world council of churches

Constitution of the World Council of Churches
As amended at the Eighth Assembly, December 1998

A discussion on WCC ethos and style of life may well have reference to the WCC’s constitution. Moreover, the amendments to the constitution that were agreed at the Eighth Assembly (Harare 1998), in particular those in section III on the WCC’s purposes and functions, bear strong significance on the way in which the churches and the WCC relate to each other. These revisions in section III, highlighted below, name the churches and not the WCC as the primary "actors" in the work of the ecumenical movement.


I. BASIS

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures and therefore seek to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

II. MEMBERSHIP

Those churches shall be eligible for membership in the World Council of Churches which express their agreement with the Basis upon which the Council is founded and satisfy such criteria as the Assembly or the Central Committee may prescribe. Election to membership shall be by a two-thirds vote of the member churches represented at the Assembly, each member church having one vote. Any application for membership between meetings of the Assembly may be considered by the Central Committee; if the application is supported by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Committee present and voting, this action shall be communicated to the churches that are members of the World Council of Churches, and unless objection is received from more than one-third of the member churches within six months the applicant shall be declared elected.

III. PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS

(ammended text)

The World Council of Churches is constituted by the churches to serve the one ecumenical movement. It incorporates the work of the world movements for Faith and Order and Life and Work, the International Missionary Council, and the World Council of Christian Education.

The primary purpose of the fellowship of churches in the World Council of Churches is to call one another to visible unity in one faith and in one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and common life in Christ, through witness and service to the world, and to advance towards that unity in order that the world may believe.

In seeking koinonia in faith and life, witness and service, the churches through the Council will:

  • promote the prayerful search for forgiveness and reconciliation in a spirit of mutual accountability, the development of deeper relationships through theological dialogue, and the sharing of human, spiritual and material resources with one another;

  • facilitate common witness in each place and in all places, and support each other in their work for mission and evangelism;

  • express their commitment to diakonia in serving human need, breaking down barriers between people, promoting one human family in justice and peace, and upholding the integrity of creation, so that all may experience the fullness of life;

  • nurture the growth of an ecumenical consciousness through processes of education and a vision of life in community rooted in each particular cultural context;

  • assist each other in their relationships to and with people of other faith communities;

  • foster renewal and growth in unity, worship, mission and service.
In order to strengthen the one ecumenical movement, the Council will:
  • nurture relations with and among churches, especially within but also beyond its membership;

  • establish and maintain relations with national councils, regional conferences of churches, organizations of Christian World Communions and other ecumenical bodies;

  • support ecumenical initiatives at regional, national and local levels;

  • facilitate the creation of networks among ecumenical organizations;

  • work towards maintaining the coherence of the one ecumenical movement in its diverse manifestations.
(previous text)

The World Council of Churches is constituted for the following functions and purposes:
















  1. to call the churches to the goal of visible unity in one faith and in one eucharistic fellowship expressed in worship and in common life in Christ, and to advance towards that unity in order that the world may believe; towards that unity in order that the world may believe;

  2. to facilitate the common witness of the churches in each place and in all places;

  3. to support the churches in their worldwide missionary and evangelistic task;

  4. to express the common concern of the churches in the service of human need, the breaking down of barriers between people, and the promotion of one human family in justice and peace;

  5. to foster the renewal of the churches in unity, worship, mission and service;

  6. to establish and maintain relations with national councils and regional conferences of churches, world confessional bodies and other ecumenical organizations;

  7. to carry on the work of the world movements for Faith and Order and Life and Work and of the International Missionary Council and the World Council of Christian Education.

IV. AUTHORITY

The World Council shall offer counsel and provide opportunity for united action in matters of common interest.

It may take action on behalf of constituent churches only in such matters as one or more of them may commit to it and only on behalf of such churches.

The World Council shall not legislate for the churches; nor shall it act for them in any manner except as indicated above or as may hereafter be specified by the constituent churches.

V. ORGANIZATION

The World Council shall discharge its functions through an Assembly, a Central Committee, an Executive Committee, and other subordinate bodies as may be established.

1. The Assembly

a) The Assembly shall be the supreme legislative body governing the World Council and shall ordinarily meet at seven-year intervals.

b) The Assembly shall be composed of official representatives of the member churches, known as delegates, elected by the member churches.

c) The Assembly shall have the following functions:

1) to elect the President or Presidents of the World Council;

2) to elect not more than 145 members of the Central Committee from among the delegates which the member churches have elected to the Assembly;

3) to elect not more than 5 members from among the representatives which the associate member churches have elected to the Assembly;

4) to determine the overall policies of the World Council and to review programmes undertaken to implement policies previously adopted;

5) to delegate to the Central Committee specific functions, except to amend this Constitution and to allocate the membership of the Central Committee granted by this Constitution to the Assembly exclusively.

2. The Central Committee
a) The Central Committee shall be responsible for implementing the policies adopted by the Assembly and shall exercise the functions of the Assembly itself delegated to it by the Assembly between its meetings, except its power to amend this Constitution and to allocate or alter the allocation of the membership of Central Committee.

b) The Central Committee shall be composed of the President or Presidents of the World Council of Churches and not more than 150 members.

1) Not more than 145 members shall be elected by the Assembly from among the delegates the member churches have elected to the Assembly. Such members shall be distributed among the member churches by the Assembly giving due regard to the size of the churches and confessions represented in the Council, the number of churches of each confession which are members of the Council, reasonable geographical and cultural balance, and adequate representation of the major interests of the Council.

2) Not more than 5 members shall be elected by the Assembly from among the representatives whom the associate member churches have elected to the Assembly.

3) A vacancy in the membership of the Central Committee, occurring between meetings of the Assembly, shall be filled by the Central Committee itself after consultation with the church of which the person previously occupying the position was a member.

c) The Central Committee shall have, in addition to the general powers set out in (a) above, the following powers:
1) to elect its Moderator and Vice-Moderator or Vice-Moderators from among the members of the Central Committee;

2) to elect the Executive Committee from among the members of the Central Committee;

3) to elect committees, commissions, and boards;

4) within the policies adopted by the Assembly, and on the recommendation of the Programme Committee, to initiate and terminate programmes and activities and to set priorities for the work of the Council;

5) to adopt the budget of the World Council and secure its financial support;

6) to elect the General Secretary and to elect or appoint or to make provision for the election or appointment of all members of the staff of the World Council;

7) to plan for the meetings of the Assembly, making provision for the conduct of its business, for worship and study, and for common Christian commitment. The Central Committee shall determine the number of delegates to the Assembly and allocate them among the member churches giving due regard to the size of the churches and confessions represented in the Council; the number of churches of each confession which are members of the Council; reasonable geographical and cultural balance; the desired distribution among church officials, parish ministers and lay persons; among men, women and young people; and participation by persons whose special knowledge and experience will be needed;

8) to delegate specific functions to the Executive Committee or to other bodies or persons.

3. Rules

The Assembly or the Central Committee may adopt and amend Rules not inconsistent with this Constitution for the conduct of the business of the World Council.

4. By-laws

The Assembly or the Central Committee may adopt and amend By-Laws not inconsistent with this Constitution for the functioning of its committees, boards, working groups and commissions.

5. Quorum

A quorum for the conduct of any business by the Assembly or the Central Committee shall be one-half of its membership.

VI. OTHER ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS

1. Such world confessional bodies and such international ecumenical organizations as may be designated by the Central Committee may be invited to send non-voting representatives to the Assembly and to the Central Committee, in such numbers as the Central Committee shall determine.

2. Such national councils and regional conferences of churches, other Christian councils and missionary councils as may be designated by the Central Committee may be invited to send non-voting representatives to the Assembly and to the Central Committee, in such numbers as the Central Committee shall determine.

VII. AMENDMENTS

The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the delegates to the Assembly present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been reviewed by the Central Committee, and notice of it sent to the member churches not less than six months before the meeting of the Assembly. The Central Committee itself, as well as the member churches, shall have the right to propose such amendment.


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© 2000 World Council of Churches / Remarks to:webeditor