGTON, USA, May 22, 2007

Robert William (Bob) Edgar, the general secretary of The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), and a former congressman who represented eastern Pennsylvania from 1975 to 1987, was elected president and chief executive officer of Common Cause by the organization’s National… More

French Reformed and Lutherans move closer to unity

PARIS, FRance, May 22, 2007

Two French Protestant churches have agreed to start discussions with the aim of creating a united denomination by 2013 bringing together Reformed and Lutheran Christians. More

Latino theologians gather to produce Spanish-language education resource

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 21, 2007

Theologians from five of the seven dioceses in Province IX and one from the Diocese of Atlanta gathered in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, April 16-20 to write basic materials that will form a comprehensive Spanish-language Christian education resource for the Episcopal Church. More

CEHILA asks its bishops to return to the Gospel as their source

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, May 18, 2007

Latin American historians, members of the Commission for the Study of the History of the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean (CEHILA in Spanish), called on the Roman Catholic bishops meeting in Aparecida, Brazil, to take hold of the moment as being a “time of grace” and to make constructive… More

Reformed churches decide about matters vital to their composition and functioning

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, May 15, 2007

With the theme of the passage from the prophet Isaiah, “But those who trust in the Lord will always have new strength,” the Reformed Churches of Argentina (IRA in Spanish) have convened their 37th Synod to be held in the costal city of Mar del Plata, from May 25 – 27. More

Marxism and capitalism have failed Latin America, says Pope

Brazil, May 14, 2007

Neither Marxist nor capitalist systems can offer hope to Latin America, Pope Benedict XVI has told the continent's Roman Catholic bishops, as he urged them to make greater efforts to build up the Church. More

Code in defense of children makes public the faces of sexual violators

BOGOTA, Colombia, May 10, 2007

With the entering into effect this week of the Infants and Adolescents Code, also entering into effect is Agreement 272, which seeks to punish sexual violations against minors resident in Colombia’s capital city of Bogotá, and to prevent that such aggressions go unpunished, according to Elvira… More

Blair's legacy a matter of praise and regret, says church leader

EDIMBURGO, Escocia, May 10, 2007

The leader of the biggest Protestant church in Scotland has paid tribute to British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his role in the Northern Ireland peace process but criticized him for supporting US foreign policy. More

Pope arrives in Brazil for visit

SAO PAULO, Brazil, May 9, 2007

Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo for a five-day visit to the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation. More

The internet, newspapers and the Bible preferred by readers

LIMA, Peru, May 7, 2007

Last April the Institute of Public Opinion of the Catholic University of Peru presented the findings of a study done on the levels of reading in the city of Lima. The study was carried out on the occasion of the celebration of Book Day, April 23. More

Ecuador to Investigate Rights Abuses

QUITO, Ecuador, May 5, 2007

Ecuador's new leftist government has set up a truth commission to investigate alleged human rights abuses committed over the last 27 years, particularly during the right-wing administration of former President Leon Febres Cordero. More

Methodist delegates meet with Uruguay’s Central Worker’s Union

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, May 3, 2007

A delegation from the Methodist Church of Uruguay (IMU in Spanish), headed by Pastor Oscar Bolioli, was received on April 27 by the General Secretary of the PIT-CNT, Uruguay’s Central Worker’s Union. More

Celebration of the 20 years of work of Bread for the World

HAVANA, Cuba, May 1, 2007

Rhode González, President of the Council of Churches of Cuba (CIC in Spanish), headed the event celebrating the German Christian agency Bread for the World’s (PPM in Spanish) 20 years of cooperation in Cuba. More

Kobia calls for ecumenically responsible evangelism

EDIMBURGO, Escocia, April 27, 2007

On the threshold of the 100th anniversary celebration of the 1910 Edinburgh World Mission Conference, widely regarded as the symbolic starting point of the modern ecumenical movement, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia offered a sober analysis of the past… More

Evangelicals and politics as seen by ACIERA

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, April 25, 2007

"We are in an election year and, as has occurred in recent years, we hear of the offer of candidacies or political space that Evangelicals receive from the political parties or of candidates looking for the support of the ‘Evangelicals.’ We also observe how some pastors try to gain support for… More

Russian religious leaders say Yeltsin transformed Church-State relations

April 24, 2007

Patriarch Alexei II of the Russian Orthodox Church has praised Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, who has died of heart failure in Moscow, for enabling a religious revival that took place across the former communist country during his presidency. More

Abortion legalized in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY, Mexico, April 24, 2007

Mexico City's legislative assembly has voted to legalize abortion in the city, the capital of the world's second-largest Roman Catholic country. New legislation will permit abortions of pregnancies in the first trimester, or 12 weeks, but only in Mexico City. More

Methodist Bishops question “homophobia law”

SAO PAULO, Brazil, April 23, 2007

To both publicly and privately preach and teach against homosexual practices as being a sin and disobeying of the teachings of God, is an inalienable right of the church according to the College of Bishops of the Methodist Church of Brazil, which questions the so called “homophobia law.” More

World Reformed Alliance challenge to the ecumenical movement discussed by Lutherans

SANTIAGO , Chile, April 20, 2007

The leadership conference of the Latin American Lutheran Churches held in Santiago de Chile, has discussed the need for a reshaping of the ecumenical movement. More

Lutheran theologians in the face of fundamentalism

GENEVA, Switzerland, April 18, 2007

“Fundamentalism provides an overarching narrative, in which people find meaning for their lives. Our challenge is to counter this with a compelling counter-narrative of how God is at work in the world, fostering justice, inclusivity and peace,” urged Rev. Dr Barbara Rossing, who teaches New… More

Religious leaders strengthen their commitment against HIV and AIDS

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, April 17, 2007

“I am satisfied with the opening of hearts,” said Elías Szczytnicki, Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Office of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP), during the Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Pre-Forum of the IV Latin American and Caribbean Forum on HIV/AIDS and… More

The call of the bishops with regard to the referendum on the FTA

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, April 17, 2007

Today the government of Oscar Arias asked the congress of Costa Rica to call a referendum to determine the future of a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. The agreement has caused confrontation among the Costa Rican society during the past three years. The referendum will take place if it… More

Lutheran Church opposes ethanol production in the country

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, April 11, 2007

“Since corn and sugar cane are the raw materials for the producing of ethanol for fuel in the country, we are opposed to it because its negative impact on the family economy will be greater that the benefits that it could bring about,” has said Bishop Medardo Gómez of the Salvadorian Lutheran Church. More

Galapagos Islands 'facing crisis'

LONDON, Great Britain, April 11, 2007

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has declared the Galapagos Islands, home to dozens of endangered species, at risk and a national priority for action. The islands, Ecuador's top tourist draw, were suffering an environmental and social crisis, he said. More

Hindus plead for the right to cremate their dead in Britain

LONDON, Great Britain, April 11, 2007

Leaders of Britain's Hindu community of more than 500 000 are asking to be given the same full cultural and religious freedoms enjoyed by other major religions in the United Kingdom, such as Christians, Muslims and Jews. "We are asking for the right to cremate our dead in the way they have been… More

Evangelicals consider drop in Catholic priestly vocations

MEXICO CITY, Mexico, April 10, 2007

The Mexican daily newspaper Reforma, in its April 7 edition, quotes members of Evangelical churches on their attributing the increase in pastors and the decrease of priests to the “errors committed by the Catholic Church and the lack of participation of its members.” More

World Council of Churches, Christian Aid, lead London climate meeting

GENEVA, Switzerland, April 10, 2007

The World Council of Churches is sponsoring a meeting hosted by the British agency Christian Aid in London from April 12 to 15 that will examine options for faith communities' participation in a proposed civil society campaign on climate. More

Vatican hits to limit liberation theology, says Boff

SAO LEOPOLDO, Brazil, April 3, 2007

When condemning the writings of Jesuit Jon Sobrino, the Vatican hits on him but at the same time is thinking of the Latin American church, which, in the eyes of the Roman Curia, is in need of being “re-boxed in the persistent process of Romanizing begun by John Paul II,” said theologian Leonardo… More

Forum involving churches in Defense of the Constitution

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, April 2, 2007

With an ecumenical worship service in front of the Legislative Assembly and the presentation of a formal letter to the Supreme Court, a manifestation by representatives of over 20 organizations of churches, worker’s unions and associations ended on March 29. The manifestation asked that the Special… More

There will not be peace in the world if there is not peace among religions, says Hans Küng

BOGOTA, Colombia, March 27, 2007

"There will not be peace in the world if there is not peace among religions,” said Professor Hans Küng during the Week of Ethics and World Peace that took place through Saturday, March 24, in this capital city. The theologian of Swiss origin, concluded by saying that it is necessary to accept a… More

Dutch churches want new thinking on EU

UTRECHT, March 26, 2007

The Council of Churches in the Netherlands, where voters in 2005 rejected a draft constitution for the European Union, has urged the country's new government to come up with ideas on how to strengthen the 27-nation grouping. More

World Lutherans told members must interpret their Scriptures

LUND, Sweden, March 26, 2007

Lutheran churches need to encourage their members to interpret the Scriptures using established principles, based on the life and teaching of Jesus, Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders Wejryd has told Lutherans from all over the world. He preached before about 1000 Christians gathered on 25 March in… More

FAO urges action to cope with increasing water scarcity

ROME, March 22, 2007

As the number-one user of water worldwide, the agriculture sector must be in the lead in addressing the rising global demand for water and its potential drain on the earth’s natural resources, FAO said today on the occasion of World Water Day. More

United Pentecostal Church celebrates its 70 years in Colombia

BOGOTA, Colombia, March 20, 2007

This past weekend over 50 thousand Evangelicals gathered together in the El Campín Covered Coliseum in Bogotá, Colombia’s capital city. The gathering was to commemorate the 70 years in Colombia of the United Pentecostal Church, the largest Christian Evangelical denomination in the country, with… More

The Lutheran World Federation Returns to Lund to Celebrate 60th Anniversary

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 18, 2007

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) returns to the Swedish city of Lund, to celebrate its 60th anniversary at the place where it was founded in 1947. More

Law for religious equality presented in Peru

LIMA, Peru, March 14, 2007

The Peruvian Aprista party’s parliamentary representation has introduced a bill on religious equality, with the purpose of having the state avoid discrimination of non-Roman Catholic confessions in the various areas of society. More

New LWF Publication on Leadership and Power in Church Ministry

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 15, 2007

Leadership and Power in the Ministry of the Church is the title of a new Lutheran World Federation (LWF) resource aimed at reflection and discussion in the churches on how leadership and power are exercised in light of central biblical and theological understandings. More

Low level of education impedes economic advancement of indigenous peoples

WASHINGTON, USA, March 12, 2007

A report by the World Bank made public last week, indicates that over 80% of the 28 million indigenous peoples of Latin America live in the cruelest poverty, a reality that showed a slight change in the decade of the 90’s of the last century. One of the factors causing this situation is the low… More

Film on Christ angers Kenya church leaders

NAIROBI, Kenya, March 12, 2007

Church leaders in Kenya have joined those expressing anger at the Hollywood documentary on the life of Jesus, which alleges his resurrection and ascension never occurred, and that he had a son. More

Mayan priests to purify site After Bush visit

Guatemala, March 9, 2007

Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday, March 8. More

IECLB sets theme and motto for 2007

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, March 8, 2007

On Sunday, March 4, the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB in Spanish) set as its theme for 2007, “In the power of the Spirit we proclaim reconciliation,” and as its motto, “We cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). More

WARC calls for end to impunity for violence against women

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 7, 2007

The escalation of violence against women cannot be separated from the prolific levels of violence unleashed by powerful global forces, says the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) in its annual International Women's Day message. More

DECLARATION OF THE 5TH ASSEMBLY OF CLAI

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, March 5, 2007

We met in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, more than 500 delegates and guests of the member churches of the Andean, the Caribbean and Greater Colombia, Brazil, Río de la Plata , and Mesoamerican regions that make up the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) in the framework of the 5 th… More

Christian women of Cuba gather “under the mantle of God”

HAVANA, Cuba, March 5, 2007

In the Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rosary located in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana, one of the programs to celebrate the World Day of Prayer took place, gathering together women and men of many Christian denominations of the area. More

Episcopal Church Executive Council Letter to the Church

USA, March 4, 2007

Executive Council recognizes that the requests made by the Primates, directed to the House of Bishops and the Presiding Bishop, raise important and unresolved questions about the polity of the Episcopal Church and its ecclesiology. We have authorized the appointment of a work group to consider the… More

Religious education decree considered to be ethereal and gaseous

BOGOTA, Colombia, February 28, 2007

The Director of the Islamic Cultural Center of Bogotá has given his reflections on the teaching in religious education set out in the December, 2006 resolution of the Ministry of Education of Colombia. More

Episcopal Church of Central Ecuador recognizes Presiding Bishop

QUITO, Ecuador, February 27, 2007

The 32nd Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Ecuador passed a resolution which expressed support for what was described as Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's "prophetic ministry" during the present time in the Episcopal Church and within the Anglican Communion. The resolution,… More

Circle of Mercy: We Say NO

USA, February 27, 2007

A Lent 2007 U.S. Christian statement in opposition to war with Iran More

Dialogue between U.S. and Latin American churches

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, February 27, 2007

In an afternoon session of CLAI’s assembly that took place in this city last week, a discussion arose with regard to the position of the U.S. churches in relation to Latin America. More

German Catholics and Protestants at odds over child-care plan

Germany, February 26, 2007

Proposals by Germany's family minister Ursula von der Leyen to triple the number of crèche places for young children by 2013 has led to disagreement between Protestant and Roman Catholic bishops. More

Anglican, Julio Murray, new President of CLAI

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, February 23, 2007

The V Assembly of CLAI this afternoon elected as its new President, Bishop Julio Murray of the Anglican Church of Panama. Murray was declared the maximum authority of the Latin American ecumenical organization, following the third election ballot in which he received 56% of the votes cast by the… More

CHARISM, POWER, AND EVANGELICAL ETHICS

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, February 23, 2007

"Ministry, charism, and power" and "The church and ethical challenges" are two of the central themes being discussed in the Theological Forum during the sessions of the 5th Assembly of the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) that is being held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 19-24. The… More

Devotion and abundant grace in the V Assembly of CLAI

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, February 22, 2007

The V Assembly of the Latin American Council of Churches continues its work. Without a doubt, the discussion of the thematic axis presented by each of the five regions of the organization during their different moments: the plenary sessions, the theological forums and coffee gatherings, the work… More

Dr. Arturo Piedra Solano has died

SAN JOSÉ, , February 22, 2007

After a two year struggle with cancer, Dr. Arturo Piedra Solano died on Tuesday, February 20. More

The Amazon is the focus of the 2007 Fraternity Campaign

BRASILIA, Brazil, February 21, 2007

During the 2007 Fraternity Campaign, the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB in Portuguese) will be discussing polemical matters concerning the Amazon, such as the encroaching by frontier agriculture on the flora and the presence of foreigners in the region. The campaign officially began… More

José Cardona Gregori, leader of the Spanish Protestants, has died

MADRID, Spain, February 21, 2007

José Cardona Gregori, considered by many as being the historic leader of the Spanish Protestants, died this morning, according to Spanish news media. More

The Time's supposed Anglican-Roman Catholic reuniting clarified

February 21, 2007

Growing Together in Unity and Mission is being published as an agreed statement of IARCCUM (the International Anglican - Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission), and is to be published under the Commission's authority, not as an official statement of the Catholic Church and the Anglican… More

The Commencement Service of the Vth Assembly of CLAI

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, February 20, 2007

Last night in the sanctuary of the Christian Bible Church, some 700 people celebrated the commencement service of the 5th Assembly of the Latin American Council of Churches under the slogan, “The grace of God justifies us, the spirit of God frees us for life.” More

The V General Assembly of the Latin American Council of Churches Begins

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, February 20, 2007

Last night the V General Assembly of the Latin American Council of Churches, under the motto “The Grace of God justifies us, God’s spirit frees us for life,” formally began with a worship service at the Iglesia Cristiana Bíblica in the barrio of Devoto in the city of Buenos Aires. More

Experiences for the Christian political class to be shared in forums

BOGOTA, Colombia, February 19, 2007

The Alumnae Association of Colombia of the Haggai Institute (AEXHI in Spanish), in a strategic alliance with the Evangelical Council of Colombia (CEDECOL in Spanish) and with the initiative of its President, Pastor Roosevelt, will carry out two forums in which the invited guests will be sharing… More

Anglican Primates join in repentance at former slave market

February 18, 2007

A slave market whipping post once stood where the high altar now rises inside Zanzibar's 127-year-old Christ Church Cathedral. Here the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, opened Eucharist February 18 with prayers asking "forgiveness for the past, mercy for the present, and humility for the future." More

Young Christians know more of MTV than the Bible, says Kobia

India, February 14, 2007

The Church hardly communicates with the youth of today and even in "so-called Christian countries" the majority of young people are Bible illiterate but well informed of the latest MTV programmes, says the head of the World Council of Churches. The Rev. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the WCC,… More

The option for the converted

SAO PAULO, Brazil, February 13, 2007

Neopentecostalism is a religion that has placed itself in the life of the most poor, not as an option for the excluded, as does the Catholic Church, but rather to convert them. As a result, one of those denominations, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (IURD in Spanish), experienced an… More

Portugal will legalise abortion

LISBOA, Portugal, February 12, 2007

Prime Minister Jose Socrates has said abortion will be legalized in Portugal despite the turnout for a referendum being too low to be legally binding. Turnout was about 40%, far less than the 50% required, but of those who did vote, 59.3% backed a proposed change to the current law. More

CUBA: Anglicans hail appointment of first woman bishop

HAVANA, Cuba, February 7, 2007

Members of a Cuban diocesan synod burst into applause and shouts of joy on Sunday when Archbishop Andrew Hutchison of the Anglican Church of Canada announced the appointment of Rev. Canon Nerva Cot Aguilera as one of two new suffragan bishops for the Cuban Anglican Church. More

British monarch marks 400 years of Amsterdam's English church

UTRECHT, February 6, 2007

The British monarch Queen Elizabeth II has paid a rare visit to the Netherlands to mark the 400th anniversary of Amsterdam's English Reformed Church, which says it is the oldest English-language congregation outside Britain. More

German churches will use rap to promote youth tolerance

Germany, February 5, 2007

Germany's Protestant churches are distributing thousands of postcards in 16 languages to schools and bars as part of a new campaign to encourage young people to get involved in projects to promote tolerance. More

Romanian law on religions called most restrictive in Europe

January 31, 2007

New EU member Romania has the most restrictive law on religion in Europe, says a religious freedom watchdog group, noting that legislation was pushed through only days before the former communist country joined the European Union. More

Charge given to the churches: speak more loudly

NAIROBI, Kenya, January 29, 2007

At the opening of the World Social Forum, held for the first time in Africa from January 20 – 25, the Co-Chairperson of the worldwide Peace Woman movement, Kamia Bhasan, carried a poster which read, “The American dream created a nightmare for many.” More

Campaign for the right to abortion begins

LISBOA, January 29, 2007

The first referendum that took place in 1998, was lost by a very small margin (51% against 49%) and with an abstention of 70%. During these past 8 years many women have been taken to court and imprisoned for having decided to abort. A paradigmatic case is that of the trial of Maia on January 18,… More

Panamanian women lose an ally for their rights

PANAMA CITY, Panama, January 25, 2007

Founded on August 8, 1990, Fundamujer was created to “defend and foster” the rights of women through training, empowerment and the developing of proposals for public policies. It became a pioneer in the discussion and consideration of matters having to do with the problems of women of a country… More

Ecumenical bishops analyse Christian fundamentalisms

QUITO, Ecuador, January 24, 2007

Recalling the gathering of Catholic bishops and Evangelical pastors that took place some twenty years ago in Cuenca when he was serving as bishop of that diocese, Bishop Luna Tobar pointed out that Christian unity faces a serious obstacle, that of fundamentalism. More

Surrender of Somali leader offers peace hope, say church leaders

NAIROBI, January 24, 2007

African church leaders at the World Social Forum in Nairobi have urged governments to use the surrender of the leader of the Union of Islamic Courts of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, as the basis for a peace initiative for the war torn country. More

Anglican archbishops to lead slavery repentance march in London

LONDON, January 24, 2007

The Church of England, in acknowledging its involvement in the slave trade, will take part in an act of repentance by thousands of Anglicans, including its spiritual head, planned for 24 March. More

Reclaim the Bible, Barbara Rossing tells Trinity Institute

NEW YORK, USA, January 23, 2007

Christians need to address apocalyptic questions because there is a sense of an end right now in our culture, the Rev. Barbara R. Rossing, Th.D., told Trinity Institute's 37th national theological conference on January 23. More

ECAP-Colombia clarifies the purpose of its mission for peace

BOGOTA, Colombia, January 23, 2007

“When communities believe that our presence is of help to them in their search for peace, for the needed recognition of some basic rights; the right to live without being threatened with violence or death, and the right to organize themselves, we can accompany them in those processes,” indicates… More

France to honour Abbé Pierre

LONDON, January 22, 2007

France is to pay tribute on Friday to the priest and homeless campaigner, Abbé Pierre, who has died at the age of 94, President Jacques Chirac has said. More

Ecumenical coalition participating in the World Social Forum

NAIROBI, Kenya, January 19, 2007

The CCAA/Caritas platform is coordinating a great variety of joint workshops, ecumenical worship services and other events in Nairobi, as well as an ecumenical pavilion in which groups related to the churches can share, coordinate and put forward their concerns, perceptions and work. More

Cuba celebrates the traditional Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

HAVANA, Cuba, January 18, 2007

The opening of the so called Octave, on Thursday night, January 19, in the Catholic church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will have the Reverend Adolfo Ham as its principal speaker. Ham is a pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cuba, and is the Director of the Superior Institute of Biblical… More

LOCAL CHURCHES NEED GLOBAL VISION, WARC LEADER SAYS

GENEVA, Switzerland, January 15, 2007

Local churches need to take on a global vision, says Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) in a series of addresses to pastors of his home church, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, ending on 11 January. More

Vatican welcomes move to check past of Polish bishops

ROME, January 15, 2007

The Vatican has welcomed plans by Roman Catholic bishops in Poland to allow themselves to be investigated for past ties with the country's communist-era secret police, following the resignation of an archbishop who had admitted such links. "I'm happy about the decision of the Polish bishops to make… More

Evangelicals ask that the lay state be respected and that corruption end

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, January 12, 2007

Professor William González, President of the Board of Directors of the Nicaraguan Evangelical University (UENIC in Spanish), has said that the Evangelicals expect that the new president will respect the legal and lay state of the country, and be relentless in the fight against corruption. “We… More

Ecuador and Colombia

QUITO, Ecuador, January 11, 2007

Mr. Correa and Mr. Uribe met in Nicaragua Ecuador says it has reached a deal with Colombia over the aerial fumigation of coca crops along the border, putting an end to a diplomatic crisis. Ecuador's President-elect Rafael Correa said Colombia had agreed to give notice of any spraying in the border… More

For the Seventh Time the Christmas Chorale Will Appear on Cuban Television

HAVANA, Cuba, December 15, 2006

With a gala concert that on this occasion will include a small tribute to Mozart on his 250th. anniversary, Cuban television will for the seventh time broadcast to the whole country the churches’ Christmas message. More

Methodist Pastoral Letter calls for unity and justice in diversity

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia, December 18, 2006

The delegates to the XIX General Assembly of the Methodist Evangelical Church in Bolivia, gathering in Cochabamba, December 15 and 16, made public a Pastoral Letter to the people of Bolivia, because of the confrontations and demonstrations which have complicated the political and social panorama in… More

New Translation of the Bible into Tzeltal of Bachajón

Mexico, December 4, 2006

On November 25, in Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico, the presentation of the Bible in Tzeltal of Bachajón took place. Tzeltal of Bachajón is the language of the indigenous people of the area, and the new Bible is published in a bilingual version with Spanish. More

Churches and Organizations United Together in the Commitment to Stop AIDS

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, December 1, 2006

Beginning with a text from the Gospel of Luke, taken from the liturgical lectionary for Advent, nearly 50 churches, organizations and networks of persons affected by HIV/AIDS in various countries, made public on the World Day of AIDS a message with the heading, Stop AIDS, Keep the Commitment. More

The IPU Denounces that Legislating for Self-Interest Is Corruption

VITORIA, Brazil, November 30, 2006

In an Open Letter addressed to the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary offices made public on November 28, the United Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPU in Spanish) has said that one of the most blatant forms of corruption is that of legislating for self-interest. More

Three Women Elected to the Board of Directors of CEPAD

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, November 29, 2006

For the first time in the history of the Council of Evangelical Churches Pro Denominational Alliance (CEPAD in Spanish), which on December 27 celebrates its 35th. anniversary, three notable women pastors and three men pastors were elected as its new authorities during the assembly on November 28,… More

Lula’s message heats up relations between social organizations and the government

BRASILIA, Brazil, November 27, 2006

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been meeting with the political parties that are the basic support for the government, but he also wants to enter into conversations with the opposition, in an attempt to assure a better governing of the country. But, the president has not been able to find… More

16 Day Campaign for Action Against Violence to Women

November 25, 2006

The 16 Day Campaign for Action Against Violence to Women began on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on December 10, International Day of Human Rights. Throughout the world there will be activities, celebrations, ceremonies, debates,… More

The Pope and the head of the Anglican Church acknowledge the difficulties of ecumenism

VATICAN CITY, Vatican, November 23, 2006

40 years after Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey met and began a new journey toward reconciliation between the Catholic and Anglican Churches, Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican Church, met again and signed a common declaration. In the… More

CONIC proposes an Ecumenical Fraternity Campaign in 2010

BRASILIA, Brazil, November 22, 2006

The National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil (CONIC in Spanish), will guide the request of the Brazilian Bishop’s Conference (CNBB in Spanish) that the Fraternity Campaign in 2010 be ecumenical, in commemoration of the Edinburgh Congress that gave an extraordinary thrust to the contemporary ecumenical movement. More

Fifty churches receive training in protecting the environment

HAVANA, Cuba, November 21, 2006

The Creation Rangers (Guardianes de la Creación) project directed by the Council of Churches of Cuba (CIC), has to-date trained fifty churches in environmental protection. More

Celebrating the Day of Black Awareness, three capital cities pay tribute to Zumbi

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, November 20, 2006

San Pablo, Río de Janeiro, Cuiabá and 220 other Brazilian cities celebrated the Day of Black Awareness today, in tribute to Zumbi of the Palmares, a leader and icon of black resistance to slavery and the struggle for freedom. More

ALC’s new Board of Directors elected

QUITO, Ecuador, November 17, 2006

The Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Communications Agency that took place in Quito, Ecuador on November 14 and 15, elected its new Board of Directors for the period 2006 – 2008. More

Death of Pastor Cepeda is a lamentable loss in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, November 13, 2006

By: Rev. Héctor Méndez.- Dr. Rafael Cepeda, retired pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cuba, has died. He was 89 years old. More

Priest of the young people dies

PANAMA CITY, Panama, November 10, 2006

CIUDAD DE COCLÉ, November 10 (ALC) Segundo Familiar Cano, founder of the youth renewal gatherings of the Roman Catholic Church in Panama, died November 9 as a result of a cardiac complication, shortly after a car accident in the costal town of Santa Clara, in the central Province of Coclé. More

Pastor José de Luca, untiring fighter for human rights, dies

BUDAPEST, Argentina, November 10, 2006

Methodist Pastor José de Luca, died in Buenos Aires following an illness suffered during the past months. More

The Lutheran Communion publishes book on HIV/AIDS

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, November 9, 2006

A committee named by the Conference of Bishops and Presidents of the Latin American Churches, a member of the Lutheran World Federation, has completed the collecting, organizing and editing of materials on the practices and thinking with regard to HIV/AIDS. The title of the book published is, So… More

Chilean Evangelical Church celebrates its first National Day

SANTIAGO , Chile, November 6, 2006

For the first time and with different activities throughout the country, the Evangelical Church in Chile officially celebrated its National Day. Before hundreds of religious leaders gathered in La Moneda, the Chilean presidential residence, President Michelle Bachelet paid tribute to the witness… More

Two Salvadorian Lutheran Church pastors assassinated

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, November 5, 2006

Saturday afternoon, November 4, Lutheran pastor Francisco Carrillo and his wife, Jesús Carrillo, also a Lutheran pastor, were shot and killed when they were leaving the Mountains of Pensbert Church after the Lutheran service, in the neighborhood of Independencia, Municipality of Jayaque, in the… More

Primate of the Episcopal Church calls for global peace-making on the occasion of her investiture

WASHINGTON, USA, November 4, 2006

“You and I have been invited into that ministry of global peace-making that makes a place and affirms a welcome for all of God's creatures. But more than welcome, that ministry invites all to feast until they are filled with God's abundance,” said the Most Reverend Katherine Jefferts Schori,… More

Theology should not hide violence, says theologian Nancy Bedford

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, November 4, 2006

The Argentine Mennonite theologian Nancy Elizabeth Bedford, who took part in the V Jürgen Moltman Lectures at the Nicaraguan Evangelical University, said that the best contribution theology can make is to be critical of violence and not hide it. More

Argentine Senate approves the ratification of the CEDAW Protocol

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, November 3, 2006

The Argentine Senate has finally approved the ratification of the so-called CEDAW Protocol, a document against the discrimination of women contained in a United Nations treaty. The approval of the protocol had been demanded by the women’s movement but rejected by the church, which considers it to be “abortionist.” More

Methodist pastors denounce violence and injustice in Oaxaca

MEXICO CITY, Mexico, November 2, 2006

Given the very serious situation in the State of Oaxaca, aggravated by last weekend’s decision by the government to apply repressive measures with the presence of military troops, a group of Methodist pastors made public a statement asking for prayer and reflection on the part of their congregations. More

Women’s network denounces presidential candidates for violating the rights of women

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, November 2, 2006

Four days before the presidential elections in Nicaragua and after a process since September of closely following the campaigning, the Network of Women Against Violence made their findings public yesterday. It agreed on declaring candidates Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista Front for National… More

Two Protestant pastors in the political front that defeated the governor of Misiones

Argentina, November 1, 2006

Elections were held in Misiones, in the northeastern region of Argentina, to modify Article 110 of the Constitution, so as to allow for an unlimited reelection of the governor and vice-governor. On the one hand, the present Governor Carlos Rovira (who has been Provincial Governor for 8 years) and… More

Therapeutic abortion is eliminated in the middle of the election campaign

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, October 27, 2006

By a 52 vote in favor, the National Assembly of Nicaragua yesterday abolished Article 165 of the Penal Code, which for more than 100 years had allowed therapeutic abortion in that country. The decision is considered to be a setback for women’s rights. More

The rejection of the U.S. blockade is a Christian imperative

HAVANA, Cuba, October 25, 2006

(GRANMA/ALC) The Cuban Pastoral Forum was convened by different religious institutions, to respond to Jitka Klubalova, General Secretary of the Ecumenical Council of the Republic of Czechoslovakia. Klubalova, alluding to the Cuban Council of Churches, had said that the aid sent in support of… More

A great challenge: Evangelicals on the Anticorruption Council

LIMA, Peru, October 24, 2006

By a ministerial resolution of October 6, the Ministry of Justice of Peru named the Reverend Rafael Goto Silva as a member of the National Anticorruption Council (CNA) of that country, to represent the non-Roman Catholic religious bodies. More

Leaders of the Latin Protestant federations analyze the relationships with the state

MADRID, Spain, October 23, 2006

The French, Italian and Spanish models of relations between religious confessions and the government administrations, was the theme for a small scale conference that gathered together the highest level leaders of the Mediterranean Protestant federations. More

Faith and populist politics in election campaign

QUITO, Ecuador, October 20, 2006

Populist politics has strongly returned to Ecuador. In the October 15 general elections, the traditional political parties were overwhelming defeated. It appears that the needed second round of elections, to take place on November 26, will engage two fiery personalities in bitter opposition and the… More

Baptist leader honored for his work toward bringing about peace

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, October 19, 2006

Dr. Gustavo Parajón, a prominent Evangelical leader and founder of the peace commissions in Nueva Guinea, Jinotega and Río Coco in the North Atlantic region of Nicaragua, called on the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) to strive for peace and justice, on the occasion of his receiving the… More

The ecumenical movement needs to hear the voices of the South, says Kobia

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, October 18, 2006

In a brief visit to Brazil invited by the Evangelical Lutheran Confession Church (IECLB), Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), spoke in defense of the changes occurring in the ecumenical movement. More

IERP Synod ends with an emphasis on the social and ecumenical

Argentina, October 17, 2006

(IERP/ALC) The Thirty Seventh Synod Conference of the Evangelical Church of Río de la Plata, and the Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly which renewed its authorities, ended last weekend in the city of Santa Fe, Province of Esperanza. The participants from seven countries gathered together in the… More

Evangelical leaders are received by the President

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, October 13, 2006

According to information from the Communications Department of the Methodist Church of Uruguay (IMU), the President of the country, Tabaré Vázquez, received a delegation from the Federation of Evangelical Churches of Uruguay (FIEU) on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of this the oldest… More

The Synod of the Evangelical Church of Río de la Plata begins

Argentina, October 12, 2006

ESPERANZA (ALC/IERP) The 37th Synod Conference of the Evangelical Church of Río de la Plata (IERP) began today in the city of Esperanza, in the northeast Province of Santa Fe. Delegates, invited guests, officials and others from some 10 countries are taking part in the gathering, which will… More

The National Assembly pays attention to the Catholic Church, but not to women

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, October 11, 2006

Controversy continues in this city because of the new legislation on abortion being debated. While the march by the Catholic Church and conservative sectors was well seen by the Assembly, the women’s march was ignored. More

Defending the separation of Church and State defends a Christian principle, says a Baptist lawyer.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, October 10, 2006

A seminar on “The Relations between the State and Religious Faiths” was held yesterday afternoon. The seminar was held in the Argentinean Council for International Relations (CARI), to reflect on the 40 year old Agreement between the Vatican and the Argentinean Republic. The Argentinean Council for… More

Methodist Bishop asks for unity and support for Morales in the midst of the crisis

LA PAZ, Bolivia, October 9, 2006

Bolivia continues to be in the news and, lamentably, not for good reasons. The end of the week before last left the bitter taste of the killed and injured in Huanuní, in the Department of Potosí, because of a conflict that continues and which threatens to extend itself into other sectors. Because… More

Episcopal church celebrates its centennial anniversary

Cuba, October 10, 2006

The Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels, which in the calendar of the Episcopal Church falls on September 29, was the occasion for celebrating the centennial anniversary of a rural church bearing that name, in the town of Ceballo, of the Province of Ciego de Ávila in the center of Cuba. More

Pastors demand public policies for the use of land and water

NATAL, Brazil, October 9, 2006

The Order of Evangelical Pastors of Natal will be carrying out actions toward raising awareness and political activism in their local congregations, with the purpose of controlling and implementing public policies having to do with the use of land and water. More

Evangelicals reject pastors who bless politicians

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, October 9, 2006

Pastors of different traditional churches and Christian educational institutions, are seeking to reactivate the Evangelical Bloc and have expressed their rejection of the appearance of some pastors who, in the name of the Evangelical people, petition and bless the presidential candidates. More

March against abortion and equal rights for same sex couples

BOGOTA, Colombia, October 3, 2006

Carrying protest signs and messages saying “No to abortion” and “No to the union of same sex couples,” more than 80,000 Evangelical Christians marched yesterday in this capital city. The march began in the National Park, continued along Avenida Séptima and ended in the Bolivar Square. More

Bear shares its honey with Cubans

HAVANA, Cuba, October 2, 2006

The so-called "Bible of the Bear", the earliest edition of the complete Bible in Spanish, so named after the emblem of a bear tasting honey featured on its title-page, was at the center of celebrations that took place in Cuba to commemorate the 437 years since its first publication on 26 September 1569. More

Solution found for the Theological Seminary in Matanzas

HAVANA, Cuba, October 2, 2006

A conflict that threatened to bring about the dissolution of the oldest and most prestigious center of theological education in Cuba, the Evangelical Seminary of Matanzas (SET), was solved following a judicial ruling, the dean of the institution, Dr. Reinerio Arce Valentín, informed yesterday More

Remnants of terror

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, September 25, 2006

It has been a week today since former political prisoner Julio López, who has testified against torturer Miguel Etchecolatz, disappeared. His absence was noticed last Monday, when he failed to come to the last day of the trial. © Agencia Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Comunicación (ALC) An… More