"A world without poverty is not only possible, but is in keeping with the grace of God for the world," is an affirmation that will play a central role at the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 14 - 23 February 2006.

The six-page document, titled "AGAPE - A Call to love and action," summarizes the results of work done by the WCC and ecumenical partners on economic globalization since the 8th Assembly in Harare in 1998. It calls churches "to act together for transformation of economic injustice."

The call, in the form of a prayer, will invite Assembly participants to recommit themselves to work "for the eradication of poverty and inequality," "for justice in international trade relations" and "for responsible lending, unconditional debt cancellation and the control and regulation of global financial markets."

Preservation of natural resources and biodiversity, resistance against privatization of public goods and services, promotion of land reforms, advocacy for decent jobs and just wages, and a firm, faith-based stance against hegemonic powers are among the "recommitments" to which churches and the wider ecumenical movement will be called.

These proposals have been shared with the churches in advance of the Assembly. They build on work developed as a response to the WCC's 8th Assembly, which stated that "the logic of globalization needs to be challenged by an alternative way of life, of community in diversity."

Programmatic work since Harare has included wide consultations with churches, social movements and ecumenical bodies - notably the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Lutheran World Federation and the Conference of European Churches. The process came to be called "AGAPE: Alternative globalization addressing peoples and earth."

Its findings, proposals and recommendations are outlined in a 60-page background document with the same title, designed as a study guide for use in seminars and discussion groups.

The document seeks to address the human tragedies caused by economic globalization. It reflects an expectation that churches and the ecumenical family will move beyond a critique of neo-liberal globalization to develop a vision of a just, compassionate and inclusive world.

Throughout the document, the emphasis is on transformation, in accordance with the theme of the Feb. 14-23 Assembly, "God, in your grace, transform the world," Even its title, AGAPE, is derived from the Greek word for love; it is used in the Bible as an expression of God's abundant grace and the love of God and neighbor.

We live in what the background report calls a "champagne-glass economy," in which the richest 20 percent of the population owns 83 percent of the world's wealth, the next 20 percent owns 11 percent, and the remaining 60 percent owns only 6 percent of the world's wealth.

The intolerable levels of poverty that result from this economic model are condemned in the report, particularly on theological and spiritual grounds.

"It is hoped that this document will inspire the churches and the ecumenical family to address the complex questions around economic injustice, which is the main challenge of our times," said Rogate Mshana, the WCC program executive for economic justice. [Editor: Juan Michel WCC for APD]

The full text of the statement "AGAPE Call - for love and action" is available online at:
http://www.wcc-assembly.info/en/theme-issues/porto-alegre-2006/official-working-documents/programme-book/assembly-documents/agape.html

The full text of the background document "AGAPE: alternative globalization addressing peoples and earth" is available online as a PDF file at:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/agape-new.pdf