A barrage of issues and concerns in the world’s most populous continent awaits the Christian Conference of Asia.
Confronting the CCA are the growing militarism in Kashmir and the Korean peninsula, continuing nuclear armaments buildup, forced migration, displacements, human rights violations, sexual abuse of women, rising numbers of persons living with HIV and AIDS, climate change, and a litany of other issues and concerns reported by various participants, who participated in four pre-assemblies.
On the tension in Kashmir, participants of the 12-13 April People’s Forum on 17 April urged the CCA to “strengthen the peace initiatives of the National Councils of Churches in Indian and Pakistan” so
they would cooperate with each other in addressing the concerns of troubled people in the Kashmir Valley.
The CCA must also ensure that the conflict and tension in Kashmir and in the Korean Peninsula be taken up as “significant agenda items” during the 2013 World Council of Churches Assembly in Pusan, South Korea, the Forum added.
The Forum likewise resolved that the CCA encourages member churches and organizations to support the Korean Ecumenical Forum and other similar initiatives that promote trust and understanding between North and South Korea.
Supporting constituent members in peace-building through negotiations and other processes is another arena, which the CCA, according to the Forum, must explore.
The Forum also suggested the CCA supports its constituent members
to protect victims of human rights violations, the displaced, refugees, other sanctuary-seekers, and migrant workers.
The CCA must “reclaim its involvement in transformational grassroots
organizing with basic sectors” and promote “a critical discussion on
the dominant development paradigm and the co-option of churches
and chart directions for a new approach,” said the Forum.
Participants from the pre-assembly forums of the youth, women and
people living with HIV and AIDS have also forwarded proposals, which
the CCA must implement or address in the next five years.
The youth challenged the CCA and National Church Councils to
provide programs through which young people could channel their
energies.
They particularly sought for ecumenical formations, leadership
trainings, internships and programs like the School of Ecumenical
Leadership Formation.
The youth also reiterated calls for the CCA and National Church
Councils to become Asia’s prophetic voice in denouncing human
rights violations.
Education for all, peace-building, reconciliation, inter-religious and
interfaith dialogues, HIV and AIDS, single motherhood, abortion,
substance abuse, environment, climate change, destructive
government development programs among others are very much at
the heart of the youth’s concerns.
Among other recommendations, the youth urged the CCA to strengthen its relationships and networking with various ecumenical and interfaith youth organizations such as the World Student Christian Federation-Asia Pacific, Ecumenical Asia Students and Youth Network and the Asian Methodist Youth Network.
For people living with HIV and AIDS, participants of the pre-assembly on this modern scourge called upon the CCA General Assembly to “priotise the resourcing of Churches for competent HIV and AIDS ministry.”
For their part, participants of the women’s pre-assembly urged the CCA General Assembly to “reclaim its history of theological engagement by imagining new contextual theologies that address the issues of militarism, violence, hierarchy and ecological and economic justice.”
The women also recommended that the CCA commit to, and encourage member churches to, help eliminate all forms of violence against women and children.
Among other recommendations, the women urged the CCA to “affirm the special and unique place held by indigenous peoples and Dalits in Asia, Australia and Aotearoa, New Zealand.”
CCA indeed needs more and many hands, as well as material resources for the ministry ahead.
Maurice Malanes
~ Berita Terkini CCA Assembly 2010 April 18
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