World Council of Churches

In the meeting on 14/06/2003

It was presented to the Synod that the work of the special Committee has continued for the inclusion of the Orthodox Churches in the Council, through the management committee and the expanded committee. The family of our Eastern Orthodox Churches is represented in this committee by His Grace Bishop Bishoy and His Grace Bishop Nareg Elemazian, from the Armenian Orthodox Catholics of Antelias, Lebanon.

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, at its previous meeting in August/September 2002 in Geneva, accepted the report of the Committee on Orthodox Participation, the most important of which is the shift from a decision-making system by voting to a consensus system.

At the present time, the required amendments are being drafted in the constitution and the bylaws of the council, to be ready before the next General Assembly in 2006 in Brazil, God willing.