The Ecumenical Understanding of Religious Liberty: The Contribution of World Council of Churches
Author(s)
Koshy, Ninan
Abstract
The understanding of religious liberty expressed by the World Council of Churches (WCC) since its foundation in 1948 has been influenced by worldwide political changes, the experience of its member churches, and the expansion of the WCC’s constituency and concerns. The WCC has stuck to the basic principles enunciated in its Amsterdam declaration of 1948 that religious freedom should be understood in the broader context of human rights and that freedom of religion is an essential element in a good international order. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, however, greater attention was given to the developing world and social concerns, while more recently the reemergence of religion as a political force in many countries has forced the WCC to recognize the threat posed by religious revivals to religious freedom.
