This collection contains the material developed at or related to the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in Kingston, Jamaica, 17-25 May 2011. The World Council of Churches' 9th Assembly (Porto Alegre, Brazil, February 2006) decided that "the conclusion of the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) be marked by an International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC)". The Assembly also called for "a process of wide consultation to be undertaken toward developing an ecumenical declaration on "just peace". This consultative process leading up to the IEPC allowed for broad participation with many entry points, and covers a wide spectrum of thematic and methodological approaches. The IEPC brought together a wide spectrum of people witnessing to the peace of God as a gift and responsibility of the entire human family. It sought to strengthen the church's position on peace, provided opportunities for networking and deepening the churches common commitment to the processes of reconciliation and just peace.

Recent Submissions

  • Talitha Cum: The raising up of Women and Girls to Overcome Violence

    WCC Programmes, 2006-01-01
    Bible study by Rev. Judith VanOsdol, Lutheran Pastor, Women's Ministries and Gender Justice Desk, Latin American Council of Churches, CLAI.
  • Ehre sei gott und Friede auf Erden. Botschaft der Internationalen ökumenischen Friedenskonvokation

    International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (World Council of Churches, 2011)
  • Gloire à Dieu et paix sur la terre. Message du Rassemblement œcuménique international pour la paix

    International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (World Council of Churches, 2011)
  • Why Violence? Why not Peace?

    Mavunduse, Diana; Oxley, Simon (World Council of Churches, 2003)
  • Echoes Magazine: Issue 18/2000 on the subject of Violence

    WCC Cluster on Issues and Themes (ECHOES - World Council of Churches, 2000)
    When power is used to serve life it creates good, when it is used to serve death it creates violence. In this conflict God is not neutral, God condemns power in the service of death and upholds the pillars of love-truth-justice and human dignity Today the power of the globalised economy generates violence. The foreign debts of countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa in particular are producing such extremes of poverty and human destitution that one Anglican bishop has denounced this as the new slavery. Never before in history have some 1000 million people in the world been affected by such a degree of violence. Military power and the manufacture of weapons are a continuing harsh reality, fed by conflicts around the world where huge profits are to be made. The political power of the rich nations determines the life and decisions of the impoverished countries. The power of racism and sexism go on generating violence against women, Black and Indigenous peoples.
  • Gloria a Dios y Paz en la Tierra. Mensaje de la Convocatoria Ecuménica Internacional por la Paz

    International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (World Council of Churches, 2011)
  • World report on violence and health

    Krug, Etienne G.; Dahlberg, Linda L.; Mercy, James A.; Zwi, Anthony B. (World Health Organization, 2002)
    The World report on violence and health is the first comprehensive review of the problem of violence on a global scale – what it is, whom it affects and what can be done about it. Three years in the making, the report benefited from the participation of over 160 experts from around the world, receiving both peer-review from scientists and contributions and comments from representatives of all the world’s regions.
  • Ere zij God en Vrede op Aarde. Boodschap van de Internationale Oecumenische Vredesbijeenkomst

    International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (World Council of Churches, 2011)
  • Telling the Truth about ourselves and our World

    Oxley, Simon (World Council of Churches, 2009)
    A study guide to help individuals and churches continue to reflect and act together as the 2001-2010 Decade to Overcome Violence – Churches Seeking Reconciliation and Peace is celebrated at the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (May 17-25, 2011, Kingston, Jamaica).
  • Final Report of the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV)

    World Council of Churches (World Council of Churches, 2011)
    This report of the Decade to Overcome Violence is a story of hope and of gratitude. It tells of the struggle for peace with justice of churches and communities across the wide fellowship that is the World Council of Churches.
  • Ecumenical Call to Just Peace

    World Council of Churches (World Council of Churches, 2011)
    The Ecumenical Call to Just Peace (ECJP) was received, endorsed and commended for study, reflection, collaboration and common action during the Central Committee meetings in February 2011, Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Just Peace Companion

    International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (World Council of Churches, 2012)
    The documentation presented here is meant to be used alongside the Ecumenical Call to Just Peace. This further documentation will aid individuals and groups in studying and reflecting on the Ecumenical Call itself. The documentation intends to provide necessary background information as well as basic biblical, theological and ethical considerations to support and unfold its basic message.
  • Christian Discipleship in a broken world - A Statement on Peace Building

    World Council of Churches (2008)
    The Statement on Peace Building by the Participants of the Seminar“Religions: Instruments of Peace or Causes of Conflicts?” was an outcome of the Bossey International Seminar on “Religions: Instruments of Peace or Causes of Conflicts?” The seminar which was held from the 11-16 May, 2008 brought together participants from various countries and regions of the globe, representing contexts in which violence has sadly become a daily reality.
  • Glory to God and Peace on Earth. The Message of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation

    International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, 2011-05-24)
    Message of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, which was held 17-25 May by the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC) and the Jamaican Council of Churches (JCC). It brought together some 1,000 peace activists and faith leaders from more than 100 countries in order to explore the role of the church in peacemaking.
  • Afirmaciones preliminares a una Declaración Ecuménica sobre la Paz Justa (Initial Statement Towards an Ecumenical Declaration on Just Peace)

    Consejo Mundial de Iglesias
    "Al terminar el Decenio para Superar la Violencia, nos encontramos en un momento especial, un kairos de gracia. Queremos hacer un repaso en este momento para reflexionar acerca de adónde ha llegado este período de lucha para superar la violencia y para permitir a las iglesias que contribuyan a cimentar genuinas culturas de paz: cómo nos han hablado los acontecimientos de la historia y cómo hemos trabajado como iglesias para dar una respuesta." (p. 3) "At the end of the Decade to Overcome Violence, we find ourselves at a special moment, a kairos of grace. We wish to take stock at this time to reflect upon where this journey of struggling to overcome violence and to enable the churches to contribute to genuine cultures of peace has come: how the events in history have spoken to us, and how we as churches have worked to respond to them." (p. 3)
  • Erster Entwurf einer ökumenischen Erklärung zum gerechten Frieden

    Ökumenischer Rat der Kirchen
    "Das Ende der Dekade zur Überwindung von Gewalt enthält für uns einen besonderen Moment, einen kairos der Gnade. Wir nehmen diesen Zeitpunkt zum Anlass, um darüber nachzudenken, wohin uns diese Bemühungen um eine Überwindung von Gewalt geführt haben und wie die Kirchen befähigt wurden, zu eigenständigen Kulturen des Friedens beizutragen. Wie haben die Ereignisse der Geschichte zu uns gesprochen, wie haben wir als Kirchen auf sie reagiert?" (S. 4)
  • Déclaration initiale vers une Déclaration oecuménique sur la paix juste

    Conseil Oecuménique des Eglises
    "A la fin de la Décennie “vaincre la violence”, nous nous trouvons à un moment particulier, un kairos de grâce. Nous voulons faire le point en ce moment, réfléchir au stade atteint par ces années de lutte pour vaincre la violence et pour permettre aux Eglises d’apporter une contribution à des cultures de paix authentiques; nous voulons distinguer comment les événements de l’histoire nous ont parlé, et comment nous avons agi, en tant qu’Eglises, pour réagir à ces événements." (p. 3)
  • Response to the WCC Initial Statement towards an Ecumenical Declaration of Just Peace Netherlands Council of Churches

    Hout, H. J. van; Kamp, K. van der; Netherlands Council of Churches
    "The Council of Churches in the Netherlands is composed of some nineteen different churches which are (associate) members. It includes the Roman Catholic Church , the major Protestant churches, the Anglicans, some Orthodox churches, some Free churches, the Salvation Army, the Mennonites, as well as the Quakers. In the past the ecumenical tradition has developed that when we were invited to respond to a document from the World Council of Churches, the Council of Churches in the Netherlands would consult its member churches and whenever possible give a joint response. Having received your initial statement it was therefore decided to institute a special Taskgroup Just Peace on which a member of the Dutch Interchurch Peace Council (IKV Pax Christi), the Dutch ecumenical peace organisation Kerk en Vrede (Church and Peace) and a member of the Board of our Council are serving. [...] This letter therefore restricts itself to the joint response of the Council of Churches in the Netherlands to your Initial Statement." (p. 1)
  • Response from Netherlands Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) to the Initial Statement towards an Ecumenical Declaration of Just Peace of the World Council of Churches

    Nieuwerth, Kees; Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
    "As one of the representatives of the so-called historical peace churches believing that non-violence is an integral part of following Jesus we are grateful that the World Council of Churches has placed the issue of the use of deadly force in conflict situations high on the agenda by its endeavour to develop a ‘declaration of just peace’. In the draft document questions are raised we are requested to respond to from our living tradition. [...] As far as we are concerned the Initial Statement has been written whilst still accepting the age-old concept of the Corpus Christianum, in the context of which the church allies itself somehow with the worldly powers. The traditional peace churches however have always opted to form a countermovement, thus making it possible to render a prophetic witness over and against the worldly powers. In our Quaker tradition this is referred to as ‘speaking Truth to Power’. Because these are the most important issues at stake from our perspective we begin by responding to the questions raised in chapter 3." (p. 1)
  • Call for draft declarations on just peace

    Tasmuth, Randar; Theology Institute of the EELC (2009-11-24)
    "Please find here a few words from our part." (p. 1)

View more