NCC Takes Greetings to Brazil Meeting
Of Theologians, Other Church Workers

August 4, 2003, NEW YORK CITY -- Christians in the Americas and the Caribbean may be divided by geography, but they share culture, family, faith and a commitment to the common good of all, affirmed Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, the National Council of Churches' Associate General Secretary for International Affairs and Peace, in greetings to a meeting of more than 700 Catholic and Protestant theologians, missionaries and humanitarian workers from across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The conference, under the theme "Christianity in Latin America and the Caribbean: Directions, Diagnostics, Prospectives," was held July 28-August 1 in São Paulo, Brazil, and was co-hosted by the Pontifical Catholic University and Baptist College.  Speakers included prominent theologians Gustavo Gutierrez of Ecuador, Elsa Tamez of Costa Rica and Samuel Ruiz Garcia of Mexico.

The NCC's Director for Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, the Rev. Fred Morris, also attended the conference, which considered the history of Christian witness in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as issues currently facing, or on the horizon for, Christian communities there.

Also participating was Rev. Israel Batista, Executive Director of the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI). Dr. Kireopoulos and Rev. Batista discussed future collaboration between NCC and CLAI, issues of common concern, and possible methodologies by which to pursue these issues. In bringing the greetings of the NCC to those present, Dr. Kireopoulos, who gave his remarks in Spanish, expressed the Council's solidarity with Christian communities in the region and its commitment to work together to constructively address pertinent issues.

Pictured: Above, Dr. Kireopoulos brings the NCC's greetings to the gathering.  Left, Dr. Kireopoulos (left) and the Rev. Fred Morris (right) with theologian Gustavo Gutierrez.

-end-

Read Dr. Kireopoulos' greetings in Spanish.
Read Dr. Kireopoulos' greetings in English.