The conference marks the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, “a key moment in the history of the Christian faith and for our ecumenical journey today,” WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay has written in a letter sent to the WCC’s 352 member churches. “The World Conference, prepared by the Commission on Faith and Order, promises to be a significant moment of reflection, dialogue, and discernment on the journey towards unity among Christians,” Pillay wrote. World Conferences on Faith and Order have been held since 1927 at key moments in the history of the ecumenical movement, and the 2025 gathering will take place 24–28 October 2025 at the Logos Papal Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church, close to the St Bishoy Monastery at Wadi El Natrun, near Alexandria, Egypt. The conference will be the centrepiece of the WCC’s activities to mark the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, and will address the theme “Where now for visible unity?” from the interconnected vantage points of faith, mission, and unity. “The Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order will commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Council and our shared confession of faith,” said Rev. Prof. Dr Stephanie Dietrich, moderator of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order. “It will highlight the work of the Faith and Order Commission on visible unity by sharing its outcomes and considering future directions, while also creating a platform for churches to explore paths toward visible unity in today’s world.” Dietrich expressed particular appreciation for the Coptic Church in Egypt serving as the primary host. “I hope and pray that the conference will provide a space for groundbreaking ecumenical dialogue and encounters, characterized by mutual accountability and a spirit of attentive listening,” she said. "For the first time in over 30 years, Faith and Order will convene at the World Conference to seek a common understanding on the central goal that has guided theological discernment within the ecumenical movement since its very beginnings,” said Dr Andrej Jeftić, director of the WCC Faith and Order Commission, “This goal remains the same as that set by the First Council of Nicaea: to express the full, visible unity of the one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I hope the churches will seize this moment and actively engage in rethinking how we can live out the apostolic faith together today, and pursue the unity to which God has called us." As well as the possibility of being present at the World Conference in person, people will have the opportunity to follow proceedings online, and the WCC is planning other events to commemorate the Nicaea anniversary and the work of Faith and Order including webinars and an online course. Each church is being asked to nominate two delegates for the conference for consideration by the Faith and Order selection committee, with expertise in ecumenical theology and familiarity with the work of the Commission on Faith and Order. Special attention will be given to churches not represented on the commission, as Faith and Order commissioners will attend the conference ex officio. Another 100 delegates will be selected from the names received, with a deadline of 13 February 2025 for nominations. The selection committee will strive to ensure a balanced and inclusive profile of delegates, taking into consideration regions, church families, and gender as well as lay and ordained representation, Pillay wrote. Churches are expected to financially support their delegates or commissioners. At the same time, the “Broadening the Table Solidarity Action,” invites churches to go beyond supporting their own representatives, and to sponsor participants from contexts where financial constraints would otherwise prevent their representation. “This act of solidarity is a powerful expression of the unity and mutual support that the conference seeks to embody,” wrote Pillay.
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