[World Council of Churches] People from around the world involved in the work of three critical World Council of Churches commissions have discussed global geopolitical trends impacting their activities and church members. The panel, led by the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, was moderated by Mathews George Chunakara, general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia.

The Rev. Kenneth Mtata, WCC program director for Public Witness and Diakonia, said the discussion focused on whether the church can bear witness in our times.

Bertrand Ramcharan, a former leading U.N. human rights official from Guyana, said non-governmental organizations and civil society are the conscience of the world. Civil society, including the churches, is part of the process, and conflicts must be managed with respect for humanity.

Read the entire article here.