Christian Alterglobalization: How the World Council of Churches Is Inspired by the World Social Forum? Cover Image

Christian Alterglobalization: How the World Council of Churches Is Inspired by the World Social Forum?
Christian Alterglobalization: How the World Council of Churches Is Inspired by the World Social Forum?

Author(s): Piotr Kopiec
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
Published by: Uniwersytet Opolski
Keywords: World Council of Churches; World Social Forum; globalization; alterglobalization; AGAPE; economy of life;

Summary/Abstract: Globalization becomes one of the chief issues of the activity of the World Council of Churches. As the biggest ecumenical organization, the WCC grasps globalization as being responsible for many tendencies that cause a global social and economic crisis: global poverty, global political instability, wars, economic depressions, crisis of the social institutions and a growing gap between the poor and the well-offs. As the driving force of globalization the WCC indicates the neoliberal free-market philosophy, the one, which is also assumed to be a tool of the global capital to achieve political power. This economic globalization is confronted with a so called alterglobalist vision promoted by the WCC. According to the Genevian organization, alterglobalism understands its objectives as a transformation towards more just social structures and social institutions. Many inspiration of the ecumenical interpretation of globalization is derived from the activity of the World Social Forum, the biggest platform where meet many alterglobalist organizations. Article discusses a basic components of Christian alterglobalism and inquires how they are inspired by the alterglobalist movement.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 15
  • Page Range: 135-149
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: English