The World Council of Churches (WCC) has chosen "God of life, lead us to justice and peace" as the theme of its 10th World Assembly, which will be held in Busan, South Korea in October 2013.

The theme was chosen by the WCC's Central Committee, the group's highest governing body, at the conclusion of their week-long meeting in Geneva, which ended on Tuesday. The theme was one of two suggestions presented, with the other possibility being: "In God's world, called to be one."

The Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the WCC, in the final moments before the decision, asserted that "seeking justice and peace is a call to unity – and may be clearly interpreted as such."

Metropolitan Mor Eustathius Matta Roham noted: "We are addressing the whole world. This will be read in many different places, by Christians and non-Christians. We must be sure that the theme will be clearly stated in all languages."

The assembly theme is also accompanied by the citation of a biblical text: Isaiah 42:1-4, which depicts the servant of the Lord who neither breaks a bruised reed nor quenches a dimly burning wick (verse 3) and who will not be crushed "until he has established justice in the earth" (verse 4).

Taking place every seven years, the General Assembly is the largest gathering of representatives from the WCC, which claims a memberships of some 560 million Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed, United and independent Christians around the globe.

Over 600 delegates attended the group's 9th Assembly, held in 2006 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, the theme for which was, "God, in your grace, transform the world."