The 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) convened in Karlsruhe, Germany, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8. The assembly sought to address many of the unique challenges and crises facing churches in the 21st century, “with hopes for ‘a new beginning’.”

The 352 Protestant and Orthodox member churches sent delegates, which included The Episcopal Church’s newly elected House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris. The assembly celebrates and highlights the incredibly important relationships between a wide array of Christian from around the globe. It is also a crucial opportunity for participants to take stock of where we are in our ecumenical relationships and where we might go from here.

The WCC’s newly appointed central committee and its member churches published multiple statements and minutes calling the world to address environmental justice, rampant militarism and disunity, as well as racism, xenophobia, and discrimination. Peace was a major theme in the documents that emerged out of the conference. To learn more about the resources that emerged out of the assembly, visit the WCC’s website.