WCC News: WCC moderator: Nowhere in the world will we apologize for preaching the gospel

Gospel must not be instrumentalized by politics – and churches should never apologize for reading the Bible or for preaching the Gospel, said World Council of Churches (WCC) moderator Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm during his reflection at a morning prayer on 27 January. Prof. Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee providing his reflection at the Ecumenical Centre’s Monday Morning Prayer on 27 January 2025. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 29 January 2025 During his visit to the WCC offices in Geneva this week, Bedford-Strohm preached at a prayer service with the WCC staff, reflecting on a Gospel reading from Luke 4:14-21. The passage describes Jesus’ sermon in his hometown, Nazareth, sometimes referred to as the inaugural sermon of Jesus. Inaugural sermons are something very special, said Bedford-Strohm. “I remember my own inaugural sermon in 2011 very well - it has really accompanied me the whole time. And I remember Jerry Pillay's inaugural sermon when we celebrated his inauguration in the chapel in the Ecumenical Centre.” Besides inaugural sermons, there are also inaugural speeches, made by the leaders of countries – and some of these words have become famous, continuing to inspire generations to come. “How different was the tone of the inaugural address that we heard last Monday, just a week ago. Not the common good was in the center of the inaugural address of the new president of the United States, but the exclusion of those who are especially vulnerable,” said Bedford-Strohm. “And then came the bishop - a bishop with a soft and friendly voice, but strong words,” the WCC moderator said, referring to Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, who made a plea to president Trump during an interfaith service at the Washington cathedral. “Bishop Mariann Budde spoke truth to power. And what she said was simply the words of the Gospel.” “This was a historic sermon - it gave new energy, it gave new hope to many people all over the world,” said Bedford-Strohm. The president requested her to apologize. She didn't apologize. “Nowhere in the world will we apologize for reading the Bible or for preaching the Gospel. Nowhere in the world will we do that,” said the WCC moderator. This is the Gospel that is free from instrumentalization by politics, stated Bedford-Strohm.  When we listen to the words of Luke, we recognize what God wants to tell us: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” “Let's listen to these words. They give us a clear direction for our life and a direction that is really shaped by the Gospel and not by external political forces. Let's preach exactly that Gospel, wherever we are in the world,” concluded Bedford-Strohm. Read the full sermon by bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm on Luke 4:14-21 See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland