Feature story
Participants from the four pillars of the Global Christian Forum—including the World Council of
Churches, Roman Catholic Church (through the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity),
Pentecostal World Fellowship, and World Evangelical Alliance—met along with church leaders from across Asia, local leaders from Korea, and committee members from ecumenical organisations.
Rev. Dr Casely Baiden Essamuah, secretary of the Global Christian Forum, termed the meeting a resounding success. “All participants appreciated the time for sharing faith stories and getting to know the ministry contexts from which they serve,” said Essamuah. “I am encouraged that even though the religious landscape in Asia is very complex, all pledged to faithfulness in witness and service to all in Asia.”
Essamuah also looked forward to hearing of ways in which this conversation is taken to the next level. “We couldn’t have done what we did without the extraordinary hospitality and generosity of Myungsung Church for which we are deeply grateful,” said Essamuah.
In a communique, the forum thanked God for the opportunity to be in fellowship. “In a spirit of prayerful trust, we explored some of the challenges to our witness and those things that keep us from being united,” the communique reads. “We left Seoul with deep gratitude for the gracious hospitality of our hosts, deeply encouraged by the opening dinner that brought together local church leaders and representatives of the government.”
The communique also expressed hope that Asia consultation—the second of its kind—will inspire more intense collaboration of churches of different traditions in the many contexts of this region.
“Asia is the world's largest continent with the most diverse sociocultural context and a long history of peaceful coexistence between people of different faiths,” the communique reads.
“While learning of the many trends of both growth and decline of Christian traditions in Asia, we were encouraged by stories of God’s grace and hope as the gospel spread organically, even in contexts of persecution.”
Participants also identified concerning challenges. “Noting that Asia is home to nearly 60% of the world's population, we heard many stories and statistics of growth of churches in the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries,” the communique reads. “While we are thankful for the growth, we also recognise that most Asian Christians live as minority populations in their countries, and in some of these, persecution is an ongoing reality.”
The communique expresses appreciation for the rich and diverse history of Christianity in Asia, saying "we are grateful for the faithful witness of Christians over the centuries and the ways in which Christians in other parts of the world can learn from Asian Christianity—perseverance under pressure, profound theology and practice of hospitality, and the many ways in which Asian Christians enrich their cultures and promote life.”
