The World Council of Churches has shortened its list of potentials for the next General Secretary down to the last two candidates.

The Rev Dr Park Seong-won of the Presbyterian Church of Korea and Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit of the Lutheran Church of Norway were chosen from a list of six candidates after three days of interviews by a search committee in Amsterdam this week.

The two candidates will be put to the WCC’s main governing body, the Central Committee, for election when it meets in August.

"The search committee worked in a good spirit of cooperation and Christian fellowship,” said Dr Agnes Abuom, the committee’s moderator.

“The candidates are both committed to the ecumenical movement. They come from diverse backgrounds and offer a variety of experiences, gifts and skills.”

The successful candidate will replace the outgoing General Secretary, Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, who announced last year that he would not seek a second term. He has been General Secretary since 2003.

The World Council of Churches has 349 member churches, representing 560 million Christians around the world.