29 October 2015 A church leaders’ consultation on the European Refugee Crisis on 29 October 2015, jointly hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and the Evangelical Church in Germany, resulted in a communiqué and a number of other statements addressing the issue. The communiqué sets out a number of affirmations regarding the church and biblical teaching in relation to the current European migrant and refugee situation and then proposes eight recommendations based on these affirmations. The World Council of Churches (WCC), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, and the Evangelical Church in Germany jointly hosted a Church Leaders' Consultation on the European Refugee Crisis. The leaders met in Kardinal-Wendel-Haus, Munich on 29 October 2015. Thirty-five participants came from churches and ecumenical organisations from the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Welcome addresses by WCC General Secretary of the WCC Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit and Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm set the scene for presentations from countries across the regions. In this meeting there was an opportunity for an exchange of information from places that are countries of origin of refugees, from those countries of transit, and from host countries. The discussions were focused on the tragic situation of the Middle East and on refugees from the Middle East and Africa. The participants were deeply conscious in their discussions of the presence of Christians in the Middle East for 2000 years from which Churches in Europe also trace their origins. We are called to be a people of faith and hope, and we are grounded in every place; we know the hearts and desires of our people, as well as the resources and spiritual riches that are potentially available to all of us. We are committed to continue our ecumenical dialogue on the refugee crisis in Europe. We have found this free space for discussions among Church leaders in Europe in cooperation with WCC, CEC, CCME and other ecumenical partners to be of value. May Our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of life, hope and compassion, continue to grant His Spirit and to receive all in his grace. 29 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand We, the participants of the Workshop on Faith and Finance, came together in Bangkok, Thailand from the 28th to 29th of November 2015 to reflect upon the role of money and finance in the current economic and social order from our perspectives as Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims. Building on previous ecumenical initiatives and interreligious discussions, this workshop organized by the World Council of Churches sought to identify common ground for joint engagement and build mutual trust towards developing interfaith initiatives to transform the current international financial architecture which harms people and Earth. What connects us is our shared conviction of the need to revisit the market logic of the global financial system and critically re-think and constructively re-envision the functions of money and finance. A viable and holistic framework for addressing structural greed recognizes it as promoting a delusional narrative of the self as an isolated entity that is rightfully obsessed with its individual interests. Such a fragmented and fictitious understanding undermines and destroys an inter- relational narrative of the self which is at the heart of our faith traditions. In a globalized context which echoes the belief that “outside the market there is no salvation,” financial structures have normalized greed through the dynamic of continual growth. This growth, which is ecologically unsustainable, is driven by usury, indebtedness, fractional reserve banking and speculation. The pervasiveness of this system often elicits our complicity. Constructing a new international financial architecture for an economy of life requires a counter- narrative based on inter-connectedness and ethics of reciprocity. This is at the core of our spirituality and helps us to rediscover that the source of our well-being lies in our ‘inter-being.’ Spiritual precepts found in our faith traditions such as Kalyana Mitra (good friendship), Koinonia (fellowship/communion), Ubuntu (“I am because we are”), and Ummah (community) refute the current monoculture that “I am what I have,” enabling us to regain the essence of our common humanity. Despite using the rhetoric of freedom, our present financial system is highly exploitative and enslaves all. It disenfranchises and impoverishes many while enriching a few. Both rich and poor are dehumanized. The logic of prioritizing profits before people and the Earth reduces human beings nature into a set of commodities, stripping them and disembodying them of their social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions. In a context where rampant financialization1 undergirds structural greed and thrives on a narrative of the isolated self, we believe that the values of generosity, community and solidarity are the necessary foundations of an economy of life. Drawing impetus from various examples from within our own religious traditions and communities, we perceive generosity and prosperity as two sides of the same coin. An economy of life calls us to be generous in our prosperity. Generosity, as a spiritual value which actively seeks the wellbeing of others, provides an antidote to the capitalist myth that it is by seeking our own selfish interests that we promote the interests of others. Inspired by grassroots initiatives across the world, we recognize the capacity of money and finance to build life-affirming communities through a just distribution of wealth and profits, voluntary partaking in liability, and reinvestment of gains for the common good. For instance, money as a measure of value could be directed to positive use through public banking, full-reserve banking and social finance projects. The proper governance and use of money fosters solidarity. Money here becomes a means of social cohesion rather than alienation. At the same time, we appreciate the importance of learning from non-monetized forms of economy such as barter systems, gift economies as well as the global community currency network in imagining a different financial architecture. It is in this vein that we call upon all people of faith and goodwill to join in our common responsibility of designing a just and compassionate international financial architecture for an economy of life. We raise our voices to the governments represented at COP21 in Paris to utilize the special momentum given on this highly significant occasion: COP21 provides a critical opportunity to benefit the whole of the human community. For the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, a global and comprehensive agreement on climate justice and climate protection – supported from all the nations of the world – can be reached. We as religious leaders: “stand together to express deep concern for the consequences of climate change on the earth and its people, all entrusted, as our faiths reveal, to our common care. Climate change is indeed a threat to life. Life is a precious gift we have received and that we need to care for.”2 Our religious convictions and cosmological narratives tell us that this earth and the whole universe are gifts that we have received from the spring of life, from God. It is our obligation to respect, protect and sustain these gifts by all means. Therefore: COP21 is the right moment to translate ecological stewardship into concrete climate action. Our religious convictions and traditions tell us of the ethical rule of reciprocity: to treat others as we would like them to treat us. This includes future generations. It is our duty to leave this earth behind to our children and grandchildren to ensure sustainable and acceptable living conditions in future for all. Therefore: COP21 is the right moment for showing inter-generational responsibility. Our religious convictions, social codes and customs tell us about concern for the vulnerable: climate change is leading to unprecedented ecological degradation, affecting in particular the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations. It is an irrefutable moral duty for all governments to agree on concrete and measurable steps towards global climate justice and partnerships for climate resilience. Therefore: COP21 is the right time for ensuring climate justice. Our religious convictions and ancestral sources tell us human life is open to the possibility of change and renewal: we are convinced that human life is not doomed to self-destruction, but can exist in respect and harmony with nature. By forging good relationships with each other and with nature, we enhance our capacity for peace and transformation. Avoiding dangerous climate change is still possible if we accept the required fundamental shift away from a carbon-centered economy, unsustainable consumption and infinite economic growth and if we promote the phasing-out of fossil fuels by the middle of the century. Therefore: COP21 is the right time to initiate an unprecedented individual and structural transformation Our religious convictions and traditions point to the relevance of theology for informing new models of development with social and ecological justice. Aware that governments and political agreements alone are not sufficient for the immense challenges ahead – our faith communities can provide solid grounding, moral support, ethical education and value-based sustainable development models which are needed for the global transformation process. As representatives of the majority of the global population who live with religious affiliations and values, we will not only hold leaders to account, but will also support politicians working towards an ambitious global climate agreement in Paris and beyond. Therefore: COP21 is the right moment for real and visionary leadership. Executive Summary 27 January 2016 The conference of more than 250 Muslim scholars from around the world entitled “Religious Minorities in Muslim Lands: Its Legal Framework and a Call to Action” was held in Marrakesh, Morocco, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in conjunction with the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies. The event was held in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco. It specifically addressed religious extremism and terror and affirmed the rights and liberties of religious groups to be free of aggression and persecution. In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate WHEREAS, conditions in various parts of the Muslim World have deteriorated dangerously due to the use of violence and armed struggle as a tool for settling conflicts and imposing one's point of view; WHEREAS, this situation has also weakened the authority of legitimate governments and enabled criminal groups to issue edicts attributed to Islam, but which, in fact, alarmingly distort its fundamental principles and goals in ways that have seriously harmed the population as a whole; WHEREAS, this year marks the 1,400th anniversary of the Charter of Medina, a constitutional contract between the Prophet Muhammad, God's peace and blessings be upon him, and the people of Medina, which guaranteed the religious liberty of all, regardless of faith; WHEREAS, hundreds of Muslim scholars and intellectuals from over 120 countries, along with representatives of Islamic and international organizations, as well as leaders from diverse religious groups and nationalities, gathered in Marrakesh on this date to reaffirm the principles of the Charter of Medina at a major conference; WHEREAS, this conference was held under the auspices of His Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, and organized jointly by the Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs in the Kingdom of Morocco and the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies based in the United Arab Emirates; AND NOTING the gravity of this situation afflicting Muslims as well as peoples of other faiths throughout the world, and after thorough deliberation and discussion, the convened Muslim scholars and intellectuals: DECLARE HEREBY our firm commitment to the principles articulated in the Charter of Medina, whose provisions contained a number of the principles of constitutional contractual citizenship, such as freedom of movement, property ownership, mutual solidarity and defense, as well as principles of justice and equality before the law; and that, The objectives of the Charter of Medina provide a suitable framework for national constitutions in countries with Muslim majorities, and the United Nations Charter and related documents, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are in harmony with the Charter of Medina, including consideration for public order. NOTING FURTHER that deep reflection upon the various crises afflicting humanity underscores the inevitable and urgent need for cooperation among all religious groups, we AFFIRM HEREBY that such cooperation must be based on a “Common Word,” requiring that such cooperation must go beyond mutual tolerance and respect, to providing full protection for the rights and liberties to all religious groups in a civilized manner that eschews coercion, bias, and arrogance. BASED ON ALL OF THE ABOVE, we hereby: Call upon Muslim scholars and intellectuals around the world to develop a jurisprudence of the concept of “citizenship” which is inclusive of diverse groups. Such jurisprudence shall be rooted in Islamic tradition and principles and mindful of global changes. Urge Muslim educational institutions and authorities to conduct a courageous review of educational curricula that addesses honestly and effectively any material that instigates aggression and extremism, leads to war and chaos, and results in the destruction of our shared societies; Call upon politicians and decision makers to take the political and legal steps necessary to establish a constitutional contractual relationship among its citizens, and to support all formulations and initiatives that aim to fortify relations and understanding among the various religious groups in the Muslim World; Call upon the educated, artistic, and creative members of our societies, as well as organizations of civil society, to establish a broad movement for the just treatment of religious minorites in Muslim countries and to raise awareness as to their rights, and to work together to ensure the success of these efforts. Call upon the various religious groups bound by the same national fabric to address their mutual state of selective amnesia that blocks memories of centuries of joint and shared living on the same land; we call upon them to rebuild the past by reviving this tradition of conviviality, and restoring our shared trust that has been eroded by extremists using acts of terror and aggression; Call upon representatives of the various religions, sects and denominations to confront all forms of religious bigotry, villification, and denegration of what people hold sacred, as well as all speech that promote hatred and bigotry; AND FINALLY, AFFIRM that it is unconscionable to employ religion for the purpose of aggressing upon the rights of religious minorities in Muslim countries. Marrakesh 27 January 2016 12 February 2016 Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met in Havana, Cuba, on Friday, 12 February 2016, to sign a historic joint declaration. The official English translation of the full joint declaration follows. By God the Father's will, from which all gifts come, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the help of the Holy Spirit Consolator, we, Pope Francis and Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, have met today in Havana. We give thanks to God, glorified in the Trinity, for this meeting, the first in history. It is with joy that we have met like brothers in the Christian faith who encounter one another “to speak face to face” (2 John 12), from heart to heart, to discuss the mutual relations between the Churches, the crucial problems of our faithful, and the outlook for the progress of human civilization. Our fraternal meeting has taken place in Cuba, at the crossroads of North and South, East and West. It is from this island, the symbol of the hopes of the “New World” and the dramatic events of the history of the twentieth century, that we address our words to all the peoples of Latin America and of the other continents. It is a source of joy that the Christian faith is growing here in a dynamic way. The powerful religious potential of Latin America and its centuries-old Christian tradition, grounded in the personal experience of millions of people, are the pledge of a great future for this region. Thousands of victims have already been claimed in the violence in Syria and Iraq, which has left many other millions without a home or means of sustenance. We urge the international community to seek an end to the violence and terrorism and, at the same time, to contribute through dialogue to a swift return to civil peace. Large-scale humanitarian aid must be assured to the afflicted populations and to the many refugees seeking safety in neighbouring lands. We call upon all those whose influence can be brought to bear upon the destiny of those kidnapped, including the Metropolitans of Aleppo, Paul and John Ibrahim, who were taken in April 2013, to make every effort to ensure their prompt liberation. We lift our prayers to Christ, the Saviour of the world, asking for the return of peace in the Middle East, “the fruit of justice” (Is. 32:17), so that fraternal co-existence among the various populations, Churches and religions may be strengthened, enabling refugees to return to their homes, wounds to be healed, and the souls of the slain innocent to rest in peace. We address, in a fervent appeal, all the parts that may be involved in the conflicts to demonstrate good will and to take part in the negotiating table. At the same time, the international community must undertake every possible effort to end terrorism through common, joint and coordinated action. We call on all the countries involved in the struggle against terrorism to responsible and prudent action. We exhort all Christians and all believers of God to pray fervently to the providential Creator of the world to protect His creation from destruction and not permit a new world war. In order to ensure a solid and enduring peace, specific efforts must be undertaken to rediscover the common values uniting us, based on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We call on all to respect the inalienable right to life. Millions are denied the very right to be born into the world. The blood of the unborn cries out to God (cf. Gen. 4:10). The emergence of so-called euthanasia leads elderly people and the disabled begin to feel that they are a burden on their families and on society in general. We are also concerned about the development of biomedical reproduction technology, as the manipulation of human life represents an attack on the foundations of human existence, created in the image of God. We believe that it is our duty to recall the immutability of Christian moral principles, based on respect for the dignity of the individual called into being according to the Creator's plan. Orthodox and Catholics are united not only by the shared Tradition of the Church of the first millennium, but also by the mission to preach the Gospel of Christ in the world today. This mission entails mutual respect for members of the Christian communities and excludes any form of proselytism. We are not competitors but brothers, and this concept must guide all our mutual actions as well as those directed to the outside world. We urge Catholics and Orthodox in all countries to learn to live together in peace and love, and to be “in harmony with one another” (Rom. 15:5). Consequently, it cannot be accepted that disloyal means be used to incite believers to pass from one Church to another, denying them their religious freedom and their traditions. We are called upon to put into practice the precept of the apostle Paul: “Thus I aspire to proclaim the gospel not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on another's foundation” (Rom. 15:20). May our bold witness to God's truth and to the Good News of salvation be sustained by the Man-God Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who strengthens us with the unfailing promise: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32)! Christ is the well-spring of joy and hope. Faith in Him transfigures human life, fills it with meaning. This is the conviction borne of the experience of all those to whom Peter refers in his words: “Once you were ‘no people’ but now you are God's people; you ‘had not received mercy’ but now you have received mercy” (1 Pet. 2:10). Francis Bishop of Rome Pope of the Catholic Church Kirill Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia