Chiang Mai conference opens to explore “Being Church in the World Today”

Chiang Mai conference opens to explore “Being Church in the World Today”
iku
Mon, 10/05/2026 - 17:53
A gathering of World Council of Churches (WCC) commissions and reference groups on Life, Justice and Peace opened in Chiang Mai, where ecumenical leaders will explore what “ Being Church in the World Today” means.
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Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches adressed the Joint Conference of WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace on the openning day of the conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 5 October 2026.
Photo: Sean Hawkey/WCC
WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, in his opening address, offered a WCC perspective on ecclesiology, mission, witness, and hope.
“ Humanity faces wars and armed conflicts, growing inequalities, displacement and migration, ecological destruction, technological disruption, artificial intelligence, religious and political polarization, declining confidence in institutions, and profound questions concerning human dignity and the future of life itself,” he said. “ At the same time, Christianity itself is…



