We, the CCA General Committee, the members of the WCC Central Committee from Asia, the NCC General Secretaries and the Asia Regional Group met at a Joint Consultation in the Hope Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from the 31st of August to the 3rd of September 2008.

Our theme was "Revitalizing the Ecumenical Movement in Asia".

We met in Bangladesh, a country of 140 million people with a small Christian population and were inspired by the obvious vitality and witness of the churches in Bangladesh. We are also grateful for the opportunity to meet with ecumenical leaders in Bangladesh.

At the start of our consultation, we heard of the violence that recently took place in Orissa, India, where homes have been attacked, churches set afire and persons burnt alive. We are deeply saddened by this incident and pray for the families of the persons who were killed, for the peace initiatives, for good governance, communal harmony, understanding and love.

We admit that the churches have been fragmented on the fault lines of denomination. We also acknowledge with humility that it was from this brokenness that the ecumenical organizations took birth and the breath of life was breathed into it by the collective concern of the churches.

Through worship, Bible study and sharing our own stories, we reviewed the ecumenical movement in Asia, its past and context. We have also identified emerging challenges, priorities and sought to evolve an Asian agenda to strengthen the movement.

Asia with its ancient cultures, heritage, diversity and richness - the cradle of a majority of religions in the world - seems to have lost its soul, as modernity rejects the traditional, as old customs give way to the new and as ancient philosophies recede to the background and technological advances take over. The Asian turmoil is manifested by poverty, the market economy, globalization, authoritarian regimes and hegemony of nations over others which further give rise to the continuing violation of human rights, the rise of religious fundamentalism and other forms of oppression with the minorities, women and children as primary victims, not to mention the environment.

Against this background, we particularly paid attention to the importance of inter-religious dialogue, solidarity and cooperation, the widening of human rights concerns specially for minorities, women and youth, and those affected by HIV and AIDS and other health issues. We also placed premium on ecumenical leadership development.

We are also aware that in Asia there is a malaise in the ecumenical movement, requiring our serious and urgent attention. This is manifested in a number of ways, including: the declining interest and lack of significant number of young people coming into the ecumenical movement, lack of visionary leadership, the seeming loss of ecumenical memory, and the failure of Asia to determine and set its own agenda. We recognize that there is a strong desire for new paradigms and models of ecumenical work and engagement.

The ecumenical context cannot be divorced from the wider social situation of Asia. Therefore, we resolved to give particular attention to the following areas of our work:

  • Re-capturing spirituality as central to our ecumenical initiatives;

  • Taking seriously the issue of religious fundamentalism, both within and in other religions;

  • The issue of inter-religious dialogue and solidarity and their commitment to our ecumenical work;

  • The continuing work of peace, reconciliation and people's security based on justice and active involvement in people's movements and struggles;

  • Encouraging ecumenical activity at local or congregational level;

  • Continuing concern for human rights, particularly for the minorities, women and youth and those with HIV and AIDS;

  • A concern for relevant ecumenical leadership development, starting with incumbent church leaders and recognizing and encouraging new and emerging youthful members of the ecumenical movement;

  • Greater involvement of Christians in those countries that have not been a part of the Asian ecumenical movement;

  • Continuing concern for ecological issues in Asia;

  • Reclaiming the prophetic witness, loving service, and the vision of the reign of God as essentials of ecumenism;

  • A platform for inter-generational conversations.

These issues serve as the imperatives for ecumenical work and mission notwithstanding our Biblical and theological mandates.

Finally, we firmly believe that there is reason for hope in the ecumenical movement in Asia because the people in our churches and in our communities are already experiencing it and living it out. We enjoin everyone who will receive this communiqué to remember the ecumenical movement in prayer as it continues to serve the Lord by serving the peoples and churches of Asia.

Dhaka, Bangladesh, 3 September 2008