World Alliance of Reformed Churches

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) was a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of John Calvin. Its headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland. They merged with the Reformed Ecumenical Council in 2010 to form the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

History

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) was created in 1970 by a merger of two bodies, the Alliance of the Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian System, representing Presbyterian and Reformed churches, and the International Congregational Council. The Alliance of the Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian System was formed in London in 1875. It held councils which had no legislative authority but great moral weight. In them the various Augustinian non-prelatical and in general presbyterial bodies found representation. They were upward of 90 in number, scattered all over the world, with 25,000,000 adherents. The published reports of the proceedings of these councils contain much valuable matter of all kinds, as papers are read, statistics presented, and many speeches made. Councils were held at London, 1875; Edinburgh, 1877; Philadelphia, 1880; Belfast, 1884; London, 1888; Toronto, 1892; Glasgow, 1896; Washington, 1899.

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches had 218 member churches in 107 countries around the world, with some 75 million members. Churches represented in the WARC included Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed and United churches which have historical roots in the 16th century Reformation.

The WARC Secretariat was located in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. It worked closely with the World Council of Churches.

In 2000, the WAR was critical of Dominus Iesus, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's document, and considered calling off a formal dialogue in Rome that year.[1]

On 1 February 2006, Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the WARC, and Douwe Visser, president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC), said in a joint letter, "We rejoice in the work of the Holy Spirit which we believe has led us to recommend that the time has come to bring together the work of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council into one body that will strengthen the unity and witness of Reformed Christians." The resulting new organisation is the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

Assemblies
NumberYearPlaceNotes
201970Nairobi, KenyaUniting General Council
–1977St Andrews, ScotlandCentennial Consultation
211982Ottawa, Canada
221989Seoul, South Korea
231997Debrecen, Hungary
242004Accra, Ghana

Presidents

WARC presidents are elected for seven years at every General Council (held septennially):

YearNameCountry
1977–1982James McCord
1983–1990Allan A. BoesakSouth Africa
1990–1997Jane Dempsey DouglassUS
1997–2004Choan-Seng SongTaiwan
2004–2010Clifton KirkpatrickUS

General Secretaries

From 1970 to 1989 the General Secretary was Rev. Edmond Perret from Switzerland. In 1988 the Executive Committee meeting in Belfast, Northern Ireland elected Rev. Dr. Milan Opočenský (Czech Rep.) who held office until 2000. In 2000 Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi (Ghana) became the General Secretary of WARC, and later WCRC.

Members (2006)

The WARC brought together more than 75 million Christians in over 100 countries around the world.

Member churches were Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed and united and uniting churches.

Most of these are in the southern hemisphere with many being religious minorities in their countries.

References
  1. Dominus Iesus: An Ecclesiological Critique
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