The International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches (IFFEC) has released a statement calling for peace, dignity, and reconciliation amid global conflicts affecting more than 60 war zones worldwide.
The statement urges political leaders around the world to work for just and lasting peace agreements, ensure all people are treated with dignity, consider shared global responsibility despite national interests, and hold themselves accountable to God. It calls congregations to serve as places of reconciliation, welcoming people from all countries and embracing differences.
IFEEC represents more than 700,000 members across 34 countries. The Evangelical Covenant Church, along with the Evangelical Free Church of America, are the two member federations in North America. President Tammy Swanson-Draheim serves on IFFEC’s Executive Committee, where the statement was crafted.
IFFEC is a fellowship of free evangelical churches, meaning they are “free” from the state church. Chris Peterson, co-regional coordinator for Europe with Serve Globally explains, “The ‘free church’ movements, beginning in the mid-1800s, sought more freedom in worship and practice and were often strictly suppressed and forbidden by the state church, leading many people in Sweden to immigrate to North America.” Some of those immigrants became the founders of the Covenant in North America in 1885.
Today, church and state are still united in many countries, such as the Anglican church in England. In Sweden, the state and church were united until 2000; in Norway, they separated in 2017.
To support Covenant partners who are working toward peace and proving relief to populations impacted by war and disaster, visit Covenant World Relief and Development.
