Conference of European Churches - Office of Communications

Press release No. 08-11/e

13 March 2008

Lukas Vischer, ecumenist and environmentalist, dies at age 81

He was a founding figure of the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN)

Lukas Vischer, Swiss Reformed theologian and ecumenist died on 11 March 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland, at the age of 81. He was involved in the ecumenical movement for decades, serving as director of “Faith and Order”, the theological commission of the World Council of Churches, from 1966 to 1979. He was active in initiating and supporting several ecumenical processes, such as the famous study on “Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry” (published in 1982).

In recent years, he was particularly committed to the cause of Christian environmental responsibility and awareness. He was one of the founding figures of the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN), linked to the Conference of European Churches (CEC). One of his passions was the promotion of a “Creation time” specifically set aside in the liturgical calendar, as a way to both honour God as Creator and to underline the churches’ responsibility for the environment.

“All involved in ecumenical affairs will be saddened by the news of the passing of such a considerable figure in the ecumenical scene”, said the General Secretary of CEC, the Venerable Colin Williams. “In Europe”, he added, “we have had particular reason to be grateful for Lukas Vischer’s major contribution to the development of ECEN. Within ECEN he remained an instrumental figure at its core, offering all involved in the network wise advice and strong support. ECEN was a project which was close to Lukas Vischer's heart and to which he devoted a considerable part of his energy during his last years. He will be particularly missed for his important work in developing and promoting an effective European Christian voice on environmental issues”.

A selection of ecumenical writings by Lukas Vischer can be found at www.warc.ch/dt/erl3/index.html . One of his recent texts on the environment is “Time for God’s Creation – An Appeal to the Churches in Europe” (edited by Isolde Schönstein and Lukas Vischer), ECEN 2006. See www.ecen.org.

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The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 120 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.