Christian leaders are united in the call for economies that nurture life. Photo: Valter Hugo Muniz/WCC
A call for a just financial architecture that serves the poor and protects the planet
(LWI) - In a world marked by rising inequality, environmental destruction, and economic systems that benefit the few at the expense of the many, five global Christian organizations are raising their voice for justice and solidarity.
In March, leaders of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Methodist Council, the Council for World Mission, and the World Council of Churches, gathered in Geneva to listen to stories of suffering and resistance: Indigenous communities defending their lands, Pacific islanders displaced by climate change, and families and individuals left behind by economic systems designed to favour wealth over well-being.
In their letter, the five general secretaries call on churches not to remain silent in the face of such injustice. In a joint letter issued after the meeting, they offer a theological and moral call to action: to stand with the poor and the oppressed, to resist systems of greed and overconsumption, and to walk humbly with creation.
“We have heard voices of misery and despair and noted, with sadness and anger, that those who are poor suffer most under the current economic and financial system. [...] We call our churches into urgent action.”
“We have heard voices of misery and despair and noted, with sadness and anger, that those who are poor suffer most under the current economic and financial system. [...] We call our churches into urgent action.”
Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt, General Secretary of the LWF, participated in the Geneva meeting and underscored the role of churches in sowing the seeds of change. “Our faith traditions remind us of the potential for transformation against overwhelming odds,” she said, affirming the church’s calling to speak with moral clarity and bold hope.
The meeting in Geneva concluded by issuing a communique, which elaborates a faith-based approach to economy and finance and call for urgent renewal of global solidarity and re-commitment to democratic values, international human rights frameworks and multilateral processes addressing global economic and ecological governance.
The meeting was part of the ongoing work of the Ecumenical Panel on a New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA), a joint initiative that brings together theologians, economists, and policy experts, to speak prophetically and practically into the structures that shape global life.
