Wiedervereinigung Koreas

1. Pressemitteilung des ÖRK
2. Brief des Generalsekretärs

WCC invites churches to pray for peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula

07 August 2014

The World Council of Churches (WCC) invites its member churches to join in prayer for peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula on Sunday, 10 August.

Each year, Christians are invited to join in aprayer for peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula. Prepared by the National Council of Churches in Korea and the Korean Christian Federation, the prayer is traditionally used on the Sunday before 15 August every year. In 2014, this date falls on Sunday 10 August.

The 15^th of August, celebrated as Liberation Day in both North and South Korea, marks the date in 1945 when Korea won independence from Japanese colonial oppression, yet ironically it was the day when the peninsula was divided into two countries.

“The unity of the Christian churches represented in the fellowship of the WCC praying with the Korean churches will, I believe, be a strong sign of solidarity and spiritual accompaniment for the people and particularly the Christians of North and South Korea,” said Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, the WCC general secretary.

Tveit added that this prayer carries forward the spirit of a “pilgrimage of justice and peace” – a key concept from the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea. The assembly adopted an official statement on peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula, pledging to accompany the people of North and South Korea in their “struggle for justice, peace and life”.

In the WCC’s invitation, churches are encouraged to translate this prayer into their national languages and share it with their congregations.

2014 Joint Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula

WCC general secretary’s call to prayer on10 August

Statement on Peace and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula

Invitation to prayer for 10 August 2014

01 July 2014

Geneva, 1 July 2014

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

I write to extend my warm invitation for your Church to engage in a specific activity as we journey together on the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, carrying forward the spirit of the Busan Assembly.

As you will remember, the assembly adopted the Statement on Peace and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula presenting a mandate for the WCC as a fellowship of churches from around the world to accompany the peoples of North and South Korea in their struggle for justice, peace and life. One of the concrete ways in which this statement was followed up was through an International Consultation on Justice, Peace and Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula which was held at the Château de Bossey on 17-19 June 2014. This consultation provided an opportunity for the Christians from North and South Korea to join with their sisters and brothers from the global WCC fellowship in prayers, worship, bible studies and discussions. It presented a powerful expression of the international ecumenical movement’s renewed commitment to the search for justice, peace, reconciliation and reunification for the people of Korea.

In order to carry forward the spiritual accompaniment of the Korean peninsula and the churches of North and South Korea the WCC is invited to join the Christians of North and South Korea in a joint moment of prayer. Each year, the National Council of Churches in Korea and the Korean Christian Federation jointly prepare a Prayer for Peace and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula. This prayer is used on the Sunday just before August 15 of each year, the day when Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial oppression, and ironically, the day when it was divided by external forces.

I would like to invite you to translate this prayer, which is attached, into your national language and share it with your congregations. It would be most appreciated if the prayer could be used for the Sunday of 10 August. The unity of the Christian churches around the world represented in the fellowship of the WCC praying with the Korean churches will, I believe, be a strong sign of solidarity and spiritual accompaniment for the people and Christians of North and South Korea.

With warm greetings in Christ,

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit,
General secretary

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