WCC FEATURE: Sixth World Conference explores the meaning of faith for church unity today

The church needs to move beyond words about ecumenism and unity to concrete acts that combine contemplation and action, work and prayer, the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order gathered in in Egypt has been told. 25 October 2025, Wadi El Natrun, Egypt: Very Rev. Archbishop em. Dr Antje Jackelén (Church of Sweden) speaks on a plenary on The Triune God and the Identity of the Church held at the World Council of Churches Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order taking place 24-28 October 2025 in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt, around the theme “Where now for visible unity?” Photo:Albin Hillert/WCC 25 October 2025 “These days, the world suffers from the five poisonous P’s of polarization, populism, protectionism, post-truth and patriarchy,” said Archbishop Emerita Dr Antje Jackelén, the former Archbishop of Sweden in an address to the five-day event running from 24 to 28 October. “This contextuality of faith and church requires interpretation of the signs of the times,” she said, and the signs of the times point to the connection between faith and justice.  About 400 participants have gathered for the conference, organized by the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches and taking place at the Logos Papal Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church at Wadi El Natrun, southwest of Alexandria, Egypt.  The conference is the centrepiece of the WCC’s activities to mark the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, a key moment in the history of Christian faith and for the ecumenical journey today. The conference theme – “Where Now for Visible Unity?” - is being addressed from the interrelated perspectives of faith, mission, and unity, and on 25 October, the conference focused on the perspective of faith. Alongside Jackelén’s presentation, keynote addresses were given by Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; and Bishop Dr Kyrillos of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles. In their presentations, Cardinal Koch and Bishop Kyrillos reflected on the meaning of Nicaea for the visible unity of the church today 25 October 2025, Wadi El Natrun, Egypt: H.E. Dr theol. habil. Cardinal Kurt Koch (Roman Catholic Church) speaks on a plenary on The Triune God and the Identity of the Church held at the World Council of Churches Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order taking place 24-28 October 2025 in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt, around the theme “Where now for visible unity?” Photo:Albin Hillert/WCC Bringing the greetings and blessing of Pope Leo XIV, Koch described the Council of Nicaea as being of particular ecumenical significance because it took place at a time when Christianity had not yet been wounded by the numerous divisions that followed.  “Its creed is therefore common to all Christian churches and ecclesial communities, uniting them to this day,” he said.  “If our shared reflection on the mystery of the Triune God sheds new light on the identity of the Church, the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea could become a milestone in ecumenical unity,” Koch said. “And in this sense, Pope Leo XIV has said that Nicaea is not only a commemoration of the past but also a beautiful indication today for re-finding the unity of the church,” he added. Although the Roman Catholic Church does not belong to the WCC, it has been a full member of the WCC’s Commission on Faith and Order since 1968.  Bishop Kyrillos described the Council of Nicaea as “decisive in Christian history, not only for its trinitarian and Christological definitions, but for its enduring vision of Church’s unity,”  According to Bishop Kyrillos, “as we gather under the legacy of Nicaea, our ecumenical challenge is clear: true unity will come not from diplomacy or sentiment, but from recovering the Nicene vision – a unity that is holy, apostolic, and catholic, rooted in Christ, the One Lord of the One Church.” Alongside the plenary addresses and panels, participants are exploring the theme in three sections and taking part in more than 20 workshops.  Each morning and evening, they gather in a tent for prayer, singing, praying, reading of scripture, reflecting the diversity of the universal church, and including both confessional and interconfessional expressions. World Conferences on Faith and Order have been held at key moments in the history of the ecumenical movement, the most recent taking place in Santiago de Compostela in 1993. Video recording of the thematic session Address of Archbishop em. Dr. Antje Jackelén at the plenary session "The Triune God and the Identity of the Church" Address of Cardinal Kurt Koch at the plenary session "The Triune God and the Identity of the Church" Address of H.G. Bishop Dr Kyrillos at the plenary session "The Triune God and the Identity of the Church" As World Conference on Faith and Order opens in Egypt, hearts and minds look to unity (WCC news release, 25 October 2025) Conference livestreams and recordings Photogallery: Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, 2025 Learn more about the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order 25 October 2025, Wadi El Natrun, Egypt: H. G. Bishop Dr Kyrillos (Coptic Orthodox Church) speaks on a plenary on The Triune God and the Identity of the Church held at the World Council of Churches Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order taking place 24-28 October 2025 in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt, around the theme “Where now for visible unity?” Photo:Albin Hillert/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 356 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