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17th ASSEMBLY
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Reflection from the General Secretary on the WCRC General Council

General Secretary Andrew Johnson reflects on the World Communion of Reformed Churches General Council, which closed two weeks ago after 10 days in Chiang Mai

November 4, 2025

written by Andrew Johnson, Assembly General Secretary

The World Communion of Reformed Churches General Council is a once in seven year gathering of the ‘reformed’ family. This includes members of the Continental Reformed family (think John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli), the Presbyterian family (think John Knox) and many of the United/Uniting family with Reformed roots. This communion particularly encompasses the Presbyterian and Congregational roots of the Uniting Church.
 
The Communion came into being fifteen years ago with the merger of two previous Reformed bodies, including the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (of which the Uniting Church was a member). We celebrated 150 years of this global reformed family at the General Council.
 
This year the General Council was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This is the third gathering since the Communion’s establishment and the first in the global south. The Communion has been a gathering point for the Reformed church to read the signs of the times. The Barmen Declaration, the Belhar Confession and the Accra Confession all resonate loudly down the years within the Communion. The theme for this gathering was "Persevere in your witness." As we read the signs of the times it was clear there was conflict and injustice in so many places across the Communion. For so many, faithful witness is an act of perseverance.

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We are reminded by statistics so often that the centre of gravity in the Church has moved to the Global South. In this gathering we saw it in the faces from across the globe. We also saw the growth in diversity in the leadership of the Church across the globe. So many of the Churches from Europe and particularly North America are led by people from diverse backgrounds. This diversity reshapes not only the face of the Church but also the concerns of the Church.

The gathering was a real time expression of when ordinary theology, scholarly theology and communally authorised theology come together. We heard first-hand accounts of the theological challenges of Christian Zionism in contexts of conflict and war. We listened to world class theologians stretch our minds and the boundaries of orthodoxy through thoughtful and rigorous scholarship. We discerned what we could say together about the great challenges facing our world today on issues of war and peace, sexuality and gender and the climate crisis.

We also found our own contribution to make as a Church. Consensus decision-making remains our most famous export. But there is more to the Uniting Church than blue and orange cards. We contributed to discussions about indigenous theology, second generation migrant experience, navigating theological difference and standing in solidarity with our Pacific siblings.

These opportunities to participate in gatherings of global Christianity are a rare privilege. I know only a few members of the Uniting Church will ever get to participate in a gathering like this. They certainly feed the soul of those who participate. However they can also feed our Church as we are nourished by the richness of the global witness of the Church.

The tyranny of distance and timezone are great, however they can be shortened by technology as we seek to grow and deepen the relationships we have established. As unique as each context is, the challenges and questions we are asking are often so common. Let’s work together to deepen the roots of those seeds sown in these kind of global gatherings so all may benefit from their wisdom.

Read reflections from Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli and President-elect Rev Dr Paul Goh.

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