Tenth Report Study Documents – Joint Working Group

The title of the 10th Report—Walking, Praying and Working Together: An Ecumenical Pilgrimage—was the motto of Pope Francis’ visit to Geneva in June 2018. Undoubtedly this was the highlight of ecumenical cooperation between the WCC and the RCC during this mandate of the JWG. It accurately captured the WCC’s emphasis on a pilgrimage of justice and peace following the 10th Assembly in Busan in 2013 and Pope Francis’ conviction that unity can only grow through Christians walking together as fellow pilgrims in Christ’s love.

We offer the 10th Report and these two study documents to the 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe in 2022 with recom

mendations for the parent bodies.

Together, these documents encourage intensive ecumenical cooperation of all Christians and people of goodwill, with a particular emphasis on the contributions that can be made by the WCC and the RCC together.

1. Peace Is a Treasure for All: An Ecumenical Reflection on Peacebuilding in Situations of Conflict and Violence
Without walking and acting together, especially in times of crisis and conflict, there is no peace nor authentic unity. Christians are called to be peacemakers, and “Christ is our peace” (Eph. 2:14). As peacebuilding efforts are not the legacy of Christians alone but are common to many religions and civil and nongovernmental organizations, Christians aim for all to work together for peace to heal the present broken world and the battered earth.

2. Migrants and Refugees: Ecumenical Challenges and Opportunities

Responding to the challenges and opportunities of migration, we envision a future where the international community will recognize and promote solidarity, cooperation, and the equitable distribution of the earth’s goods.

This is essential to eliminating war, violence, economic hardships and other factors that lead people, individually or collectively, to abandon their own natural and cultural environments. We hope and pray that in the future, all people may exercise the freedom to migrate in pursuit of better prospects or, alternatively, not to migrate and so to contribute to their country of origin.