Remembering the Pentecostal belief that God can and does heal today could be healthy and worthwhile for the Christian church, according to Ron Wallace, associate secretary of International Ministries for the Presbyterian Church. Wallace attended the World Council of Churches' Conference on World Mission and Evangelism in May. Held in Athens, Greece, the idea of God's healing ran throughout the international event. "Healing on a horizontal level, between denominations, also implies healing the church's relationship with God," he said.
That the church needs healing and reconciliation among its members was given a visual aid when protesters from the Greek Orthodox Church gathered outside the proceedings, shouting and swearing and brandishing signs that equated the WCC with the antichrist. Wallace tried to keep things in perspective. "It shows the complexity of our world, and that there are no easy answers," he said. "There was no attempt to come up with solutions. All you can do is pray and carry on and continue working at it."
Wallace pointed out that the protestors were a small minority and that they didn't represent the entire Greek Orthodox Church. The church's archbishop, His Beatitude Christodoulos, welcomed the delegates to Greece.
The conference was the 13th of its kind. The first was held in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1910. This year's theme of "Come Holy Spirit — Heal and Reconcile" represented a shift in how the conference has changed its focus over the decades. Wallace said the emphasis used to be on strategizing how to evangelize the world. Now they emphasize fellowship, worshiping together and learning about each other.
This focus on togetherness was highlighted by the participation of non-WCC members for the very first time. Roman Catholic, Pentecostal and Evangelical representatives were allowed to take part in discussions and debates. Wallace said the council had come to realize that the next step in its ecumenical endeavours was to reach out and be more inclusive. The differing viewpoints, while causing some initial disagreement could actually be beneficial, said Wallace, leading to greater unity and hope for the future.
Wallace said the hope is that these denominations will one day become members, and the WCC can "truly call it itself an ecumenical coalition." About 500 people participated in this year's conference, representing more than 300 churches and Christian organizations from around the world.
The conference's aim of working together towards reconciliation and healing comes from the growing belief in godly healing in Africa and Latin America. "The emphasis on healing is much stronger in other parts of the world, following Jesus' practice of healing in the New Testament," said Wallace. He said in China, many believers have come to Christ after being healed from physical sicknesses when people prayed.
The large sessions of the conference were interspersed with worship, smaller workshops and intimate home groups where 10 people gathered each day to pray and discuss the day's events. "We were all interested in each other's ideas," said Wallace. "It was here that we really got to know each other and shared our thoughts with mutual respect."
Heather Chappell, program assistant for stewardship and education for mission in the Presbyterian Church, also attended the conference as a reporter. The next conference will be held in 2010 in Edinburgh, commemorating the event's 100th anniversary. – AM
