Values of the Gospel: The Values Discourse in the Global Ecumenical Movement

Abstract

The concept of “values” emerged in contrast to religion. However, churches refer to “Christian values.” Examining the use of values-language in the Global Ecumenical Movement, especially by the World Council of Churches, the article shows how the term is adopted in order to speak into a secular society and to suggest a Christian vision of society that is oriented by the Kingdom of God. The concept is not only used to build a bridge between society’s challenges and church, but also to express the Christian task in a globalized and secular world.