Name: Rev. Kondothra M. George

Nationality: India

Church: Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

Function: Principal of the Orthodox Theological Faculty, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kerala, South India

Central Committee: Member since 1998, member of the Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches

Age: 63

Family: Wife, Miriam (deceased), two children

First encounter with ecumenical movement: I was sent as a youth delegate to the WCC Assembly in 1975 in Nairobi.

I come from Asia where Christianity is a small minority, so the church couldn't do much in conflicts in the region. But the church has a certain credibility and the church's word is taken seriously by many people because there is a widespread perception that Christianity is a peaceful religion. Some churches have been diffident about entering into peacemaking because of their small size and didn't want to be associated with any party to a conflict. I am convinced that the churches should continue to affirm their work for peace and reconciliation because it is the essence of Christianity.

Secular movements are far ahead of the churches in addressing climate and environment issues, but the churches are slowly developing an awareness and theology of creation. All the churches I know have some involvement in environmental issues, which is good. In my seminary, we have a strong group of students who are advocating environmental concerns in the church and society. Last week our seminary – 150 people – joined our city's campaign for a "green and clean city". We took to the streets picking up litter and telling people to protect our environment – we were received very well for that effort.

I'm afraid institutional ecumenism will further decline in the coming years, for want of funds and committed leaders. On the other hand, individual churches are flourishing, at least in my part of the world, but their commitment to the ecumenical movement seems too perfunctory. The rising self-consciousness of religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam – will be a major challenge to the churches and the ecumenical movement. The ecumenical movement should survive, because it has a solid basis and rationale, but it will have to find new forms of expression and scale of work.