WCC Previews 2013 Christian Unity Statement: Church is 'Foretaste of the New Creation'

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The World Council of Churches has given a preview of its statement on Christian Unity intended for the group’s 10th assembly next year.

The statement, which was developed at the request of the group’s Central Committee in 2011, will be presented in Busan, Republic of Korea in during the meeting which starts in late October 2013.

Snippets of the statement released Monday portray the church as a “foretaste of the new creation,” called to be a “sign to the whole world of the life god intends for all.”

The statement also calls the church an instrument for “spreading the good news of God’s kingdom of justice, peace and love.”

It includes a reflection on experience, highlighting the tension between hope and despair in the world, and a similar dynamic of celebration and sorrow in the churches.

The draft also urges affirmation of God’s gift of unity and a renewed response to the call to make this unity more visible in the church and all creation.