WCC's governing body hears
warnings of link between globalization and violence
[8-29-02]
by Peter Kenny
Ecumenical News International
GENEVA -- 26 August 2002
-- Leaders of the main governing body of the world's largest
grouping of Christian churches expressed concerns on Monday about how
the blind acceptance of market principles can exclude many people in the
process of globalization.
The meeting of the central committee of the World
Council of Churches (WCC) began in Geneva as the United Nations World
Summit on Sustainable Development was starting in Johannesburg
By submitting all relationships in society to the
logic of the market, globalization can break up communities and exclude
large numbers of people from participation, Dr Konrad Raiser the WCC
general secretary, said in his opening remarks to the central committee
in Geneva.
Events since September 11 last year had shown that
international law was being ignored and military force accepted as a
legitimate means for political ends, said Raiser.
In his speech Raiser said, "The brutal shock of
September 11 has suddenly revealed that in a situation of globalization
even the seemingly powerful who are enjoying the benefits of economic
globalization are vulnerable."
He continued, "For a short while after the events
of September 11 there was the vain hope that the shock might lead to
recognizing and acknowledging the fundamental condition of mutual
vulnerability and thus might become an incentive for new forms of
co-operation and solidarity."
Yet he rued that, "the response on the part of
people and governments in the powerful industrialized countries has
instead been to demand increased security against the threats of
terrorism.
He said the fact that globalization exposed winners
and losers to increased vulnerability and the shock of 11 September had
sharpened the dynamic of conflict inherent in the process of
globalization.
"Where both sides in a conflict consider
themselves to be victims of the violence and aggression of the other we
enter the vicious circle of violence and counter-violence which justify
each other mutually," said Raiser. "The violent confrontation
of Israel and Palestine provides the most dramatic evidence of this
condition."
He noted that "since the end of last year,
numerous high-level inter-religious encounters have taken place,
especially involving Christian and Muslim leaders.
"All of them have made solemn declarations
rejecting terrorism and violence and affirming their common commitment
to peace and reconciliation."
Nonetheless, he continued, "security has now
become the central preoccupation of governments and people. In the name
of security national and internationally agreed standards of human
rights are being put aside."
Raiser said, "It would be an obvious
over-simplification to establish a direct and causal link between the
impact of economic globalization and the emergence of international
terrorism."
Still, he noted, vulnerability as a consequences of
poverty, disease, unemployment and violence was condemning more and more
people to a "perennial experience of victimization under the
domination of powerful forces beyond their control".
"It is this generalized sentiment of being
condemned to the status of victims which in turn is being exploited by
those who engage in acts of terrorism," noted Raiser.
Concurring with Raiser, Catholicos Aram I of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, who is moderator of the central committee in
his own remarks said: "Globalization is an irreversible process, we
are part of it and are constantly affected by it."
In the process, said Aram, globalization was affecting
the way churches think about themselves.
At its 10-day meeting the 158-member central committee
will have before it what may be controversial proposals centering on the
future decision-making process of the organization and on its dwindling
finances during a poor global economic climate.
It is, however, the report of the special commission
on Orthodox participation to be presented on Thursday that may be the
most controversial item on the agenda.
Many differences remain between the WCC member
churches, say some members.
In recent years many Orthodox have been highly
critical of the WCC, believing it to be too influenced by what they see
as Western liberal Protestant views on inclusive language, the
ordination of women and sexuality.
Two Orthodox churches have already left the WCC, and
any further moves by Orthodox churches to withdraw from the organization
could seriously jeopardize the WCC's endeavour to be an inclusive
ecumenical body.
Today the WCC has 342 member churches from around the
world from all mainstream traditions - Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox
with the exception of the Roman Catholic Church.
But though the Catholic Church has not joined the WCC
it has been a full member since 1968 of the WCC's Faith and Order
Commission which tries to bring churches into theological dialogue.
The central committee meeting will also grapple with
the thorny issue of WCC finances after the disclosure by the WCC that
its general reserves are exhausted following a deficit in 2001.
The WCC has reported it is now encountering cash-flow
problems and that WCC leaders have decided to take out a mortgage on its
headquarters in Geneva to be paid off from investment earnings in future
years.
The central committee meets every 12 to 18 months.
