Statement by Archbishop Thomas Paul Schirrmacher on 30 May 2026, at the CHARIS meeting with the Pope Leo XIV.
From 2006 to 2011, I was involved in a life-changing experience of developing ‘Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World’, which was finally signed and launched by the Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, and the World Evangelical Alliance in 2011. To this day, it remains the only document ever signed by these three bodies, representing the majority of Christians and churches worldwide.
The document begins with the following two sentences: ‘Mission belongs to the very being of the Church. Proclaiming the word of God and bearing witness to the world is essential for every Christian. At the same time, it is necessary to do so according to gospel principles, with full respect and love for all human beings.’
It is therefore not surprising that the idea of reaching the world for Jesus Christ by 2033 was ecumenical from the outset, as evidenced by the ‘JC2033’ initiative started by Olivier Fleury in 2007 and similar initiatives.
The leadership of the World Council of Churches has publicly engaged with JC2033, signaling support. At a global conference, the “global network of Spirit-filled Christians” Empowered21 launched the “EveryONE/Amsterdam2023–2033” initiative, with the aim of ensuring that “everyone will hear the gospel by Pentecost 2033”. The Pentecostal World Fellowship passed a resolution encouraging its member churches to fulfil the Great Commission by 2033. In October 2025, the World Evangelical Alliance held its General Assembly in Seoul, Korea, under the theme ‘The Gospel for Everyone by 2033’.
But what value would all this have if the larger half of the Christian world, the Catholic Church, were to remain on the sidelines?
Global 2033, a Catholic consortium moderated by Henry and Sabina Capello, aims to win over and activate the Catholic hierarchy worldwide, while also encouraging all Catholic believers to follow the encouragement to witness by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. This will be achieved, in particular, by making use of modern virtual means.
A very visible sign of hope is that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CHARIS), with the backing of Pope Francis, has produced a ‘2033 Agenda’ and made it their central topic. This is significant because it involves several hundred million Catholic believers who are willing to share their faith with others.
But more importantly, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is the most significant ecumenical bridge between similar movements in non-Catholic churches. More broadly, it brings together Catholics and Charismatics, Pentecostals and Evangelicals in the everyday lives of believers, who worship, pray and act together. This is why I find my involvement in CHARIS’ Agenda 2033 so fulfilling! I first became involved when I met Pino Scarfuro years ago, when we asked Pope Francis to support the agenda with a video message.
Now, before we get carried away, I must state something that deeply concerns me. But before I share it, I must assure you that I am not representing any global body here; I can only speak on behalf of the churches I am involved with as a bishop, that is the Evangelical-Anglican-Charismatic denominations the Conservative Anglican Church, the Communio Christiana and the Communio Messianica—a global body of Christians from Muslim background, of which I am “mentoring bishop”, which is at the forefront of evangelization and who want to consecrate their first bishops end of the year.
So, what is worrying? Even though there was a global momentum to evangelise the world by 2033, in practice each group is still mainly doing it for itself. Often, they even have the idea that what other confessions do is not really “evangelism”. In my own camp, I am heavily criticised—but also supported—for pushing for practical joint agendas, rather than just parallel written or oral statements.
My biggest hope for overcoming the barriers to joint witnessing to the world in the power of the Holy Spirit is CHARIS. Anyone who knows that they are saved by Jesus Christ should be able to bear witness to their Lord and Saviour alongside others who believe the same, no matter to what camp they belong!
Todays event makes known, that witnessing to the world, that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour at the same time, as the Nicene Creed so clearly stated 1700 years ago, is a blessing and commission for the whole body of Christ together.