The Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has opened in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt. Running from 24 to 28 October 2025, the theme is: 'Where now for visible unity?'

Organised by the WCC’s Commission on Faith and Order, the conference is meeting at the Logos Papal Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church at Wadi El Natrun, southwest of Alexandria.

The conference is significant, taking place in the year that marks the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a defining moment for the Christian church and the first ecumenical assembly of the global church. 

The See of Alexandria played an important role in the debates that led to the Council of Nicaea. St Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, sought to resolve the Arian controversy and facilitated the reception of the Nicene faith.

There have been only five such world conferences since the first in Lausanne in 1927, which gave birth to the Faith and Order movement, one of the Christian initiatives that led to the founding of the WCC in 1948.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church opened the conference. He is the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. Pope Tawadros said in his address that engaging in theological dialogue is a journey toward a shared understanding of faith: 'It is not an attempt to eliminate or dissolve differences, but rather to discover the profound faith uniting the church.' 

Bringing together church leaders and theologians of different traditions as well as involving a new generation of ecumenists, the Sixth World Conference will approach the theme 'Where now for visible unity?' from the interconnected vantage points of faith, mission, and unity.

It will reaffirm the WCC’s commitment to assist the churches as they call one another to visible unity and to advance the unity of humanity and of all creation.

About 400 participants have gathered for the conference, including representatives of the Anglican Communion.

The Most Revd Samy Shehata, Archbishop from the Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria addressed the conference in the Opening Plenary on Friday 24 October. 

The Rev Professor Charlotee Methuen from the Scottish Episcopal Chuch is on the drafting group for the final statement from the conference.

Other Anglican representatives include: Dr Christopher Wells (the Director for Unity, Faith and Order), Rev. Prebendary Dr Isabelle Hamley, and other guests from The Anglican Church of Canada, the Episcopal Church and the Scottish Episcopal Church.

In conjunction with the Sixth World Conference, a Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) is offering space for a new generation of younger and emerging ecumenical theologians and educators from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions to engage with the work of Faith and Order.

For more information visit the World Council of Churches. 

Read more about the address by Archbishop Samy Fawzy Shehata