Moderator’s Address - WCC executive committee, June 2026
The moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Bishop of the Bavarian Lutheran Church Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, commented on current world issues in his opening remarks to the June meeting of the WCC Executive Committee.
At the June meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the WCC moderator, Bishop of the Bavarian Lutheran Church, Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, spoke in his opening remarks about current world problems and, on the occasion of the celebration of Pentecost, called on people to listen more to each other, not to be afraid to speak to each other and to try to understand each other despite their differences.
In individual points, he mentioned and criticized the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, the abuse of Christianity by various ideologies to support political goals, currently especially in Russia and the USA, and the ethical problems surrounding artificial intelligence. He also highlighted his common understanding on these issues with Pope Leo XIV, who, according to him, speaks not only for the Roman Catholic Church, but for all Christians.