By Ngala Hansel
South Africa-born Rev.Dr. Jerry Pillay has been elected secretary general of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
The election on June 17, took place at the interdenominational organization’s headquarters in Switzerland.
Dr. Pillay who takes over from Ioan Souca of the Romanian Orthodox Church will officially assume office on January 1, 2023. He defeated Dr. Elizabeth Joy of the Malankara Orthodox Church in the election.
Dr. Pillay is an ordained pastor of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa and doubles as dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at University of Pretoria in South Africa.
The World Council of Churches is one of the largest Christian organization’s in the world with half a billion Christians from all Christian denominations except the Roman Catholic Church which only sends observers to the Council’s meetings.
