Students from New College in Glasgow and Edinburgh visit WCC

William Gibson, a PhD student in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Glasgow’s Trinity College, is also training for ministry in the Church of Scotland. “Our visit to the World Council of Churches is part of a wider study trip to Switzerland, where we are exploring the heritage of the Reformed tradition, including figures such as John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli, as well as engaging with contemporary ecumenical initiatives,” he said. “As student ministers in a member church of the WCC, it is important for us to understand the global work of ecumenism.”

Gibson added that, in a Western context where many churches, including the Church of Scotland, are experiencing decline, engaging with the wider ecumenical movement is vital. “We hope to learn from this experience and bring that insight back to the Church of Scotland,” he said.

Amy Ward, a student at the University of Glasgow, is training for ministry alongside others from Glasgow and Edinburgh. “Our visit to the World Council of Churches has been an opportunity to learn more about how the church operates within the wider global context,” she said. “Before today, I knew very little about the WCC—what it does or what it is responsible for—so gaining that understanding has been really valuable.”

Ward added that she hopes to take this knowledge back with her and share it more widely, encouraging congregations to engage more intentionally in prayer and other forms of support. “Initiatives such as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity become much more meaningful when you understand their background and purpose, and I think that awareness will make a real difference in ministry,” she said.

Jack Shuttleworth, a student at the University of Edinburgh, joined the other students in reflecting on figures such as John Calvin and John Knox. “Beginning our visit here really puts into perspective how far the church has come—from times when survival and cohesion were the primary concerns, to a context today where churches are able to collaborate and work together in meaningful ways,” he said. “As I return to Edinburgh, I hope to carry with me a deeper understanding of what it means to be Reformed—and to be continually reforming—not shaped by ourselves, but continually reformed in Christ.”

Looking back at history helps us keep our eyes fixed on the future and on where the church is going, Shuttleworth reflected. “Above all, today has strengthened my hope for greater unity in Christ and for a church that lives out that unity more fully,” he said.

So-Young Jung, who is studying at New College, University of Edinburgh, was previously on a ministry path in the Presbyterian Church in Korea. So-Young Jung is also undertaking ministerial training at The Scottish College (Congregational and United Reformed).

“This visit is part of our study trip, and we wanted to learn more about the Reformed tradition,” said Jung. “As a member of the United Reformed Church, which traces its roots to the 16th-century Reformation in Switzerland, I was especially interested in understanding the spirit of the Reformation in its original context.”

Jung did not realize that the World Council of Churches plays such a local and prophetic role. “I had only thought of it as a Christian organization, but I now see how it engages directly in places that are often hidden or forgotten, listening and responding to God’s prophetic call—even before preparing formal materials or statements,” said Jung. “As someone from South Korea, I am especially grateful for your cooperation and engagement in efforts toward reconciliation and unity.”

Jung was also deeply moved by the work being carried out in places such as Colombia and Sudan. “If I were God, I would be very happy with what you are doing,” said Jung. “My prayer for the World Council of Churches is that it continues its commitment to unity, justice, and peace. I hope and pray that, through this work, meaningful change will continue to come for the good of the world.”

Rev. Prof. Allison Jack, principal of New College and professor of Bible and Literature at the University of Edinburgh, said that this is not her first visit to the World Council of Churches with a group of students preparing for ministry in the Church of Scotland.

“I believe it is the third time over the past 15 years,” she said. “It is important to me that when our students come to Geneva, they do not only learn about the history of the Reformation but also engage with the more recent history of the church in its global context.”

She further reflected that the work of the worldwide church continues to shape and influence denominations such as the Church of Scotland, and it is vital that students understand that connection.

“I hope they leave with a renewed sense of how broad the Christian faith is—its global influence and responsibility—and with a deeper understanding of how Christians from around the world relate to one another and engage with the wider world,” Jack concluded. 

Visits to the World Council of Churches