News
Shortly after the 14th General Assembly of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), held recently in Indonesia´s capital Jakarta, WCC News had a brief chat with the newly elected general secretary of CCA, Dr Mathews George Chunakara.
“Our task ahead is to rediscover the real meaning of ecumenism in the Asian context and revitalize the ecumenical movement”, says Dr Mathews George Chunakara.
An experienced ecumenical worker and a seasoned advocate of ecumenism, he served as the director of WCC’s Commission of the Churches on International Affairs from 2009-2014, and WCC Asia secretary in Geneva from 2000 to 2009. He is determined to lead a well-established regional ecumenical organization with a clear focus and a set of strategic priorities. He feels the task will be supported with in the objectives of the mandates derived during the Assembly and by the newly approved CCA constitution.
The new general secretary raises a number of critical issues he feels are of utmost importance to deal with ecumenical responses to emerging situations in Asia’s ecclesial and geopolitical contexts.
First of all, he is reminded of the fact that the ecumenical movement belongs to God, which is also clearly was the vision of the founding fathers of the CCA back in 1957.
He says, “We must keep the ecumenical movement on track and always remain firmly rooted in our belief that this movement belongs to God and that we are all called to live together in the household of God.
Secondly, ecumenism must be shaped to address emerging challenges in Asian societies and we thus need to equip CCA members to do that, according to Mathews George Chunakara.
He envisions a more inclusive and comprehensive ecumenical fellowship in Asia which should be rooted, grown and flourished from grass-root level itself”. He believes in implementing contextually significant programmes as well as new initiatives with relevant theological undergirding as vital means to strengthen ecumenism in Asia.
“The revised constitution of CCA gives us a stronger mandate to set clear priorities for our programmes. We need to filter down from among a large number of initiatives to the most urgent and relevant ones. CCA must address the issue of being the church in a pluralistic Asia and demonstrate it is leadership in the context of wider ecumenism”, the new general secretary explains. Adding to the priorities, he includes unity and mission in a pluralistic context, prophetic witness and advocacy, ecumenical formation and leadership development These will be prime concerns and priorities for the CCA when it moves ahead with a vision for the future.
Nurturing a new generation of clergy and lay leaders as well as younger theological teachers who can be instrumental in promoting ecumenism in their congregations, churches and institutions as urgent needs, and the CCA will initiate and facilitate programmes to achieve this strategic goal in the post assembly period.
Dr Mathews George is also keen that Asian churches should clarify the criteria of articulating a relevant missiological concept in today’s Asian context. “The mission of the church is God´s mission and that should permeate at all levels when the whole inhabited world today faces unprecedented pressure. The old concept of mission meant for adding more believers and planting more churches on a denominational basis should not be the criteria of mission of the church today. It is time for the churches in Asia to rediscover the meaning of mission for all God’s people and find relevance of Jesus' prayer ’that all may be one’", he explains.
A major Asia mission conference sponsored by the CCA in 2017 is on his agenda. This will facilitate Asian churches to discuss this issue.
As the new general secretary, he visualizes s a revitalized, coherent, coordinated and viable Asian ecumenical movement in the future. And he remains convinced that ecumenical initiatives of all actors in Asia should be properly coordinated in order to avoid fragmentation of the Asian ecumenical movement and conciliar unity. He is also of the opinion that strengthening ecumenism at the grass-roots level plays a cardinal role in nurturing a genuine ecumenical ethos and spirit of the ecumenical movement, in Asia and elsewhere.
The next step towards a fresh agenda and concrete action plans with new priorities will be developed by the new Executive Committee of CCA in its meeting next October.
