Leaders from three World Council of Churches (WCC) reference groups, following a recent conference in Chiang Mai, reflected on what it mean to witness together, and what they hope churches will do.
Rev. Hanna-Maria Pauliina Parhiala (Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission), co-moderator of the WCC Ecumenical Diakonia Reference Group, Thandiwe Soko-de Jong (Protestant Church in the Netherlands), co-moderator of the WCC Gender Justice Reference Group, Very Rev. Fr Hrant Tahanian (Armenian Apostolic Church/Holy See of Cilicia), co-moderator of the WCC Reference Group on Overcoming Racism, Xenophobia, Casteism, and all forms of Discrimination
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Rev. Hanna-Maria Pauliina Parhiala, from the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission, co-moderator of the WCC Ecumenical Diakonia Reference Group, said that the reference group contributed a distinctive focus on ecumenical diakonia as shared witness, shared agency, and institutional transformation.
“In a context marked by polycrisis, shrinking civic space, polarization, and unequal power, our group highlighted that credible Christian witness requires moving beyond charity and service delivery towards prophetic action alongside communities,” she said. “The group helped connect theological reflection with lived realities, emphasizing that diakonia is constitutive of the church and inseparable from justice, advocacy, peacebuilding, ecological responsibility, and visible unity.”
One of the conference’s greatest achievements, Parhiala added, was bringing together diverse commissions and reference groups to develop a common reading of the signs of the times and a renewed ecumenical response to today’s global crises. “The conference articulated a shared call to prophetic action for life, justice, and peace, while linking issues of climate justice, gender justice, health, racism, international affairs, and diakonia into one coherent ethical vision,” she said. “My hope is that churches leave Chiang Mai with a strong sense that unity is not an end in itself but a shared public witness.”
Thandiwe Soko-de Jong, from the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, is co-moderator of the WCC Gender Justice Reference Group.
She reflected that gender justice is not imported into the church from outside, but flows from the heart of our faith. “Gender justice is therefore a matter of God’s justice and mutual enrichment,” she said. “Our commitment is thus an act of faith and a confession of what we proclaim.”
The reference group reaffirmed its current focus on climate justice as a critical issue that disproportionately affects women and girls because it amplifies gendered inequalities. “Our voice on this issue drew attention to gendered dimensions of the climate crisis, such as the limits placed on community and societal progress where women and girls lack access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation infrastructure,” she said. “Because each church walks this path according to its own context and tradition, our approach builds bridges rather than walls.”
One of the conference’s major successes, Soko-de Jong reflected, was convening distinct commissions, reference groups, and dedicated individuals to focus on contemporary ecumenical social ethics. “I hope churches continue to promote this spirit of deep listening and wholehearted engagement in their communities.”
Very Rev. Fr Hrant Tahanian, from the US and the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), serves as co-moderator of the WCC Reference Group on Overcoming Racism, Xenophobia, Casteism, and all forms of Discrimination. “Societal issues have been a matter of concern for the ecumenical movement since its inception,” he said. “It grapples with the same challenges the broader inhabited world struggles with. Similar to most things in human life, the level of commitment our societies have in improving them goes through ebbs and flows.”
In recent times, he noted, we are noticing a “recession of interest” in the issues and their solutions.
“But what of the social ills that are not the talk of the day, or are hidden underneath layers that render them un-perceivable to the naked eye?” he asked. The reference group takes to heart the mission of unearthing all that is necessary for the welfare of societies and churches, both the seen and the unseen. “An example we broached this past week was climate colonialism—seldom discussed, yet crucial to holistic emancipation,” he said. “As such, the ecumenical movement continues to not only be a voice for the voiceless, but also a beacon to all things that yearn for the light of Christ.”
WCC issues “Call to Prophetic Action for Life, Justice, and Peace” (WCC news release, 13 October 2026)
Message of the Joint Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace in Chiang Mai
Commission leaders in Chiang Mai reflect on re-articulating social ethics for today (WCC News release, 09 October 2026)
Listening before speaking: conference participants meet local communities in Chiang Mai (WCC Feature story, 8 October 2026)
Chiang Mai conference opens to explore “Being Church in the World Today” (WCC News release, 05 October 2026)
PHOTO GALLERY: Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace in Chiang Mai, Thailand
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