NEW YORK, 2024 JUL 14. President of the Nations Jack Lever gave his State of the World speech to the United Nations today. President Lever began by listing his accomplishments in the past year. These included making the United Nations’ currency, the Uno, the sovereign currency of every country. Switzerland, the last hold-out, turned over it’s franc in May. He also stated that world unemployment was at the same level it was before the World Depression of 2010-2018. While he acknowledged that the world economy still needed redistribution of wealth, he said that much progress had been made.
President Lever then outlined the challenges he sees ahead. First was ending the epidemics that spread during the World Depression. Next was having the World Curriculum that was completed last year instituted in the schools of every nation. Third was bringing unity to the religions of the world.
He stressed the importance of the third goal even though the first two might seem more pressing. “The goal of world unity will not be achieved without religions reconciliation,” he said to the delegates who gave him a standing ovation. He went on to say “Each of the great religions of the world must become unified before world religions can unite.” President Lever said that as a Christian he was particularly interested in the unity of the Christian Church. “In the spirit of Constantine the Great, I am calling all church leaders to an ecumenical council of reconciliation.” he said.
After the speech, church leaders reacted with cautious optimism. Some extremists of the Fundamentalist and Traditionalist groups made negative remarks but acknowledged that recent scandals have left them in a weak position. Commentators pointed out that this was an opportune moment since many new leaders have arisen during the last ten years who support unity, including the new Pope, John-Paul III. The decision by China earlier this year to adopt Christianity (which they call “the Three Self Patriotic Movement”) as their official religion added to the momentum world for unity.
BRUSSELS, 2025 MAR 6. The Ecumenical Council of Christian Unity convened today with an elaborate procession through the Capital of Europe. In his opening remarks, President of the Nations Jack Lever noted that every Christian body was in attendance: Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, and Patriots (Chinese). Even obscure denominations sent delegates. Many said this was a testimony to President Lever’s political skills. Commentators pointed out that last year’s purges of leaders among Catholics and Orthodox removed most of the remaining resistance to the Council. A significant holdout, Metropolitan Boris of the Russian Orthodox Church, charged that these purges were worse than Stalin’s. After he died suddenly he was replaced by Metropolitan Joseph who accepts unity as inevitable.
The charge of the Council is threefold: to produce a common creed, a common liturgy, and a common clergy. This is no small task particularly since President Lever wants it done by the end of the year. Pope John-Paul III expressed optimism, saying “The time has come to bring unity to all the world.” The 6000 delegates gave him a standing ovation.
BRUSSELS, 2025 JUN 9. The Ecumenical Council of Christian Unity announced today that agreement had been reached on a Common Creed. Many observers were surprised at how quickly agreement was produced. Commentators pointed out that after the initial round of discussions produced deadlock, the delegates started dropping phrases that were unacceptable to any group. President of the Nations Jack Lever, who is himself a Christian and has prodded the Council, praised the creed. “The Common Creed is simple, yet elegant, and could easily be translated into any language of the world,” he said. The Council still must produce a common liturgy and a common clergy.
BRUSSELS, 2025 NOV 11. The Ecumenical Council of Christian Unity announced agreement had been reached on a Common Clergy. The announcement came after weeks of high-level pressure from President of the Nations Jack Lever. The final agreement places headquarters offices in Beijing but the leadership will rotate every 5 years between the three so-called Regions: Asia-Oceania (Beijing), Europe-Africa (Rome), and the Americas (Orlando). The new structure reflects the “flat organization” that has transformed businesses worldwide. There are four levels: Regional Shepherd, National Shepherd, Urban Shepherd, and Local Shepherd.
Since President of the Nations Jack Lever began calling Beijing “the new Constantople” in July, his allies have been pressuring the Orthodox. Metropolitan Joseph of the Russian Orthodox Church acknowledged that some Orthodox were unhappy but said the new leaders generally supported unity. Catholics of course wanted the headquarters in Rome but Pope John-Paul III graciously accepted the result saying, “The time has come to set the past aside for the sake of world unity.” A few demonstrators outside the building where the council was held denounced the agreement but were taken into custody for psychiatric counseling.
BRUSSELS, 2026 MAY 1. The Ecumenical Council of Christian Unity concluded today with a celebration led by World Shepherd Chin which was conducted according to the Common Liturgy that was agreed on last week. The celebration began with the 6000 delegates reciting the Common Creed that they agreed on last year. After some discussion, it was decided that each delegate should recite the creed in their own language although the rest of the liturgy was in English which was the official language of the Council.
Many were surprised that it took so long to agree on a Common Liturgy after the heady days last year when the Council agreed on the Common Creed and the Common Clergy. In the end differing views of the meaning of the Sacraments weren’t mentioned. Shepherd of the Americas Roberto said “These issues were left to the conscience of the individual.” Others indicated this means that Local Shepherds would set their own policies.
Other controversial issues of the past such as the status of the Virgin Mary were treated the same way. Instead, the last argument was over the date of Easter (known in some places as Pascha and in China as the Great Morning). Surprisingly, this controversy delayed the Council for eight weeks. The final result is a complex combination of ancient, modern, and Chinese methods.
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