World Communion of Reformed Churches
The World Communion of Reformed Churches is a Christian ecumenical body formed in June 2010 by the merger of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council.
The WCRC is the largest association of Reformed churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries.
Together, the full member denominations claim about 100 million members. Associated and affiliated denominations, the largest of which are the China Christian Council and Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council, represent another 40 million people.
The WCRC is the largest or second largest Protestant communion in the world. For this reason, it is the third or fourth largest Christian communion in the world, in the world after the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and, possibly, the Anglican Communion.
Among the biggest denominations in the WCRC are the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, Church of South India, Presbyterian Church of East Africa, Presbyterian Church of Cameroon, United Church of Zambia, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Protestant Church in Indonesia, Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Presbyterian Church of Africa, National Presbyterian Church in Mexico, Presbyterian Community in Congo and Evangelical Church of Cameroon.
Its member denominations on the whole could be considered more liberal than the member denominations of the International Conference of Reformed Churches or the World Reformed Fellowship, which are also large ecumenical Calvinist organizations. The WCRC differs from other global Reformed communities in its liberal stance on homosexuality, abortion, women's ordination, and ecumenism.
In 2025, the Public Witness Report, approved by the General Council of the WCRC, highlighted the organization's goals: combating the exclusion of LGBT people from the life and leadership of its member churches and encouraging pastoral practices that hold sacred the abortion rights of women. Decision 2 of the same Council listed combating homophobia, racism, Christian Zionism, caste systems, colonialism, and discrimination against women, as well as promoting climate justice, as objectives of the WCRC.
History
Background
emerged in Europe in the 16th century. From then on, it spread through migration and missions throughout the world. Since the 19th century, Reformed Christians began to organize structures that would allow for communion and the witness of unity among Reformed people around the world.The WCRC traces its origins to 1875, with several unifying Reformed organizations emerging in London, England.
In 1875, the Alliance of the Reformed Churches throughout the World holding the Presbyterian System was organized in London. At the same time, in 1891, the International Congregational Council was formed, which brought together churches of the Reformed Tradition that adopted the congregational system of government.
In 1946, a more conservative group of Reformed churches organized the Reformed Ecumenical Council.
In 1970, the ARCWPS and ICC merged to form the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.
Formation
In the 21st century, the WARC and the REC have grown increasingly closer, with a growing number of churches participating in both organizations simultaneously.After a two-day meeting ending on 1 February 2006, Douwe Visser, president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council, and Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, said in a joint letter to their constituencies, "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 Calvinist Christians."
After first calling the potential body "World Reformed Communion", this was modified into "World Communion of Reformed Churches".
A Uniting General Council of the WCRC, bringing the organization into existence, took place from 18–26 June 2010 at Calvin College, located at Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. The council focused on the "Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace" mentioned in Ephesians as its main theme, setting a tone of true mutual understanding and acceptance amongst member churches and associates, laying aside differences and other issues as they embark on this shared journey with one another as each seeks to discern the will of God and continue their struggle for justice and peace in the world. The World Communion of Reformed Churches has not taken a position on the issue of homosexuality but includes denominations that affirm same-sex marriage.
Work
The 2010 Uniting General Council stated that the WCRC should be "called to communion and committed to justice." Its two main program offices are thus focused on these aspects, with theological work included with communion. The Theology and Communion office serves as coordinator for official dialogues with other religious organizations, organizes a bi-annual Global Institute of Theology, and brings Calvinist theological scholars together for various discussions. The Justice office promotes economic, ecological and human rights, basing much of its work on the, a statement adopted at the 2004 General Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and re-endorsed at the 2010 Uniting General Council.The WCRC also has a General Secretariat which includes the general secretary's office, the communications office and other organizational responsibilities. Through the General Secretariat, the WCRC promotes dialogue between churches, advocates for causes on a global scale and supports the activities of its member churches.
The global headquarters of the WCRC are located in Hanover, Germany, with a North American non-profit subsidiary based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Originally based in Geneva, Switzerland, which played host to John Calvin and earned a reputation as the "Protestant Rome", the group's Executive Committee announced on 8 November 2012, that they would relocate the headquarters to Hanover, Germany, by December 2013, due to overbearing financial strains caused by the high value of the Swiss franc.
Organization positions
Ordination of women
In 2017, WCRC published the Declaration of Faith Concerning Women's Ordination, in which it supports the practice of women's ordination and encourages its 42 member denominations that do not ordain women to change their position. The National Presbyterian Church in Mexico and National Union of Independent Reformed Evangelical Churches of France protested against the declaration, while the Presbyterian Church of Chile abstained.Abortion
The 2021 adopted "Gender Justice Policy" acknowledged the communion had "failed to respect a woman’s right to control her body and her right to choose" and also invites member churches to "commit to a process of study and discernment over the issues of sexuality, sexual pleasure, fertility, reproductive rights, and the right to choose". The gender justice policy applies to the WCRC and its executive staff and is commended to its member churches.In 2025, the General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches passed a resolution to "1. Include reproductive rights within the Communion’s gender-justice work, giving attention to churches that require contextual resources and support. 2. Encourage theological reflection and pastoral care that affirms the sacredness of choice , dignity, and community wellbeing. These appeals embody the Council’s commitment to discern, confess, witness, and be reformed through communities that center love, dignity, and the flourishing of life."
Same-sex marriage
In 2017, the WCRC noted it has no official position on human sexuality. However in the 2021 adopted "Gender Justice Policy" which the communion commends to its members churches it stated that: We are each made in the image of God and together, as Church, we are the Body of Christ, as such we are each created, gifted, and loved by God; we are each loved and valued for the beauty and totality of our being and the diversity of our bodies; our sexuality is a gift from God and a source of life; we are all needed to serve the church, without discrimination; and....no one is excluded in the basis of their gender, sexuality, race, class, disability, poverty, or caste; and leadership must be exercised through the Spirit of God, with respect for all. Furthermore, "The Body of Christ, our Church, will begin to heal when: the voices of women and other marginalized persons begin to be heard in our Communion; the sexuality of each person is honoured, including the right to control one’s body".The same policy "invites member churches to share custodianship and the responsibility for implementing the Gender Justice Policy and call upon them to act by:..."Commit to a process of study and discernment over the issues of sexuality, sexual pleasure, fertility,reproductive rights, and the right to choose;
In 2025, the General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches passed a resolution to "1. Reaffirm the diversity of God’s creation, including the life-giving gifts of human love and sexuality. 2. Reaffirm our witness to Christ’s gospel of love and inclusion, explicitly rejecting efforts to stigmatise, punish or exclude individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. We specifically name exclusion from the church’s life and leadership. 3. Continue to engage in a process of study and consultation to enable members to deepen their understanding of the social and theological implications of sexual orientation and gender expression, discern how God is calling the Church to engage in prophetic witness on matters of sexuality and gender, and work towards building consensus for future public policy advocacy. Such consultations must include people of diverse sexualities and gender identities."
While the vast majority of its member churches only permit marriage between a man and a woman, and do not bless same-sex unions., a great many of its member denominations promote the same-sex marriage or bless same-sex unions, such as the Remonstrant Church, Spanish Evangelical Church, United Church of Canada, Uniting Church in Australia, Uniting Church in Sweden, United Church of Christ, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Evangelical Church of the River Plate, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Protestant Church in the Netherlands, United Protestant Church in Belgium, United Protestant Church of France, Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine, Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg, Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, Polish Reformed Church, Reformed Church in Austria, Reformed Church in America, Swiss Reformed Church, Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa, Reformed Alliance, Church of Lippe, Evangelical Reformed Church in Germany, United Reformed Church, Presbyterian Church in Canada, Presbyterian Church, Church of Scotland, Presbyterian Church of Wales, Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, Waldensian Evangelical Church, and Waldensian Evangelical Church of the River Plate.