World Evangelical Alliance

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) is a global organization of evangelical Christian churches, serving more than 600 million evangelicals, founded in 1846 in London, England, United Kingdom to unite evangelicals worldwide. WEA is the largest international organization of evangelical churches. The headquarters are in Deerfield, Illinois, with UN offices in New York City, Geneva, and Bonn. It brings together 7 regional and 129 evangelical alliances of churches, and over 150 member organizations. Some of the national alliances include Protestant churches which are not traditional Evangelical churches in the strict sense (anabaptism). Moreover, the WEA includes a certain percentage of individual evangelical Christian churches. Effective March 2021, new Secretary General of the WEA is the German theologian Thomas Schirrmacher.

Not to be confused with Evangelical Alliance.
For other uses, see WEA (disambiguation).
World Evangelical Alliance
WEA Logo since 2001
ClassificationProtestant
OrientationEvangelical
LeaderBishop Efraim Tendero
Thomas Schirrmacher, successor
Associations129 evangelical alliances
RegionWorldwide
HeadquartersDeerfield, Illinois, UN offices in New York City, Geneva, Bonn
Origin1846
London, England, United Kingdom
Members600 million
Official websiteworldea.org

History

The organization has its origins in the Evangelical Alliance, a British organization founded in 1846.[1] In 1951, the World Evangelical Fellowship was founded by 21 countries at the first general assembly in Woudschoten (Zeist) in the Netherlands.[2][3] In 2001, after the General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur, WEF became the World Evangelical Alliance.[4] As of 2005, the WEA was experiencing a collegiate management under the leadership of its Canadian leader, Geoff Tunnicliffe. Offices were opened in Vancouver, Canada (Leadership), San Francisco (Information Technology), Washington (Publications), and Geneva (International Relations). In 2006, it opened an office at the UN in Geneva, which added to that in New York City.[5] In 2018, it established its headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois, United States.[6]

Beliefs

The Alliance has an Evangelical confession of faith.[7]

Leadership

The WEA is headed by a Secretary-General whose function is to administer and represent the Alliance. Efraim Tendero, born in Philippines, is the Secretary-General since March 1, 2015.[8][9]

List of former leaders

This list contains the former leaders of the WEA since 1951.[10]

Commissions

In 1974, the WEA creates 6 commissions to better achieve its mandates.[12] [13][14]

  • Alliance development

Function: To strengthen existing evangelical alliances and create new ones.

  • Church in community

Function: To provide programs and resources to churches for different social groups.

  • Missions and evangelism

Function: Coordinate the activities of evangelization.

  • Public engagement

Function: Coordinate partnerships with international organizations, such as the UN.

  • Relief and development

Function: Coordinate Christian humanitarian aid and development aid.

  • Theological concerns

Function: To reflect on subjects of evangelical theology, and questions of importance concerning churches and society in the world, to monitor religious freedom.

Statistics

In 2020, WEA brought together 129 national alliances of churches that would have 600 million believers. [15]Some of these national alliances have traditional Protestant churches which are not traditional Evangelical churches in the strict sense (anabaptism).[16]In addition, the WEA unites only a certain percentage of evangelical churches.[17]

Membership

The World Evangelical Alliance embraces member-bodies whose identity and vocation are rooted in historic biblical Christianity.[18] WEA affirms and seeks the biblical unity of Christ's body, the Church, celebrating the diversity of practices and theological emphases consistent with the WEA Statement of Faith, recognizing the existing dynamic tension between unity and diversity.

There are 3 types of membership, each with its distinct qualifications and responsibilities: [19]

  • Regional & National Alliances are regional evangelical fellowships and their national fellowships/alliances.
  • Associate Members are independently incorporated organizations with their own specific ministries and accountability, an international scope of ministry, and the capacity and authority to serve in and beyond the WEA community.
  • Church Networks & Denominations are networks of churches (located in one or a number of countries), in agreement with the Statement of Faith and objectives of the World Evangelical Alliance.

General Assemblies

A General Assembly takes place every six years in a country that differs depending on the year.[20] It is a time of healing and gathering for national alliances and associations.[21] It allows the execution of administrative procedures and the training of leaders of each country. The last General Assembly was to be held in 2014 in Seoul in South Korea, but was postponed to a later date.[22]

Publications

There are two quarterly publications: a journal Evangelical Review of Theology (published on behalf by Paternoster Periodicals since 1977) and a newsletter Theological News (since 1969). Books are published occasionally.[24]

Global engagements

Development

The fight against poverty is a major concern of the WEA.[25] Publications and meetings of the Alliance are the means used to influence and inspire development initiatives and actions humanitarian in churches, NGOs and political.[26] It is the origin of the Micah Challenge, an initiative to educate Christians and promote decision making among leaders.[27]

Ecumenical Participation

On June 5, 2010, Geoff Tunnicliffe, the International Director of the WEA, appeared alongside the leaders of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches (WCC) in a press conference, entitled “Christian unity today”, at the Edinburgh 2010 Conference. The gathering marked the centennial of the 1910 World Missionary Conference.[28] In the same year, on 17 October 2010, Olav Fykse Tveit, the general secretary of the WCC, gave an invited address to the 3rd International Congress of the Lausanne Movement.[29] In the address he said, "we are called to participate in the one mission of God".[29] The World Evangelical Alliance, Geoff Tunnicliffe, the International Director and other WEA leaders were involved at each level in the development of the programme, and helped choose its participants.[30] In May 2014 the Lausanne International Student Ministry Global Leadership Network became a "docked network" with the WEA's Mission Commission.[31]

On 22 January 2015, the WCC and WEA announced plans for closer cooperation, worship and witness.[32][33] In the same year, in June 2015, the WEA reported that discussions with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity were finalised, and that "the open questions of the 16th century are almost answered".[34] The WEA representatives also reported that "still open is the question to what extend [sic] evangelical Christians who stem from the reformation churches have full access to salvation according to the catholic view".[34]

On May 24, 2017, the WEA participated in a two-day Global Christian Forum meeting with the World Council of Churches, officials from the Vatican and Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the Pentecostal World Federation to facilitate moves 'towards greater oneness in Christ'.[35] The meeting was held at the WCC's Bossey Ecumenical Institute.[36] Some criticism was voiced of the WEA for lack of consultation about this move, the absence of regional and national discussion, or a vote of the General Assembly prior to the meeting.[37]

Criticism

Neglect of the suffering church in China

The WEA was criticised for its positive assessment of the situation of the churches in China, after meeting with government approved representatives in 2009. China Aid and Church in Chains claimed, "There are many Christians in China who are not free to worship, do not have Bibles of their own and are not free to organise their own affairs and this situation is not mentioned in your press release… our concern is that you have turned your back on these brothers and sisters."[38][39] One exemplary case of abuse, that of the imprisoned Uyghur Christian, Alimujiang Yimiti, was raised in the criticism, but the WEA did not respond in detail.[38][39]

See also

References
  1. William A. Dyrness, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Global Dictionary of Theology: A Resource for the Worldwide Church, InterVarsity Press, USA, 2009, p. 950.
  2. Roger E. Olson, The Westminster Handbook to Evangelical Theology, Westminster John Knox Press , UK, 2004, p. 100.
  3. Brian Stanley, The Global Diffusion of Evangelicalism: The Age of Billy Graham and John Stott, InterVarsity Press, USA, 2013, p. 73.
  4. Lewis, Donald M.; Pierard, Richard V. (2014), Global Evangelicalism: Theology, History & Culture in Regional Perspective, USA: InterVarsity Press, p. 114.
  5. WEA, WEA Opens Advocacy Office in Geneva, worldea.org, USA, July 26, 2006
  6. WEA, WEA Opens Operations Office at Trinity International University near Chicago, IL, worldea.org, USA, October 30, 2018
  7. World Evangelical Alliance, Statement of Faith, worldea.org, USA, retrieved April 17, 2020
  8. Anugrah Kumar, World Evangelical Alliance Inaugurates Filipino Bishop Efraim Tendero as New Secretary General Newspaper The Christian Post, USA, February 21, 2015
  9. Manila Times, Bishop Tendero voted new WEA head, Newspaper Manila Times, Philippines, January 26, 2015
  10. WEA, Our History, worldea.org, USA, retrieved December 5, 2020
  11. "WEA International Council Appoints Dr Thomas Schirrmacher as Next Secretary General / CEO, Starting in March 2021 | World Evangelical Alliance". Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  12. WEA, WHAT WE DO, worldea.org, USA, retrieved December 5, 2020
  13. Brian Stiller, Evangelicals Around the World: A Global Handbook for the 21st Century, Thomas Nelson Publishing, USA, 2015, page 214
  14. Norman E. Thomas, " Missions and Unity: Lessons from History, 1792-2010", USA, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2010, pages 137-138
  15. WEA, WHO WE ARE, worldea.org, USA, retrieved December 5, 2020
  16. WEA, Affiliate & Church Network Members, worldea.org, USA, retrieved December 5, 2020
  17. Brian Stiller, Evangelicals Around the World: A Global Handbook for the 21st Century, Thomas Nelson, USA, 2015, p. 5
  18. WEA, WHO WE ARE, worldea.org, USA, retrieved December 5, 2020
  19. WEA, ABOUT OUR MEMBERS, worldea.org, USA, retrieved December 5, 2020
  20. Brian Stiller, Evangelicals Around the World: A Global Handbook for the 21st Century, Thomas Nelson Publishing, USA, 2015, page 213
  21. Patrice de Plunkett, ""Les évangéliques à la conquête du monde", Editions Perrin, France, 2009, page 93
  22. WEA, WEA Announces Postponement of Upcoming General Assembly, WEA's website, USA, 11 February 2014
  23. Leonardo Blair, World Evangelical Alliance announces plans to strengthen, expand network for spiritual awakening, christianpost.com, USA, November 8, 2019
  24. "Publications". WEA Theological Commission. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  25. Ronald J. Sider, Diane Knippers, 'Toward an Evangelical Public Policy: Political Strategies for the Health of the Nation, USA, Baker Books, 2005, page 242
  26. Matthew Clarke, "Handbook of Research on Development and Religion", Australia, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013, pages 426-427
  27. Bruce Ellis Benson, Peter Goodwin Heltzel, Evangelicals and Empire: Christian Alternatives to the Political Status Quo, Brazos Press, USA, 2008, page 76
  28. "Ecumenism helps Catholics move beyond a 'theology of exclusion'". Ekklesia website. 2010-06-10. Archived from the original on 2010-06-09. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
  29. "Greetings to the 3rd Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization". World Council of Churches website. 2010-10-17. Archived from the original on 2013-08-28. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
  30. "Cape Town 2010 FAQS". Lausanne Cape Town Conference 2010. 2011. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved 2015-02-23.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  31. Chinn, Leiton Edward; Chinn, Lisa Espineli (April 2016). "Agents of Diaspora Missions in and from the Academic World". In Tira, Sadiri Joy; Yamamori, Tetsunao (eds.). Scattered and Gathered: A Global Compendium of Diaspora Missiology. Wipf & Stock. pp. 228–241. ISBN 978-1498296670.
  32. "WEA and WCC representatives explore possibilities of working together". World Council of Churches website. 2015-01-22. Archived from the original on 2015-02-23. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
  33. "WEA and WCC Representatives Explore Possibilities of Working Together". WEA website. 2015-01-22. Archived from the original on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
  34. "Evangelicals Finalise Pontifical Council Dialogue" (PDF). WEA website, WEA Theological News. 2015-06-01. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2015-12-26.
  35. "Historic meeting to support the Global Christian Forum". Ecumenical Patriarchate Permanent Delegation To The World Council Of Churches. 2017-05-29. Archived from the original on 2017-08-30. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  36. ""Greater Oneness in Christ" focus of dialogue at historic meeting in Bossey". World Council Of Churches. 2017-05-27. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  37. ""Greater Oneness in Christ": What Does it Mean?". Reformanda Initiative. 2017-09-01. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  38. "China: Growing Criticism of WEA "misleading" statement". Church in Chains. 2010-01-08. Archived from the original on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
  39. "ChinaAid Responds to World Evangelical Alliance's Statement on their Visit to China". ChinaAid. 2009-12-20. Archived from the original on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2015-02-25. Alt URL
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