World of Belief

Freedom of religion is not a political tool, but a fundamental human right. The following joint statement by churches of various Christian traditions is addressed to the international community. It draws attention to specific cases of pressure, persecution and interference in church life — and calls for protection, dialogue and accountability. Below is a statement from the Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee (CICC): Statement by the Churches participating in the HMCK We, representatives of the Churches participating in the Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee, the largest inter-Christian association in the Eurasian region, express our concern over the continuing persecution and violations of the rights of Christians in a number of countries. As disciples of Christ, we bear witness that the calling of Christian churches throughout the ages has been expressed in service to peace and love. Attempts to use religion for political ends inevitably lead to division and mutual hostility, which contradicts the very essence of Christian teaching. We have always spoken out in defence of the rights of believers and churches in different countries: the rights of Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Evangelical Christians, Baptists, Evangelicals, and Adventists. Today, we are particularly pained by what is happening in Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, Armenia, and other countries, where clergy and ordinary believers are being persecuted and their freedom of conscience restricted. In Ukraine, the practice of state pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the aim of its liquidation and complete destruction continues, accompanied by seizures of churches, discriminatory laws and persecution of clergy and laity. In Armenia, unprecedented pressure is being exerted on the Armenian Apostolic Church, with arrests of hierarchs and attempts to interfere in internal church affairs on political grounds. In Estonia, concern has been raised over the adoption of a law on churches and parishes that affects the internal life of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church, as well as the expulsion of Metropolitan Eugene of Tallinn and All Estonia, which violates the principles of religious freedom. In Moldova, administrative and judicial measures against the Orthodox Church of Moldova are intensifying: court cases are underway to deprive it of its previously returned property, cases are being brought against clergy and laypeople defending their churches, and there is talk of a complete ban on the Church. All this threatens further division and destabilisation of Moldovan society. Expressing solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are subjected to persecution and slander, we pray for peace and freedom of religion for all people of good will, remembering the Saviour’s commandment to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who mistreat us and persecute us (Matthew 5:44). We call on the international community to pay attention to what is happening and to promote the protection of fundamental human rights and freedom of conscience. May the Lord strengthen His disciples who are enduring sorrow and trials, and may He establish Christ’s love, peace, and justice in all countries! The statement was signed by: 1. Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Co-Chairman of the HMC; 2. O. Yu. Goncharov, First Vice-President of the Euro-Asia Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Churches, Co-Chair of the HMC; 3. Archbishop Ezras Nersisyan, head of the Russian and New Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church; 4. Metropolitan Eugene of Tallinn and All Estonia, Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church; 5. Archbishop Vladimir Provorov, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia; 6. S. V. Ryakhovsky, presiding bishop of the Russian United Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals); 7. P. V. Mitskevich, Chairman of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists; 8. E. A. Grabovenko, presiding bishop of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith; 9. Bishop Ivan Laptev, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria; 10. Bishop Saman Odisha, representative of the Assyrian Church of the East in Russia; 11. L. V. Kartavenko, Chairman of the All-Union Fellowship of Evangelical Christians.

By: David Soares – Federal DeputyEvery day, as Christians, we guide our lives by biblical principles. They shape our decisions, strengthen our families, and direct our relationships with others. However, living our faith to the fullest is not limited to the home environment or inside churches. The Christian faith is alive, public, and transformative — and it must also reach society. It is important to emphasise that no one goes to church to engage in politics. People go to seek God, strengthen their faith, and experience fellowship. Although the mission of the church is spiritual, this does not negate the role of members as active citizens in society. Therefore, it is necessary to understand and respect the limits and diverse lines of political thought, while maintaining mutual respect.Bringing God’s principles into public life is not an imposition, but an opportunity. Defending life, family, truth, and justice is part of our Christian witness. And this witness must be manifested, in a responsible and conscious manner, also in the spaces where decisions are made and laws are constructed. 2026: a year of political choices Weare living in decisive times. In an election year, we are called to exercise not only a right, but a civic and patriotic duty: to choose who will represent us in the various spheres of power. Voting cannot be treated lightly. It requires reflection, prayer, and spiritual discernment.As Christians, we need to go beyond ready-made speeches and empty promises. It is necessary to evaluate character, consistency, and commitment. We need to ask ourselves sincerely: does this person defend the family? Does he or she protect life from conception? Does he or she respect the Christian faith and religious freedom? Or is he or she only approaching evangelicals for electoral convenience? Omission is also a choiceThe fact is that politics does not always arouse interest. It is often tiring, conflictual, and even discouraging. But years of the Church’s distancing itself from these debates have opened the door to ideologies and projects that today directly attack biblical values, weaken families, and attempt to silence the Christian faith in the public sphere. The absence of the Church cannot be confused with neutrality. It has consequences. Lack of commitment facilitates the approval of agendas that conflict with what we preach daily from our pulpits and live out in our homes. Faith that manifests itself in the public sphereIn decisive times like these, the call is clear: the evangelical Church must continue to be salt and light — including in public life. Participating in politics, voting conscientiously, and defending Christian values is not ideological activism. It is consistency with the faith we profess and a commitment to the future of Brazil.

An interview conducted by Sandra Bünger, journalist and Vice-President of WAVe, with President Waldemar Herdt. First Corinthians 13:4–8.“Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not behave rudely, it does not seek its own, it is not provoked, it does not take into account a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

GOD, Your peace is greater than anything I can understand. May this peace keep us united in YOU, in the midst of worries, questions and uncertainty. When I bring peace to a home, a situation or a community, and it is not accepted, I will not be bitter. Then may Your peace return to me and fill me anew. So I will live in humility: carried by Your peace and as a messenger of Your peace, wherever You send me.