UCANEWS: Church ministry aimed at healing, pastor says

ASIA - Church ministry aimed at healing, pastor says

Published Date: April 19, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR (UCAN) — The head of an international ecumenical organization has urged Churches to be critical but not “destroy, deteriorate or diminish the dignity of others.”

Reverend Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), told a gathering of Asian Christians here that the prophetic witness of Churches is a “ministry aimed at healing” which creates “new hearts and a new future.”

The pastor was speaking to some 300 Christians gathered for the 13th general assembly of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) April 15-22 on the theme Called to Prophesy, Reconcile and Heal.

CCA associate general secretary Reverend Rienzie Perera said the general assembly theme is a reminder and call to Churches in Asia to respond to God’s call to engage in prophetic, reconciling and healing ministries without counting the cost.”

Reverend Wati Longchar, director of the South Asia Theological Research Institute explained that “prophetic witness implies discerning the signs of our times and the willingness to be part of seeking justice.”

Reverend Tviet told the assembly that religion has the potential to give strength and courage to people to speak out for justice. He noted there are examples of how religion has inspired the fight for justice and peace. But he warned that religion can also be used terrorize innocent people and legitimize oppression.

Some of the challenges that we face today in the world “can be seen as a result of a one-sided and uncritical use of religion which has ended up being very destructive and bringing neither justice nor peace,” he noted.

The WCC general secretary urged Churches to reflect on “how the prophetic, critical ministry can be a ministry of real reconciliation and healing” to bring new visions for the future.

Reverend Perera termed prophetic witness as the courage given by God to take sides with the poor and oppressed in society.

CCA general secretary Prawate Khid-arn said on the sidelines that the CCA has “broken new ground by forging relationships and moving on a journey towards better understanding, collegiality and cooperation” with the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.

Sri Lankan theologian Reverend Preman Niles, another CCA associate general secretary, said the ecumenical movement needs to be a forum “to support those engaged in the prophetic ministry of the Church.”

This is the third time the CCA general assembly has been held in Malaysia. The CCA was formally inaugurated in 1959 in Kuala Lumpur.

The CCA comprises 16 national councils and more than 100 Protestant and Orthodox Churches in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Timor Leste, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

Among the many objectives of the CCA are the promotion and strengthening of unity among Asian Churches, and the development and promotion of relationships with people of other faiths in the region.

AS09472.1598 April 19, 2010 56 EM-lines (476 words)

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