World Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is the largest and most inclusive global fellowship of Christian churches, dedicated to the pursuit of Christian unity, common witness, and service. At its core, the WCC is a fellowship of churches, not a church itself. It does not issue orders or directions to its members. Its foundational basis is a confession of faith: member churches “confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures, and therefore seek to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. This fellowship is seen as a community “on the way to visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship”.

The WCC is a truly global organization. It currently brings together 356 member churches from more than 120 countries, representing over 580 million Christians. Its members include most of the world’s Orthodox churches, as well as numerous Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed, United, and Independent churches.

The WCC serves as a unique space for its member churches to reflect, speak, act, worship, and work together. Its work is focused on several key areas:

• Promoting Unity: Advancing towards visible Christian unity, as Jesus prayed for his followers.
• Common Witness and Service: Encouraging collaboration in mission, evangelism, and serving human need.
• Justice and Peace: Acting as a catalyst for reconciliation and a advocate for justice and peace in the world.
• Dialogue and Theology: Fostering theological dialogue between different denominations to build relationships and mutual understanding.

The WCC continues to be a vital force in the modern ecumenical movement, working to fulfill its mission of visible Christian unity.

AI Governance, Ethics, and Advocacy

A central focus is shaping the development of AI through a moral and ethical lens.

• International Advocacy: The WCC actively participates in global governance discussions. It co-signed a joint submission to the UN’s Global Dialogue on AI Governance, calling for a framework that prioritizes human rights, transparency, accountability, and the equitable distribution of AI’s benefits.
• Military AI: The WCC is a vocal opponent of using AI in warfare. It is a signatory to a declaration calling for a ban on AI systems in the “military kill chain” and participated in the “Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain” summit to advocate for meaningful human control over autonomous weapons.
• Institutional Policy: The WCC has established an internal AI task force to develop clear guidelines for its own use of the technology. Its central committee has also formally approved a paper titled “Use of AI in WCC Communications” to guide its communication strategy until 2027.

Digital Justice

Beyond AI, the WCC is committed to broader “digital justice,” addressing inequality and human rights in the digital age.

• Ecumenical Collaboration: The WCC collaborates with partners like the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) to lead “people-centered digital transformation” and advocate for digital rights. This includes co-organizing symposia on “Digital Rights and AI Accountability”.
• Advocacy and Education: The WCC co-developed the “Just Digital” e-course, which helps individuals navigate online spaces ethically and advocate for a fairer digital world. Officials have also highlighted concerns that AI systems can perpetuate historical biases, including racism.