Introduction

From Seoul to Debrecen is a report, published in 1997, on the life and work of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches between its 22nd and 23rd general councils.¹

Here the report is introduced by Jane Dempsey Douglass, WARC president (1990-97), and Milan Opocensky, general secretary (1989-2000)

Before WARC's 22nd general council, for the first time a book was published which described WARC's activities in the period since the previous council. It was called From Ottawa to Seoul.

With this publication, From Seoul to Debrecen, we join the tradition started by our immediate predecessors. The aim of this volume is to describe the manifold activities of WARC in the period 1989-1997. It has been a rich and rewarding time. Complementing the existing departments (theology; cooperation and witness) two new desks have been added: partnership of women and men (1992), communications (1993). The development of the partnership fund has made possible the support of many fruitful projects in the southern hemisphere. In 1995 a youth secretary joined the staff in order to prepare the Reformed youth forum to take place before the 23rd general council in Debrecen. We are grateful to member churches for making all this work possible.

One of the tasks of the general council is to evaluate the activities of the past period. It needs to examine to what extent it was possible to fulfil the mandate of the preceding general council. Such an assessment is a necessary prerequisite for determining the main priorities for the future. We request the delegates to read the whole book carefully before studying the closing chapter, The Alliance beyond 1997. Only against the background of the work accomplished and the tasks which were unfulfilled can we map out our future.

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve in this eventful period in the nineties. We recall the biblical verse: "Thus far the Lord has helped us" (1 Sam 7.12). We give thanks to God as we look back on the 120 years of WARC's history since the first general council of the Presbyterian alliance in Edinburgh in 1877. We commend the WARC staff and the executive committee for the work which has been accomplished in the last years. We pray that on the threshold of the 21st century WARC may be given the vision, courage and endurance to pursue its mission in strengthening the unity and common witness of the Reformed churches.

On behalf of the executive committee we present this report to the delegates of WARC's 23rd general council.

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