WCC news: WCC celebrates life, mourns loss of Rev. Dr Clifton Kirkpatrick

The World Council of Churches (WCC) joins the ecumenical movement, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Kirkpatrick family in celebrating the life and ministry of the Rev. Dr Clifton Kirkpatrick. Rev. Dr Clifton Kirkpatrick during one of the plenaries of the Edinburgh 2010 Mission Conference. Photo: Gary Doak 24 January 2025 “I had the pleasure to work with Cliff over many years in various spaces within the ecumenical movement”, said the WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “I always appreciated his passion for ecumenism, unity, justice, and peace. His humility, simplicity, leadership, and contributions will be always remembered and valued with joy and thanksgiving. We give thanks to God for this giant in faith and action,” added Pillay. Kirkpatrick's legacy as a pastor, teacher, leader, and friend is large. He was a gifted and inspiring ecumenist with a deep passion for the unity and mission of the church. His impact on the World Council of Churches was profound. In 1998, as the denominations newly elected Stated Clerk, he led the Presbyterian Church (USA) delegation to the 8th WCC Assembly in Harare where he was elected to the WCC central and executive committees. During this time, he was a prominent member of the Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC, helping the Council to navigate a time of critical reflection on what it means to be fellowship of churches.  His readiness to listen carefully to all members, particularly his efforts to understand the Orthodox concerns and the concerns of smaller member churches, to enter into a genuine dialogue and to serve the body as a skilled rapporteur, made him a highly valued member. He was the member asked to present the commission report to the central committee. The Special Commission introduced the ethos and practice of consensus decision-making in the life and work of the WCC. Kirkpatrick was a strong proponent of this significant change, which evolved the Council from a debate-style to a listening-style of being a fellowship of churches together. He was instrumental in convincing the delegates to 9th WCC Assembly in Porto Alegre to adopt the constitutional revisions that confirmed the shift.  He served the 10th WCC Assembly in Busan as dean of the first Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI), sharing his rich knowledge of the ecumenical movement, the WCC and world Christianity with a new generation of ecumenists.  His passion for world mission and the Gospel-promise of fullness of life for all made him a skilled and inspiring ecumenical leader. As a member of the WCC executive and central committees he became an example for his commitment, knowledge, and ability to prayerfully listen to all members of the fellowship. The WCC mourns his loss and celebrates his legacy. May his memory be eternal. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Psalm 23:6 Rev. Dr Clifton Kirkpatrick delivers the sermon during the installation service for WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia at the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre on 19 February 2004, in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Catherine Alt/WCC See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland