President Jeff Carter Attends World Council of Churches Meeting in Thailand

President Jeff Carter traveled to Chaing Mai, Thailand October 4-9, 2026, to attend the biennial joint meeting of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Reference Groups on Life, Justice, and Peace. 

President Carter serves on the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), and he regularly travels internationally to participate in meetings focused on dialogue and collaboration among Christian denominations around the globe. He has represented the Church of the Brethren on the WCC for more than 20 years.

“It is a privilege to represent the denomination and participate in this vital international work,” says President Carter. “Participating in conversations with colleagues from around the world is a remarkable learning opportunity, and there is always great curiosity about the Church of the Brethren’s peace theology as well as Bethany’s programs and mission when I talk to international colleagues.”

Hosted by the Christian Conference of Asia and the Church of Christ in Thailand from October 4-9, the meeting drew inspiration from the commitment of Asian Christians to encounter, dialogue, and harmony with people of other faiths, civil society, government authorities, and the rest of creation, seeking a common life and witness together in the midst of the diversity of faith and culture. President Carter was joined on the trip by his wife, Kim, who attended various cultural and educational events during the trip.

As part of the meeting, President Carter joined with colleagues to write a message titled, “Call to Prophetic Action for Life, Justice, and Peace.” The statement notes that the world is in a state of “polycrisis,” noting that the climate crisis, war, and occupation threaten the lives and livelihoods of all people. The statement reads, in part: 

“The climate crisis, war, and occupation destroy lives, livelihoods and communities, and widen inequities in health. Millions are displaced, with women and children disproportionately impacted, and many are turned away. Wealth and power are concentrated into fewer hands while the poor sink deeper into hardship. Public and health expenditure has decreased, while military spending is rising. Creation is suffering, and those who caused the least harm suffer first and most. Racism, xenophobia, casteism, sexism, and other forms of exclusion continue, and religion is often used to serve nationalism, racialized capitalism, and fear. New technologies bring both promise and danger, and they are changing life faster than we can reflect on them, let alone manage them.”

President Carter was also a panelist for two plenary sessions: “Different Times, Different Values: Reclaiming First Principles for a Values-Based Order” and “A Renewed Vision for Ecumenical Social Ethics Today.” In addition, he has an article in the upcoming issue of The Ecumenical Review, co-written with the CCIA colleagues from Finland, Brazil, and England.

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of 356 churches from 120 countries, representing more than 580 million Christians worldwide.

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