WCC Kobia Receives 'Honorary Degree' from Argentina's Oldest University
Rev. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) spoke against the “unethical and illegitimate” external debt of Argentina, during a ceremony at which he was given the title of “honorary professor” of Argentina’s oldest university. The Nov. 15 ceremony, held at the University of Buenos Aires campus, distinguished Kobia for his “effort, presence and commitment” to the “evangelical movement in Argentina.”
Human life is threatened in today's world by a profound crisis that is the result "of structures that do not serve life, but reflect rather human sin", said Kobia, in reference to the economic structures that suffocate the poor.
Christians must "confront idolatrous assumptions, unjust systems, politics of domination and exploitation in our current world economic order". "The lives of the poor are being sacrificed for the gains of the rich," he said.
Kobia made these points during his honorary ceremony, during which the University of Argentina’s dean, Dr. Guillermo Jaim Etcheverri, offered him the honorary degree. Meanwhile, in his congratulatory speech of praise, Professor Fortunato Mallimaci underlined that as well as recognizing the personal merits of Kobia, the honorary title also sought to "recall the WCC, and reaffirm its pluralist vocation", and to recognize the "effort, presence and commitment of the Evangelical movement in Argentina".
Prior to his Nov. 15 address at the university, Kobia participated in a series of inter-church and inter-faith activities in Argentina, during which he thanked the regional religious leaders for their “work in human rights.”
Kobia’s visit to Latin America, which began Nov. 1, will continue in Uruguay and Chile.
