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It is time to revitalize the Asian ecumenical movement to respond to contemporary realities in Asia, according to Mathews George Chunakara, general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), in the article that opens the latest issue of The Ecumenical Review, the quarterly journal of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
With the theme “Ecumenical Theology in Asia,” the issue marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the CCA in Prapat, Indonesia, in 1957, an anniversary celebrated in October this year during the Asia Mission Conference in Yangon, Myanmar.
The founding of the CCA (then called the East Asia Christian Conference) was “a recognition of the rising aspirations of the Asian people not only for independence but also to recognize their Asian identity and work together in shaping their history and destiny,” guest editor Jesudas Athyal writes in his introduction to the issue.
Ten authors explore various aspects of the contemporary challenges facing churches and Christians in Asia – including inter-faith relations, Asian liberation theology, contributions to justice and peace, Asian women in the ecumenical movement, and the ecumenical and inter-religious engagement of Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians. Two articles focus on ecumenical history in China and South Asia.
“At a time when identity politics in Asian nations is growing and the dominant religions in several countries are reasserting themselves,” writes Athyal,” the challenge for the churches and the ecumenical movement is to deal with all the people of Asia, rather than only with the Christian segment of it, and to attempt to link inter-faith relations to real-life situations.”
Contents of the latest issue: “Ecumenical Theology in Asia”
Read a free sample article from the latest issue: “Ecumenical and Inter-religious Contributions to Asian Liberation Theologies,” by Jonathan Y. Tan
More information about The Ecumenical Review (including subscription information).
