Members of the WCC consultative group
Prof. Joseph Allen was formerly professor at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline , Massachusetts , and at St Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary, Crestwood , New York . He is currently director of the Antiochian House of Studies within the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America . His paper, "The Christian Understanding of Human Relations: Resource for the Churches' Response to AIDS" was published in The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 47, no. 3, July 1995, pp.353ff.
Dr Christoph Benn (moderator) was formerly AIDS Coordinator of the German Institute for Medical Missions in Tübingen , Germany . He is currently a physician in the Paul Lechler Tropenheim Klinik in Tübingen , Germany . He has received training in both medicine and theology.
Hierdeacon Anatoly Berestov is a pediatrician and neurologist and an hierdeacon in the Russian Orthodox Church. He was a member of the sub-group on theology and ethics.
Mr Joao Guilherme Biehl is a Brazilian lay theologian and social anthropologist. He was one of the editors of Making Connections: Facing AIDS - an HIV resource book published by the youth desk of the World Council of Churches. He is presently teaching anthropology at the Federal University in Salvador , Bahia , Brazil .
Ms Mary Susan Caesar is a lawyer from South Africa and active in the youth programme of the Western Province Council of Churches in South Africa . She was a member of the sub-group on human rights.
Capt. (Dr) Ian Campbell is the International Health Programme consultant of the Salvation Army, based in London and Australia . He worked in Chikankata Hospital , Zambia , in the 1980s and developed the concept of an integrated response to HIV and AIDS as an opportunity for community development and change. He has served as consultant to UNAIDS meetings.
Mr Ernesto Cardoso (deceased) was a Brazilian Methodist lay theologian, musician, composer, and animator for groups and events. He coordinated the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) Liturgy Network and worked with the Institute for Religious Studies (ISER) as a coordinator of the "Gestures, Colours and Sound: Liturgical Renewal and Spirituality in Latin America " project. He was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1990 and died on 20 December 1995 .
Rev. Edward Dobson is an evangelical pastor of the Calvary Church in Grand Rapids , Michigan , USA . He was a member of the sub-group on pastoral care and healing community. He is actively engaged in AIDS ministry.
Prof. Dr T. Jacob John, a lay member of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, is an emeritus medical scientist (Indian Council of Medical Research). He was formerly head of the Department of Microbiology and Virology of the Christian Medical College in Vellore . He is a pediatrician and virologist. His paper "Sexuality, Sin and Disease: Theological and Ethical Issues Posed by AIDS to the Churches" was published in The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 47, no. 3, July 1995, pp.373ff.
Mr Simon Moglia is a member of the Uniting Church of Australia . He worked with the youth department of the National Council of Churches in Australia and is a member of the general committee of the Christian Conference of Asia . He has studied theology and is presently a law student.
Rev. Dr Prakai Nontawasee is a member of the WCC central committee. She holds several leadership positions in the Church of Christ in Thailand , and is a former president of the Christian Conference of Asia . She is a member of the McGilvaray Faculty of Theology, Chiang Mai , Thailand .
Rev. Dr Ruth Page is a member of the WCC central committee and of the commission on Programme Unit II. A theologian and member of the Church of Scotland, she is now principal of New College , Edinburgh .
Ms Haydee Pellegrini is an economist and a Roman Catholic lay theologian. She is in the leadership of the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS and has spoken and lobbied in various international conferences on HIV/AIDS. She is from Uruguay but now lives in Argentina .
Dr Bulisi Pongo is a member of the commission on Programme Unit II of the WCC. He is the director general of the Kimbanguist medical department of the Church of Jesus Christ on Earth in Kinshasa , Zaire .
The Rev. Erin Shoemaker is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ in Canada . She is actively engaged in the AIDS ministry and in working with lesbian and gay communities.
Ms Anne Skjelmerud is a member of the Lutheran Church in Norway . She works with the Centre for Partnership in Development in Oslo and is a consultant to Norwegian Church Aid.
Mrs Sri Winarti Soedjatmoko is a member of the WCC central committee and a member of the East Java Christian Church ( Indonesia ). She participated in the New Delhi meeting as a substitute for Prakai Nontawasee.
Dr Jihane Tawilah is a Maronite who works with the World Health Organization office in Lebanon and in the National AIDS Programme. She has assisted the Middle East Council of Churches in its ministry on AIDS and addiction.
Rev. Laisiasa Wainikesa is a member of the Methodist Church in Fiji . He is an AIDS educator in the Pacific region and has been a consultant for the World Health Organization and UNESCO in the Pacific region.
Rev. Neilson Waithe is an ordained minister of the Moravian Church in the Eastern Caribbean . He currently serves as vice chairperson of the province and superintendent of the Moravian Church in his native
Barbados . He pastors two churches and is actively engaged in counselling. He has written the book Caribbean Sexuality.
Rev. Flora Winfield is an Anglican priest and chaplain of Mansfield College , Oxford , England . Her paper "For Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love of Christ - Who Does Belong to the Body of Christ?" was published in The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 47, no. 3, July 1995, pp. 364ff.
Dr Rose Zoe-Obianga is professor of French linguistics at the University of Cameroon . From the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon, she has been a member of the executive group of the Unit II commission of WCC and a vice-president of the All Africa Conference of Churches.
Key resource persons
Rev. Dr Kenneth Boyd is an ethicist and professor at the Institute of Medical Ethics , Department of Medicine, Edinburgh University .
Ms Julia Hausermann is a barrister-at-law and human rights expert. She is the executive chair of Rights and Humanity, based in London .
Dr Joop Groen is a member of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands and presently acting director of Rainbow Foundation in Amsterdam .
Rev. Kenneth South is executive director, AIDS National Interfaith Network, Washington DC , USA .
WCC staff members
Rev. Samuel Ada Rev. Dr Thomas Best Sr Monica Cooney Mr Mark Halton Mr Jan Kok Mr Clement John Ms Lee Ye Ja Dr Salwa Morcos |
Ms Jenny Roske Dr Gert Riippell Rev. Dr Ioan Sauca Ms Anu Talvivaara Ms Odile Thiers Dr Erlinda N. Senturias Mr Marlin VanElderen |
Russian interpreter
Ms Zinaida Nossova