The Conference of European Churches is an ecumenical fellowship of churches in Europe which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures and therefore seek to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The movement which led to the creation of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) dates back to the period of the cold war. The fragmented and divided Europe of the 1940s and 1950s needed to surmount political divisions, to devote itself anew to the peoples torn apart by the second world war. A small group of church leaders in East and West Europe began to consider together the possibility of bringing into conversation churches in European countries separated by different political, economic and social systems. Their aim was to enable the churches of Europe to become instruments of peace and understanding. Exploratory and preparatory meetings took place in 1953 and 1957. In 1959 representatives of more than 40 churches met in Nyborg Strand, Denmark, for the first assembly of CEC. At that time the organization was a loose association of churches, but with the adoption of a constitution at the 1964 assembly, a significant step was taken towards forming a regional conference of churches. This assembly was held on board a ship in the Baltic Sea, in order to overcome visa problems and ensure that all churches enjoyed representation. CEC has consistently tried to promote international understanding, insisting that no "iron curtain" exist among the churches. CEC has also tried to build bridges between minority and majority churches, between the generations, between women and men, and between Christians of different confessions. The assemblies of CEC have been important moments for the European churches in their efforts to witness together:
Nyborg (Denmark)
1959
European Christianity in Today's Secularized World
Nyborg (Denmark)
1960
The Service of the Church in a Changing World
Nyborg (Denmark)
1962
The Church in Europe and the Crisis of Modern Man
At sea
1964
Living Together as Continents and Generations
Pörtschach (Austria)
1967
To Serve and Reconcile - the Task of the European Churches Today
Nyborg (Denmark)
1971
Service of God, Service of Men
Engelberg (Switzerland)
1974
Act on the Message - Unity in Christ and Peace in the World
Chania, Crete (Greece)
1979
Alive to the World in the Power of the Holy Spirit
Stirling (Scotland)
1986
Glory to God and Peace on Earth
Prague (Czech Republic)
1992
God Unites - in Christ a New Creation
Graz (Austria)
1997
Reconciliation, Gift of God and Source of New Life
Trondheim (Norway)
2003
Jesus Christ Heals and Reconciles: Our Witness in Europe
Lyon (France)
2009
Called to One Hope in Christ
The themes of these assemblies present a mirror reflection of the will of the churches in Europe to be agents of service and reconciliation, and to respond to the challenges of an increasingly secularized society. Following the political changes in 1989, the European Ecumenical Commission on Church and Society, a body of the churches in Western Europe, and CEC were integrated in 1999 to form the CEC Church and Society Commission. Cooperation between CEC and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (Catholic Church) has resulted in the European Ecumenical Assemblies: "Peace with Justice" in Basel in 1989; "Reconciliation, Gift of God and Source of New Life" in Graz in 1997; and "The Light of Christ Shines Upon All - Hope for Renewal and Unity in Europe" in Sibiu, Romania, in 2007.
Besides the Commission on Church and Society, which focuses on the European integration process and on peace and human rights, CEC has a Commission on Churches in Dialogue, working on unity and mission. The Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), which is based in Brussels, works on migration and integration, refugees and asylum, and against racism and discrimination in Europe. CCME and CEC are formally cooperating in these areas since 1999 and are in the process of the integration of CCME and CEC. Another important area of work is relations with Islam in Europe, carried on jointly with the Council of European Bishops' Conferences. CEC has some 120 member churches in 38 countries. It has also 43 associated organizations, the majority of which are national councils of churches. CEC has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.
Periodical: Monitor (CEC News, in English, French, and German)
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Miembros:
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Churches:
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| Otros miembros: |
Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Etchmiadzin)
Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania
Old-Catholic Church in Austria
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria
Evangelical Church of the Helvetic Confession in Austria
Methodist Church in Austria
United Protestant Church of Belgium
Baptist Union of Bulgaria
Methodist Church in Bulgaria
Pentecostal Assemblies of Bulgaria
Baptist Union of Croatia
Church of God in Croatia
Evangelical (Pentecostal) Church in Croatia
Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia
Reformed Christian Church in Croatia
Church of Cyprus
Baptist Union in the Czech Republic
Czechoslovak Hussite Church
Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Church of the Brethren (Congregational)
Evangelical Methodist Church (Czech Republic)
Moravian Church in the Czech Republic
Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and the Slovak Republic
Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Czech Republic
Old Catholic Church in the Czech Republic
Baptist Union of Denmark
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad (Canada)
Estonian Methodist Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Orthodox Church in Finland
Church of the Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine
Evangelical Lutheran Church of France
Malagasy Protestant Church in France
Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine
Reformed Church of France
Federation of Evangelical Baptist Churches of France
Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists of Georgia
Evangelical Church in Germany
Union of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany (Baptists)
United Methodist Church in Germany
Catholic Diocese of the Old-Catholics in Germany
Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany
Baptist Union of Great Britain
Church in Wales
Church of England
Church of Scotland
Congregational Federation of the United Kingdom
Council of African and Caribbean Churches U.K.
Lutheran Council of Great Britain
British Methodist Church
Presbyterian Church of Wales
Salvation Army – UK Territory/Ireland
Scottish Episcopal Church
Shiloh United Church of Christ Apostolic Worldwide (UK)
United Reformed Church
Church of Greece
Greek Evangelical Church
Baptist Union of Hungary
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary
Evangelical Methodist Church in Hungary
Reformed Church in Hungary
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
Church of Ireland
Methodist Church in Ireland
Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy
Evangelical Methodist Church of Italy
Waldensian Church (Italy)
Baptist Union of Italy
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad (Germany)
Evangelical Church in the Principality of Liechtenstein
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania
Alliance of Protestant Churches of Luxemburg
Mennonite Church in the Netherlands
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Old-Catholic Church of the Netherlands
Remonstrant Brotherhood (Netherlands)
Church of Norway
Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland
Evangelical Reformed Church in Poland
United Methodist Church in Poland
Polish Catholic Church in Poland
Baptist Union of Poland
Old-Catholic Mariavite Church in Poland
Methodist Church of Portugal
Presbyterian Church in Portugal
Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church (Portugal)
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Romania
Romanian Orthodox Church
Reformed Church in Romania – Oradea District
Reformed Church in Romania – Transylvania District
Euro-Asiatic Federation of the Unions of Evangelical Christians-Baptists
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
Russian Orthodox Church
Evangelical Methodist Church in Serbia & Montenegro
Reformed Christian Church in Serbia & Montenegro
Slovakian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia & Montenegro
Serbian Orthodox Church
Evangelical Methodist Church in FYRO – Macedonia
Evangelical Free Church in the Slovak Republic
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia
Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and Slovak Republic
Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Republic of Slovenia
Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church
Spanish Evangelical Church
United Methodist Church of Sweden Annual Conference
Baptist Union of Sweden
Church of Sweden
Mission Covenant Church of Sweden
Old-Catholic Church of Switzerland
Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches
United Methodist Church in Switzerland
Trans-Carpathian Reformed Church (Ukraine)
Ecumenical Patriarchate
European Continental Province of the Moravian Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Salvation Army International – Headquarters Europe Zone
United Methodist Church – Central and Southern Europe Area
United Methodist Church – Nordic and Baltic Area |
Miembros asociados:
(Dentro de la membrecía del CMI) |
Churches:
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| Otros miembros asociados: |
Action of Churches Together in Scotland
Christian Council of Sweden
Church Mission Society (UK)
Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Churches Together in England
Spanish Committee on Cooperation between the Churches
Conference of European University Chaplains
Portuguese Council of Christian Churches
CYTUN, Churches Together in Wales
Ecumenical Association of Academies and Lay Centres in Europe
Ecumenical Association of Churches in Romania
Ecumenical Council of Churches in Slovakia
Ecumenical Council of Finland
Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women
Ecumenical Institute for the Nordic Region
Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe
Estonian Council of Churches
Eurodiaconia – European Federation for Diaconia
European Forum for Christian Men
European Alliance of YMCA’s
European Baptist Federation
European Contact Group on Urban Industrial Mission
Protestant Working Group on Adult Education in Europe
French Protestant Federation
Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy
Gustav Adolf Foundation (Germany)
Inter-European Commission on Church and School
International Association for Christian Education
International Prison Chaplains’ Association
Irish Council of Churches
Church and Peace (Germany)
Conference of European Pastors’ Associations
Ecumenical Council of Churches in Hungary
Christian Council of Norway
Council of Churches in the Netherlands
Society for Ecumenical Studies and Inter-Orthodox Relations
The European YWCAs
Union of Evangelical Free Churches (Germany)
World Christian Student Federation – Europe
Observer member:
- Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
- Friends World Committee for Consultation Europe and Middle East Section
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