Member Church News: Pets, Peace, Freedom

AIPRAL shares the first issue of the new season of the Alliance magazine: VOICES in Alliance seeks to reflect the increasingly complex reality of the Latin American region and the implications of its churches in their contexts, their commitment to the mission on the continent, their Reformed vocation, and their attempts at responses to immediate and medium-term challenges.

Friends or Food? Why do we eat some animals and pet the others? Theologian Bernd Kappes investigates the question of responsible handling of animals in his book Co-creatures (Mitgeschöpfe).

Martin Luther was aptly described by the Dutch church historian Heiko A. Oberman as a man “between God and the devil.” Deeply rooted in the late Middle Ages, Luther became a theologian in a rapidly changing world. A world that was well on its way to a newer, more modern era through voyages of discovery and inventions such as the improved printing press.

Palestinian Evangelicals Call Western Church to Repentance, Criticized in Return: Middle East Christians assert their rejection of violence as they relate frustration with lack of Western recognition of the reality of occupation and the collateral damage of bombing campaigns.

Mariela Kohon, advisor to the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace – an office that reports directly to the presidency of the Republic of Colombia – shared insights into the ongoing peace dialogues in Colombia and the important role of faith leaders.

How an American woman built one of India’s most prestigious medical schools: Beginning from a one-room dispensary, Ida Scudder’s vision led to the development of a world-class institution: Vellore’s Christian Medical College.

Interfaith Eco-spiritualities Global Consultation 2023 Promotes Ecojustice and Inclusive Civil Society Engagement: From 24 to 26 October 2023, the Council for World Mission (CWM) hosted the Interfaith Eco-spiritualities Global Consultation 2023 at Missenden Abbey, UK. The event brought together 40 participants from CWM member churches, ecumenical partners, and other faith traditions worldwide, representing diverse religious traditions, including Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, indigenous people, and practitioners of African traditions.

Report highlights Christian perspectives on religious freedom: The Conference of European Churches contributed to the discussion on religious freedom in sharp focus at the presentation of the Third Ecumenical Report on religious freedom worldwide – A Christian focus on a special human right published by the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) and the German Bishops’ Conference.

The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) called for strengthening democracy on Reformation Day. Freedom, equality and fraternity are “the holy trinity of democracy,” explained EKD Council Chairwoman and Westphalian President Annette Kurschus in a video message published in Hanover on Monday.