Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm elected as World Council of Churches moderator
The World Council of Churches Central Committee on Thursday elected Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria as its new moderator.
The committee, which includes the Rev. Dr. Neal Presa of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), also elected two vice moderators: the Rev. Merlyn Hyde Riley, Jamaica Baptist Union; and H.E. Archbishop Dr. Vicken Aykazian, Armenian Apostolic Church, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Riley is acting general secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union and a graduate of the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. Aykazian is known for his ecumenical work for both global and Armenian causes, including the recognition of Armenian genocide, the preservation of Armenian monuments, and statements of solidarity with Armenia and Artsakh.
Bedford-Strohm, as moderator, will serve as the chief governance officer of the WCC and will have primary responsibility for assuring the coherence of the work of the central committee and of the executive committee, and for assuring that the ethos of consensus characterizes all aspects of the governance of WCC.
Bedford-Strohm expressed how honored he is to have been elected to the position. “The ecumenical movement is my passion,” he said. “It has been my life for a long time.”
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