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Christian Conference of Asia
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Faith and Order commission plenary
Dr Ahn Jae Woong addressing the Faith and Order plenary commission in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: WCC/Manuel Lopez) CCA general secretary calls for people centred ecumenism KUALA LUMPUR -- An Asian ecumenical leader has called for seeking the true meaning of ecumenism in the context of non-Christian and non-ecumenical realities in the world. Speaking on the first day of the World Council of Churches� (WCC) Faith and Order plenary commission here, Dr Ahn Jae Woong, general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) said that the �ecumenical movement should capture frontier spirit in exploring God�s plans in the whole of God�s creation.� He was of the view that �moving away from the people or people�s movement� was one of �the weaknesses of the ecumenical movement.� Ahn Jae Woong suggested working towards an Asian people�s Pax Asiana as a way to revitalise the people centred ecumenism. He told the plenary on 28 July that building a People�s Pax Asiana, by gathering Asian people�s wisdom, traditions, customs and experience, is an ecumenical task in Asia, which has a rich tradition of respect for life and for communitarian and egalitarian life.� The general secretary recommended the Buddhist way of the Sangh as an option for building people�s Pax Asiana. He described the Sangha as a spiritual community where all members shared their understanding of life and stability of community, shared their sorrows and joys and all were connected with each other. People�s struggle against racism, classism, sexism, militarism and all kinds of discrimination and domination should be the constant ecumenical task of all peace loving people for building peace in the world, the CCA general secretary told the 28 July � 6 August plenary. He urged the participants to work together with people of other faiths and no faiths and civil society groups to achieve peace with justice. He termed peace not only as �the absence of war or conflicts, but also shalom, righteousness or wholeness and liberation or salvation.� �The awareness of violence, non-violence and the struggle of justpeace are the ultimate biblical teachings for generation after generation �without resolving the tension, hatred and hostilities in human hearts and minds, any attempt for peace making efforts will be futile,� he noted. Ahn wanted the participants to go through Metanoia, for becoming new beings and children of God so as to become peacemakers in this world. �Peace making is God�s ordained ecumenical task,� Ahn told the commission�s first meeting in the 21st century. Earlier, welcoming more than 150 participants from different parts of the world, the ecumenical leader said that poverty, diversity, religiosity, and lack of dignity and security were some of the characteristics of the region. He also mentioned degradation of environment as a serious threat for the people. The ecumenical leader expressed the view that religious teachings and Christian life are important for achieving people�s aspiration in Asia. He called on the Faith and Order Commission to offer new theological framework for fullness of life for building communities of peace for all. Referring to Asian churches, Ahn Jae Woong said that even though many of them have cooperated with the colonial powers and authoritarian governments in the past, there are also churches in different countries that have deeply associated with independent and democratic movements. He also mentioned about Asian theologians articulating their contextual theologies like Minjung theology in Korea, Homeland theology in Taiwan, People�s theology in the Philippines, Water Buffalo theology in Thailand, Dalit theology in India, and Buraku liberation theology in Japan. He cited the examples of the Church of South India, the church of North India, the Church of Christ in Thailand, the United Church of Christ in Japan, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines who have demonstrated church unity in the region. The Asian leader also mentioned the examples of the China Christian Council, which is post-denominational and the Uniting Church in Australia, which is inclusive and open as far as receiving new members are concerned. �Asian churches as a whole may be able to contribute to the rest of the world the experiences of the churches of the united, uniting and post-denominational within the framework of the Faith and Order Commission,� he added. Rev Dr Samuel Kobia , general secretary of the WCC and Rev Dr David K Yemba, moderator of the Faith and Order Commission, also addressed the plenary. The WCC�s commission on Faith and Order is considered to be the most representative theological forum in the world. Among the several objectives of the commission is the promotion of the visible unity of the Christian church. posted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 29, 2004 Sam Kobia visits CCA Centre
Sam Kobia with Ahn Jae Woong at the CCA Centre Highlights priority areas for WCC in coming years Dr Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has said that overcoming violence will be an important area of work for the organisation in the coming years. The Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV), proclaimed at the WCC assembly in Harare in 1998 and officially inaugurated in 2001, will be one of the highest priorities for the WCC, he told a meeting at the Christian Conference of Asia Centre on 7 July. Dr Ahn Jae Woong, general secretary of the CCA presided over the meeting. Sam Kobia told the meeting that the next WCC general assembly in February 2006 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, would reflect more on this and provide advice and wisdom on the issue. Violence is very much part of the humanity. There is a feeling that violence is almost inevitable. There is sanctioned violence. As Christian church we have even accepted just wars. There is so much violence that is acceptable. �Should this be the case for all times and in the future?� he asked. There is so much violence at the micro level like in families, communities and cities, and at national and international level. It is a complex issue, he said, and asked the question, �Where do we come in as a church?� �We are dealing with an issue that is likely to influence the lives and relationships of nations and people.� he told the staff of the CCA, Documentation for Action Groups in Asia and Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism. He said that the DOV focus on Asia in 2005 will give the WCC an opportunity to work closely with the CCA, and hoped that the WCC could learn more from the region about building peace and reconciliation, and peaceful and harmonious living between different faiths. He mentioned inter-religious dialogue and cooperation with people of other faiths as another priority area for the WCC. He said that since September 11, 2001 the whole question of religion and violence has taken on a new dimension. He felt that it is now important for dialogue and cooperation to go beyond the academic level, to the level where people live. He announced that the WCC is planning to hold a major international conference on inter-religious dialogue in June 2005. Ecumenical formation was another area, which will receive a lot of attention of the WCC in the years to come, according to the general secretary. He said that the first and second generation of ecumenical leadership received ecumenical formation through well-structured bodies like the WSCF, SCM, YMCA and YWCA. �Today that is not happening, � he noted. Ecumenical organisations are going through difficult times. He acknowledged that the lack of leadership formation for young people is not just happening in the WCC alone, but also in many ecumenical partner organisations in the world. The general secretary highlighted issue of Climate Change as another area of focus of the WCC. He noted that the magnitude of the problem is not taken seriously by many countries including the USA, a country, which pollutes the environment more than any other country in the world. Advocacy and campaign for more countries to ratify the Kyoto protocol, will be major concern of the WCC, he pointed out. He concluded his talk by pointing out that spirituality is the basis of the work of the WCC and this is what made it different from many other secular non-governmental organisations in the world. Earlier, Kobia noted that there has always been a special relationship between the WCC and regional ecumenical organisations. He said that the WCC always had �good and strong relationship with the CCA.� Sam Kobia planted a tree on the campus of the CCA Centre after the meeting. He also had lunch with the ecumenical colleagues and friends before leaving. One of his last engagements in Hong Kong was a meeting with Mr Tung Chee-hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong Government of Special Administrative Region. The meeting lasted for about 30 minutes. Dr Ahn Jae Woong, general secretary of the CCA, Rev Eric So, general secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council and Dr Mathews George Chunakara, Asia secretary of the WCC were present on the occasion. 
WCC general secretary speaking on WCC priorities 
Kobia addressing the staff 
Kobia planting a tree on the CCA campus 
Kobia at the CCA canteen 
Kobia with Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa. Ahn Jae Woong and Mathews George Chunakara are also seen. posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 07, 2004 Sam Kobia arrives in Hong KongRev Dr Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches arrived in Hong Kong on 5 July on a three-day visit. He met with the church and ecumenical leaders in the evening at a reception organised, on behalf of the Christian Conference of Asia, by the Primate of Hong Kong Shen Kung Hui (Anglican Archbishop of Hong Kong and Macau), Peter Kwong. Some 40 church and ecumenical leaders participated at the reception. Dr Sam Kobia, Dr Wong Wai Ching, a member of the CCA presidium, Primate of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Anglican Archbishop Peter Kwong, and Dr Ahn Jae Woong addressed the gathering. Bishop Thomas Soo, president of the Hong Kong Christian Council offered a prayer. Kobia is accompanied by Dr Mathews George Chunakara, WCC Asia Secretary. 
Sam Kobia with Ahn Jae Woong, CCA general secretary 
Wong Wai Ching, a member of the CCA presidium, addressing the gathering posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 06, 2004 
Sam Kobia, addressing church and ecumenical leaders at the reception. Anglican Archbishop Peter Kwong is on the right. 
Archbishop Peter Kwong hosted the reception 
Ahn Jae Woong speaking at the reception 
Church and ecumenical leaders posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 06, 2004 |
