Between Cairo and Alexandria, in the Wadi El Natrun desert, an event of rare importance is taking place this week. From October 24 to 28, 2025, 400 church leaders and theologians from around the world will gather for the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order. For the first time in its century-old history, this commission of the World Council of Churches is setting up camp on the African continent, hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Church in a place steeped in history and spirituality.
While this event remains largely unknown to the general public, its significance for the future of Christianity is considerable. Faith and Order represents the intellectual and theological heart of the ecumenical movement, the patient work of bringing together Christians separated for centuries. Its work has shaped mutual understanding between Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians, producing documents that have helped to overcome ancient divisions and rediscover what unites rather than separates.
The origins of the ecumenical movement
To understand Faith and Order, we must go back to the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, world Christianity presented a spectacle of division: Catholics and Protestants ignored each other, the various Protestant families distrusted one another, and the Eastern Orthodox Churches remained largely isolated from the rest of Christendom. This fragmentation, inherited from centuries of theological, political, and cultural conflict, weakened Christian witness in a rapidly changing world.
The shock of the First World War
The First World War served as a brutal revelation. How could Christians claim to proclaim a message of love and reconciliation when they were killing each other in the trenches, each praying to the same God for victory for their side? This painful question prompted some Christian leaders to seriously consider reconciliation.
American Episcopalian Charles Brent, Bishop of the Philippines and later a military chaplain during the conflict, was deeply affected by this tragedy. He understood that Christian divisions were not just a theoretical issue: they had concrete consequences for world peace. In 1910, at the Edinburgh Missionary Conference, which marked a turning point in the history of Protestantism, Brent proposed the creation of a commission to address head-on the doctrinal and ecclesiological issues separating the churches.
The Creation of Faith and Constitution
The idea slowly took root. In 1920, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople issued a historic appeal inviting Christian churches to form a "Society of Churches" modeled on the League of Nations then being established. This remarkable appeal came from an Orthodox Church that, after centuries of relative isolation, was reaching out to other Christian traditions.
In 1927, the first World Conference on Faith and Order convened in Lausanne, Switzerland. More than 400 delegates representing 108 churches of all traditions attended—an unprecedented event. For the first time since the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, theologians from different faiths sat together not to condemn one another, but to explore what united them.
The very name of the commission – Faith and Constitution – expresses its agenda: to study together questions of faith (doctrine, theology) and constitution (organization, ecclesial structures). In other words, to tackle head-on the most difficult issues that divide Christians, without avoiding them diplomatically.
A revolutionary method: dialogue in truth
What distinguishes Faith and Constitution from previous attempts at reconciliation is its method. It doesn't try to minimize differences or seek the lowest common denominator. The approach is based on a simple but demanding principle: telling the truth in charity.
Respect for everyone's beliefs
Faith and Order has never sought to create a super-Church that would absorb all the others. Its goal is both humbler and more ambitious: to enable churches to understand each other's differences, to recognize authentic Christian faith in others, and to journey together toward a unity that respects legitimate diversity.
This approach requires rigorous theological work. Those involved in Faith and Order are not mere religious diplomats seeking compromise. They are high-level theologians, bishops, pastors, and committed laypeople, capable of accurately articulating their churches' positions while truly listening to what others are saying.
The differentiated consensus
Over the decades, Faith and Order has developed a method called "differentiated consensus." It involves identifying what churches fundamentally agree on, while recognizing that this agreement may be expressed in different ways depending on the tradition. For example, all Christian churches believe that Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper, but they explain this presence with different theologies. Differentiated consensus allows us to say: we agree on the essentials, even if our theological formulations diverge on certain points.
This method has led to spectacular advances. In 1982, Faith and Constitution published the document Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry, the fruit of fifty years of dialogue. This text, translated into more than forty languages and commented on by almost all the member churches of the World Council of Churches, represents a major breakthrough. For the first time, churches that have sometimes fought each other for centuries mutually recognize the validity of their sacraments and ministries, even if differences remain.
The major stages of a century of dialogue
The history of Faith and Constitution reads like a slow climb towards unity, punctuated by landmark documents.
From Lausanne to Edinburgh: Laying the Foundations
After Lausanne in 1927, the Second World Conference was held in Edinburgh in 1937. In the meantime, the global context had darkened: the rise of fascism and the threat of a new world conflict gave new urgency to ecumenical dialogue. In Edinburgh, the delegates delved into questions of the Church, its unity, and its mission. A consensus emerged: Christian unity was not an option but an evangelical requirement.
Integration into the World Council of Churches
In 1948, in Amsterdam, the World Council of Churches was officially established, initially bringing together Protestant and Orthodox churches. Faith and Order became one of its commissions, while retaining a certain autonomy to continue working with churches not members of the WCC – notably the Roman Catholic Church, which, at that time, remained outside the ecumenical movement.
The Third World Conference on Faith and Order met in 1952 in Lund, Sweden. A major methodological principle was formulated: churches should act together wherever they can, and remain separate only where deeply held convictions require it. This principle of "doing together" rather than "remaining separate" reverses the logic of division.
The turning point of Vatican II
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) changed the situation. The Catholic Church, which represents more than half of the world's Christians, opened up to ecumenical dialogue. The decree Unitatis Redintegratio (1964) recognizes other churches and ecclesial communities as separated brethren and encourages theological dialogue. In 1968, the Catholic Church became a full member of Faith and Order, although it does not adhere to the World Council of Churches as a whole.
This Catholic participation transforms Faith and Constitution into a true place of dialogue between all the major Christian families: Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, Reformed, Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals... The commission becomes the only space in the world where this diversity regularly meets for common theological work.
The Fourth World Conference was held in Montreal in 1963, in the midst of the Second Vatican Council. It addressed the issue of Scripture and Tradition, a topic that had divided Catholics and Protestants since the Reformation. The participants managed to formulate a common understanding that transcended the old divisions.
Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry: The Lima Document
The Fifth World Conference, in Lima (Peru) in 1982, marked a summit. The document Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry (BEM), prepared over decades, is presented to the churches. It represents the broadest consensus ever reached among Christians on these three fundamental realities of ecclesial life.
On baptism, the document affirms that this sacrament, administered in the name of the Trinity, is the foundation of Christian unity. Churches are invited to recognize each other's baptisms—a considerable step forward given that some traditions refused to validate baptisms celebrated in other churches.
On the Eucharist, BEM presents a vision of Christ's presence which, without erasing theological differences, allows the Churches to recognize that all authentically celebrate the memorial of Christ's sacrifice and receive his body and blood.
On the most delicate issue of ministry, the document explores the different conceptions of ordination, the episcopate, and the role of the laity. Without resolving all the differences—particularly on the ordination of women or apostolic succession—it opens up avenues for mutual recognition.
The reactions of the churches to the Lima document were generally positive, although some expressed reservations on certain points. This text inspired numerous bilateral agreements between churches and contributed to concrete advances in Christian unity.
From Santiago to Porto Alegre: new challenges
The Sixth World Conference convened in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in 1993. It addressed the issue of koinonia, communion between churches. How could we move from simple peaceful coexistence to true ecclesial communion? The resulting document explored the theological, sacramental, ethical, and missionary dimensions of this communion.
In 2006, the Seventh World Conference was held in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The global context had changed: secularization was advancing in the West, while Christianity was experiencing spectacular growth in the Global South. Faith and Order reflects on the very nature of the Church and its call to unity in a plural and globalized world.
The Alexandria Conference: a historic meeting
So back to the news. This sixth World Conference, which is being held in Egypt from October 24 to 28, 2025—in reality, chronologically, it is the eighth, but the official numbering seems to have skipped a few editions or used a different counting logic—is of particular importance for several reasons.
The choice of Egypt: a strong symbolic gesture
This is the first time that a World Conference on Faith and Order has been held in Africa. This choice is not insignificant. It recognizes the growing importance of African Christianity in the universal Church. Africa today has approximately 700 million Christians, more than Europe. The continent has become a major center of Christian vitality, with its own challenges and theology.
Furthermore, holding this conference in Egypt honors one of the oldest churches in Christianity. The Coptic Orthodox Church dates back to the very origins of the Christian faith. Tradition has it that Saint Mark the Evangelist founded the Church of Alexandria in the first century. This church played a major role in the development of Christian theology in the early centuries, producing figures such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Athanasius, and Cyril.
The chosen location itself, the Wadi El Natrun desert between Cairo and Alexandria, is steeped in monastic history. It was here that the Desert Fathers, the first Christian monks of the 3rd and 4th centuries, developed the contemplative and ascetic spirituality that profoundly influenced Eastern and Western Christianity. Four Coptic monasteries are still active there, living witnesses to this age-old tradition.
The invitation of Patriarch Tawadros
The fact that the Coptic Orthodox Church embraces Faith and Order is also significant. This Church is part of the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches, distinct from the Orthodox Churches of the Byzantine tradition. Since the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which divided Christians over the question of the nature of Christ, these Churches have existed largely separate from the rest of Christendom.
Patriarch Tawadros II, head of the Coptic Church since 2012, embodies a new generation of Eastern Orthodox leaders open to ecumenical dialogue. His invitation reflects the desire of his church, a member of the WCC since 1954, to participate fully in the search for Christian unity.
This openness is all the more remarkable given that the Coptic Church has experienced terrible trials in recent decades. As a Christian minority in a predominantly Muslim country, it has suffered persecution, deadly attacks, and chronic discrimination. Despite these difficulties, it maintains its ecumenical commitment and its witness of faith.
The participants: a mosaic of traditions
The 400 participants gathered in Alexandria represent an impressive diversity: Roman Catholics, Eastern and Byzantine Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, Reformed, Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, Disciples of Christ, Mennonites... All continents are represented, with particular attention paid to the balance between men and women, between clergy and laity, between academic theologians and grassroots pastors.
This diversity is both the strength and the challenge of Faith and Order. Achieving a fruitful dialogue between such different traditions, sometimes rivals for centuries, requires uncommon patience and charity. Participants must overcome not only theological barriers, but also cultural, linguistic, and historical differences.
The conference's challenges
What is the agenda for this conference? Several major issues are on the agenda.
First, the question of authority in the Church. How do churches make their decisions? On what basis? What role do Scripture, Tradition, councils, bishops, the Pope (for Catholics), and the sensus fidelium (the Christian people's sense of faith) play? These questions deeply divide the churches, and finding a common language is essential for progress.
Then there is the question of Christian identity in a plural world. How can we be faithful to the Christian faith while respectfully engaging in dialogue with other religions and modern secularism? This question is acute in Egypt, where Christians and Muslims have coexisted for fourteen centuries.
Finally, the question of visible unity. What would a united Church look like? Faith and Order does not aim for uniformity—no one wants Anglicans, Orthodox, and Catholics to become identical. But what form of unity is possible and desirable? How can legitimate diversity and authentic communion be reconciled?
Contemporary challenges to ecumenism
The ecumenical movement is currently going through a complex period. After the enthusiasm of the first decades, a certain fatigue has set in. Major advances like the Lima document seem difficult to repeat. New challenges have emerged.
Ethical questions that divide
In recent decades, issues of sexual and family ethics have created new divisions between churches, and even within them. The ordination of women, accepted by many Protestant and Anglican churches but rejected by Catholics and Orthodox, remains a major obstacle. More recently, debates over homosexuality and same-sex marriage have caused rifts within some church families.
These questions are all the more delicate because they touch on deeply held moral convictions, often perceived as non-negotiable by those who defend them. How can dialogue be maintained when positions seem irreconcilable? Faith and Order seeks to keep open the space for dialogue even on these sensitive subjects, reminding us that unity in Christ transcends our human divisions.
The Pentecostal and Evangelical Revival
Another challenge comes from the Pentecostal and evangelical revival. These movements, which are experiencing explosive growth, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, are often reluctant to engage in institutional ecumenical dialogue. Many Pentecostal and evangelical churches are not members of the WCC and prefer more informal forms of collaboration.
Faith and Order works to integrate these new voices into the dialogue. The participation of Pentecostal representatives at world conferences has increased in recent years, enriching the discussions with a different, more experiential and less institutional sensibility.
Secularization and its consequences
In the West, secularization is transforming the religious landscape. In many European countries, practicing Christians are becoming a minority. This new situation raises new questions: Does ecumenism remain a priority when churches are struggling to survive? Or, on the contrary, is it becoming more urgent than ever to present a united Christian witness in the face of religious indifference?
Paradoxically, secularization can bring Christians closer together. Faced with the same challenges—youth disaffection, church closures, social marginalization—Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox believers are discovering they have more in common than they thought. Ecumenism is becoming less a matter of theoretical rapprochement and more a practical necessity.
Interreligious dialogue
Another challenge comes from interreligious dialogue. While Faith and Order focuses on unity among Christians, many wonder: should dialogue not be broadened to include all religions? This question is particularly acute in contexts like Egypt, where Christians and Muslims live side by side.
Faith and Order's position is clear: interreligious dialogue is important and necessary, but it does not replace the search for unity among Christians. They are two complementary, not competing, approaches. Christian unity can even facilitate interreligious dialogue, allowing Christians to speak with a more coherent voice.
The concrete fruits of dialogue
Despite the challenges, ecumenical dialogue has borne tangible fruits. In a century, the landscape of interchurch relations has been radically transformed.
Agreements between churches
Numerous bilateral and multilateral agreements have been concluded between churches, inspired by the work of Faith and Order. In 1999, Catholics and Lutherans signed the Joint statement on justification, thus overcoming the fundamental division that had sparked the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Both sides acknowledge that they teach essentially the same thing about salvation by God's grace, despite different theological formulations.
Similar agreements have been concluded on baptism, allowing for broad mutual recognition between churches. In France, for example, Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox have recognized each other's baptisms since 1996.
Mixed marriages made easier
For couples consisting of a Catholic and a Protestant or Orthodox, the obstacles have been considerably reduced. Mixed marriages, once discouraged or prohibited, are now welcomed as an opportunity to live ecumenism in daily life. Common liturgies have been developed for these celebrations.
Common prayer
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, celebrated annually in January, has become a well-established tradition. In many cities, Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians gather to pray together, even if they cannot yet share the Eucharist. These moments of common prayer create fraternal bonds that transcend institutional divisions.
Charitable and social collaboration
On the ground, churches are collaborating more and more in their charitable and social actions. Faced with poverty, migration, natural disasters, and injustice, Christians are discovering that they can act together without waiting to resolve all their theological differences. This practical collaboration prepares for and accompanies theological unity.
The Future of Faith and Order
What can we expect from Faith and Constitution in the coming decades? Several paths are emerging.
Continue the patient dialogue
First, patiently pursue theological dialogue. One hundred years may seem like a long time, but the history of Christian divisions spans two millennia. Reconciliation cannot be rushed. Faith and Order will continue to explore the issues that still divide the churches, particularly those of ministries and authority.
Integrating new voices
Second, broaden the circle of participants. Churches from the Global South—Africa, Asia, and Latin America—must play a greater role in the work of Faith and Order. These churches bring fresh perspectives, shaped by cultural contexts different from those of Europe and North America, which have long dominated ecumenical dialogue.
Connecting theology and practical life
Faith and Order must also be careful not to become locked into an academic dialogue disconnected from the life of communities. Theological advances are only meaningful if they translate into the life of local churches. This requires an effort in communication and training so that the faithful can appropriate the fruits of dialogue.
Addressing new issues
Finally, Faith and Constitution will have to address emerging issues: ecology and creation, economic justice, migration, new technologies, artificial intelligence, etc. How does the Christian faith shed light on these contemporary challenges? And how can the Churches respond to them together rather than separately?
A tenacious hope
This Alexandria conference bears witness to a tenacious hope. Despite the obstacles, despite the slow progress, despite the disappointments, the Christian churches continue to believe that unity is possible because it is willed by Christ. In his prayer before his Passion, Jesus asks his Father "that they may all be one" (John 17:21). This prayer founds and motivates the ecumenical movement.
Faith and Order embodies the conviction that the pursuit of truth and fraternal charity are not contradictory. We can engage in firm dialogue on matters of doctrine while loving one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We can maintain our own convictions while recognizing the authentic faith of others.
In the Egyptian desert, where the Desert Fathers sought God in solitude and silence, 400 delegates together seek the face of Christ in the diversity of his Churches. They do so with humility, aware that unity is first and foremost a gift from God before being the fruit of human effort. They do so with perseverance, knowing that the road is still long. They do so with hope, believing that the Holy Spirit guides the Churches towards full and visible communion.
One hundred years after its inception, Faith and Order remains a valuable laboratory for Christian unity. Its patient, often invisible, work is preparing a future where yesterday's divisions will be nothing more than a bad memory, and where Christians will be able to bear witness together to their common faith in Jesus Christ, Savior of the world.
