Global church leaders and economists, meeting under the banner of the 6th Meeting of the Ecumenical Panel on a New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA), have issued a resounding call for transformative change in the face of deepening economic, ecological, and social crises.
Convened March 25–27, 2025, in Geneva, the panel gathered under the joint leadership of the World Council of Churches (WCC), World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), World Methodist Council (WMC), and the Council for World Mission (CWM).
More than a decade after the 2012 São Paulo Statement decried the failures of global capitalism and called for an “economy of life,” the NIFEA panel expressed alarm at what it describes as the “unprecedented consolidation of capital, technology, and political power.” This, the panel warns, is intensifying global inequality, exacerbating ecological destruction, and threatening democratic governance.
“For many of our siblings facing poverty, genocide, and climate catastrophe, this is a matter of life and death,” the communiqué states.
A Deepening Crisis: Colonial Legacy, Inequality, and Ecological Breakdown
The panel identified intertwined global crises—economic inequality, environmental catastrophe, the resurgence of colonialist structures, and the erosion of democratic norms—as evidence that the current capitalist model is fundamentally unjust and unsustainable.
Drawing attention to staggering global wealth gaps, the panel highlighted that billionaires increased their net worth by more than 15% in 2024, reaching more than $15 trillion, while over a billion people continue to live in poverty—half of them children.
The communiqué also acknowledges the complicity of churches in perpetuating systems of colonialism and economic oppression and commits to reckoning with this legacy in their ongoing work.
“In the face of growing inequality and ecological devastation, our faith compels us to speak boldly and act justly. As churches united in hope, we must embody God’s vision of justice and life in fullness—not only with our words, but through courageous action that challenges systems of exploitation and nurtures the well-being of all creation.” — Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi, general secretary, World Communion of Reformed Churches
A Prophetic Theological Vision
The NIFEA panel stressed that today’s crises are not only political and economic but also deeply spiritual and moral.
“The current oligarchic, neocapitalist system is contrary to God’s vision of life in fullness, justice, and peace for all,” the panel wrote, reaffirming the biblical principles of Jubilee, the cancellation of debt, the liberation of the enslaved, and rest for the land. Hope, the panel affirms, is both a judgment on present injustices and an active longing for a different, more just future—one guided not only by Christian biblical and theological affirmation but also by Indigenous worldviews such as (ubuntu, babalú-ayé, maano, buen vivir, and nu’u/aiga)*.
A Call to Transformative Action
Global faith and justice leaders are calling for urgent and sustained action to confront deepening inequalities and ecological crises. In the short term, they urge a renewed commitment to democratic values, human rights, and multilateral cooperation, alongside immediate steps to reduce extreme concentrations of wealth and power through progressive taxation and grassroots resilience efforts.
“This moment demands not just reflection but bold, moral action,” said Philip Vinod Peacock, executive secretary for justice and witness. “As people of faith, we are called to challenge the systems that perpetuate inequality and ecological harm, and to stand in solidarity with those who have been marginalized by centuries of exploitation.”
Looking ahead, the coalition emphasizes the need for a transformative shift in cultural and economic paradigms—centering humanity’s interdependence with nature and prioritizing reparations for colonial and ecological injustices. They call for dismantling systemic oppression, including patriarchy and racism, and advancing socially just degrowth. Finally, they advocate building democratic, regenerative economies through investment in commons-based solutions such as education, healthcare, community energy, and agroecology.
The panel concluded with a powerful message of unity and spiritual resolve:
“Unless there is justice for all, alongside the redistribution of wealth and equitable, sustainable access to resources, we will not be able to achieve the goals central to the fullness of life for all.”
Read the detailed communiqué here.
In a united move, marked by the urgency of the situation, global church leaders, including the General Secretaries of major global communions and the World Council of Churches (WCC), have issued a joint letter calling for immediate economic and ecological justice. This historic collaboration highlights the deep commitment of faith leaders worldwide to radically transform global systems and prioritize people and the planet over profit.
*Note:
The communiqué affirms a theological vision grounded not only in Christian biblical and theological affirmation but also in diverse Indigenous and communal worldviews:
- Ubuntu (Southern African philosophy): “I am because we are” — a belief in shared humanity, mutual care, and community-based identity.
- Buen Vivir (Andean Indigenous worldview): A philosophy of “good living,” emphasizing harmony with people, nature, and the cosmos over individual accumulation.
- Nu’u / Aiga (Samoan worldview): The village (nu’u) and the extended family (aiga) form the core of identity, relational responsibility, and collective well-being.
- Babalu-Ayé (Afro-Cuban/Orisha tradition): A spiritual figure symbolizing compassion, healing, and sacred care for the suffering.
- Maano (Bantu and Southern African traditions): Emphasizes wisdom, relational intelligence, and communal decision-making.
