World Alliance of Reformed Churches
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The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) is a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th-century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of John Calvin. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.
[edit] History
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) was created in 1970 by a merger of two bodies, one representing Presbyterian and Reformed churches, the other Congregational churches. It has 218 member churches in 107 countries around the world, with some 75 million members. Churches represented in the WARC include Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed and United churches which have historical roots in the 16th century Reformation.
The WARC Secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland. It works closely with the World Council of Churches.
On 1 February 2006, Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the WARC, and Douwe Visser, president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC), said in a joint letter, "We rejoice in the work of the Holy Spirit which we believe has led us to recommend that the time has come to bring together the work of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council into one body that will strengthen the unity and witness of Reformed Christians." The new body will be called the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
[edit] Members (2006)
The WARC brings together more than 75 million Christians in over 100 countries around the world.
Member churches are Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed and united and uniting churches.
Most of these are in the southern hemisphere with many being religious minorities in their countries.
