The Church and the Ecumenical Movement

Judo Poerwowidagdo¹

1. The Ecumenical Movement at a Glance

1.1 The Mission Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland (1910) is "often called 'the birthplace of the ecumenical movement.' It is probably an over simplification to focus ecumenical origins so narrowly on one event; but the movement for church unity in this century clearly owes a great deal to the inspiration and insights of the missionary movement."² Indeed, ecumenical movement or the movement for church unity is not only a phenomenon of the twentieth century. Since the first century of the churches' existence, leaders of churches have seen the necessity of their unity.³ The church in the first century sadly witnessed its division into different factions. The spread of churches has not helped in the unity of these churches, but intensified its division. Throughout history, various efforts have been made to unite churches through movements and councils. However, the mission conference in Edinburgh marked the beginning of the new effort at uniting churches in the twentieth century. It has also been considered the beginning of the twentieth century ecumenical movement, especially from the perspective of the World Council of Churches.

1.2 The mission conference at Edinburgh appointed a continuation committee that served as an instrument of missionary cooperation across national and denominational boundaries until the International Missionary Council (IMC) was established in 1921. The IMC concern in proclaiming the good news worldwide was clearly a far greater task than any single mission society or denomination could undertake by itself. Under such a situation, inability to work together was considered a scandal. European and North American missionaries realized that as they crossed land and ocean to preach the gospel in far away places, differences of doctrine, church government, and liturgy or style of worship, which divided churches at home, as rooted in historical controversies, have no relevance in the countries to which they had been sent. Therefore the continuing committee of the Edinburgh Mission Conference was very significant because it functioned as an instrument of cooperation among missionary societies across boundaries of nations and denominations until the IMC was finally established in 1921 (Lake Mohonk). Since then, IMC sponsored a series of world mission conferences: in Jerusalem (1928), in Tambaram, India (1938), Whitby, (1947) and Ghana (1958). Besides sponsoring these world mission conferences, the IMC also built up many structures for church unity at regional and national levels. It was in Ghana in 1958 that the IMC established the Theological Education Fund (TEF), which is the predecessor of the World Council of Churches' Program on Theological Education. IMC itself eventually merged (integrated) with the WCC in 1961 at the New Delhi Assembly.

1.3 At the Edinburgh mission conference, however, discussion on the differences of doctrines and church order was deliberately kept off from the agenda by the organizers. One of the participants, Charles Brent, then a missionary bishop in the Philippines from the US Episcopal Church, was convinced that "whenever God gives a vision, [God] also points to a new responsibility."⁴ He believed the dream of a united church brought the duty of confronting doctrinal differences Edinburgh had skirted. After many years of effort, eventually in 1927, the first World Conference on Faith and Order was convened in Lausanne, Switzerland. Almost 400 people attended this conference, representing more than one hundred churches.

1.4 The agenda of the Lausanne Conference took up topics of discussion and divided them into seven sections. These seven topics about which ecumenical theological discussion still continue were: (1) unity, (2) the church's message, (3) the nature of the church, (4) a common confession of faith, (5) ministry, (6) sacraments, and (7) the unity of Christendom. It was apparent from the report of section 4 that there was a very wide theological gulf between Christian confessions.

1.5 The most controversial report of the Lausanne Conference was from section 7, "which called the churches to collaborate in 'applied Christianity', specifically through the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches and the Life and Work Movement. Both bodies have grown out of international Christian peace movements, the urgency of whose message had been heightened by the horrors of World War I in Europe."⁵ Prior to World War I, many church leaders from neutral countries, especially Archbishop Nathan Soderblom from Sweden, had tried to prevent the war, but without success. After the war had ended, Archbishop Soderblom was active in the organization of the Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work, which met in Stockholm in 1925. There was fear among some of the Lausanne delegates, "that collaboration on 'applied Christianity' would give interchurch cooperation on social issues precedence over the search for church unity. This tension, as we will see, would resurface again and again in different forms in the years to come."⁶

1.6 In reality, differences between the concerns of the "Faith and Order" and "Life and Work" were not so distinct. The conviction of the Life and Work movement that 'doctrines divide and service unites' soon gave way to a recognition that "decisions about what kind of social action can be undertaken together have a great deal to do with such theological issues as what 'the Kingdom of God' means."⁷

1.7 Because of the growing understanding of the inseparability of these issues and the realization that if efforts for church unity were to take hold, churches had to be officially involved, both the Faith and Order world conference in Edinburgh (1937) and the Life and Work world conference in Oxford (1937) decided to form a committee to plan for merger in a World Council of Churches. In a follow-up meeting a year later in Utrecht, the Netherlands, this committee resolved most of the important issues of how the council of churches should be organized. Dr. Willem A.Visser't Hooft was appointed General Secretary, and a provisional committee was also appointed. The inaugural Assembly was planned for August 1941. However it had to be postponed for seven years due to the outbreak of World War II.⁸

2.   Global Ecumenical Movement: World Council of Churches

2.1  With the outbreak of World War II, the Preparation Committee for the World Council of Churches could not meet between 1939-1946. So for about ten years WCC had been in the process of formation. When it finally met in Amsterdam in 1948, under the theme "Man's Disorder and God's Design," the 351 delegates from 147 churches unanimously approved "that the formation of the World Council of Churches be declared to be and is hereby complete."⁹ The theme of this Inaugural Assembly of the WCC considered soberly the disorderly situation of the postwar world but also expressed the belief that God is at work rebuilding God's own order. Postwar reconstruction was seen as an ecumenical task, aimed at rebuilding the whole life of the fellowship of churches which finds expression in the WCC. One of the major problems faced by the WCC was refugees, numbering 12 million in Europe alone, and in the Middle East, six hundred thousand Arabs fled Palestine after the partition.

2.2 From this first Assembly in Amsterdam in1948 to the eighth Assembly held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1998, the WCC has always convened under a particular theme, which is relevant to the world situation. The second Assembly held in 1954 at Evanston addressed issues of racism and colonialism. In addressing the issue of racial segregation, the Assembly stated that segregation based on race, color or ethnic origin is "contrary to the gospel and incompatible with the Christian doctrine of man and with the nature of the Church of Jesus Christ."¹⁰ The third Assembly in New Delhi (1961) saw significant developments in the ecumenical movement. Twenty-three new members were added to the membership of the Council. Eighteen out of twenty-three new members were from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the other four were the Orthodox churches from Romania, Russia, Bulgaria and Poland. Unlike the second Assembly, which the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Chicago forbade Catholics to attend, the third Assembly saw the Roman Catholic Church (the Vatican) sending observers to New Delhi. It was also in this third Assembly that the International Missionary Council was fully integrated with the WCC.

2.3  During the fourth Assembly in Uppsala (1968), economic and social justice was high on the agenda. The assembly was marked by radical changes compared to previous assemblies. Young people made their presence in the assembly highly visible, through sit-ins, walkouts, vigils and pickets. This situation reflected much of what the world experienced. It was in Uppsala that the churches took development issues seriously. In the previous year, a consultation on development was held in Montreaux, Switzerland, whereby the trilogy of development was formulated. This trilogy of development called for justice, self-reliance and economic growth as the aim of development. From this point on the churches' participation in development became the focus of the ecumenical movement.

2.4  The fifth Assembly was held in Nairobi in 1975. This assembly was supposed to be held in Indonesia in 1974, but due to the political situation in Indonesia, the venue was changed to Nairobi. This was the first time that the assembly was held in Africa. Awareness of African realities has always come slowly to the global ecumenical movement. Many African countries and churches were not independent when WCC was founded in 1948. It was in this Assembly that for the first time people of other faiths were invited. A Muslim, a Sikh, a Jewish, a Hindu and a Buddhist were officially invited as guests. During the many heated discussions on interreligious or interfaith relations many delegates expressed their fears that dialogue with people of other faiths would inevitably weaken the concern for mission and lead to syncretism.¹¹

2.5  The sixth Assembly held in Vancouver in 1983 has been called "a glorious patchwork" and "a worshipping Assembly. "Neither the diversity of participants nor the importance of worship was new to the ecumenical gatherings, but at Vancouver, the crowds present (as many as 4500 a day), the variety of activities taking place (often simultaneously), and memorable worship services in large yellow and white tent that became the Assembly's symbol, created especially vivid images of an inclusive and worldwide Christian Community."¹² The theme of the assembly was "Jesus Christ - the Life of the World". In this assembly, churches affirmed life in the face of threats posed by the powers of death. The assembly also insisted that the struggle for justice and the struggle for peace should not be separated, and that engagement in this single struggle is a matter of the church's very faith. The Vancouver Assembly was also well known because of its emphasis on the call to "a conciliar process of mutual commitment for justice, peace and the integrity of creation" (JPIC). For the next seven years, member churches and other ecumenical organizations, action groups including people of other faiths, were engaged in the process of justice, peace and the integrity of creation (JPIC).

2.6   In the seventh Assembly in Canberra, Australia (1991), the theme used the invocation for the third person of the Trinity: "Come, Holy Spirit, Renew the Whole Creation." This theme was the result of the realization of the JPIC program in the last seven years since Vancouver. After the review of the JPIC program in the preceding year (1990 in Seoul, South Korea) it became clear that other priorities must be set by the WCC. The assembly was overshadowed by the devastating war that had just broken out in the Gulf, and the world situation had changed. The ecumenical picture was quite different from the situation when the WCC was founded in 1948. Many national and regional ecumenical councils have been established and the involvement of other confessional bodies such as the Roman Catholic Church in the life and work of the WCC was increasing. The assembly spoke of the quest for visible unity (of churches) as primary task of WCC. However, in no way did this imply that other tasks are merely optional.

2.7  The 8th WCC Assembly, the last to be held in the 20th century, was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1998. It celebrated the 50th anniversary of WCC, the year of Jubilee of the global ecumenical movement. Through fifty years of activities in mission, witness and service and through fellowship and communion among members of the ecumenical movement, the struggle for the unity of churches has not come closer to the visible unity we seek. One question which must be raised is: "What form of visible unity are we seeking?" Considering the task of churches, which has been understood as given by the Lord of the Church, where do priorities lie? One significant decision that was made in Harare, I believe, is the adoption of the Decade to Overcome Violence as the WCC overall concern. WCC does not only continue the Program to Overcome Violence as has been mandated by the Central Committee in 1994, but it has also affirmed the efforts and the participation of churches in overcoming violence throughout the decade. Entering into the twenty-first century, the Age of Conflict, it is only right and proper that the global ecumenical movement gives priority to programs to overcome violence. It should become a witness to the conflicting world and to nations of the world, that the churches are called to be peacemakers.

3. Ecumenical Movement in Asia

3.1 Let us now turn our attention to our own region, Asia.

Several Asian church leaders attended the first WCC Assembly in Amsterdam in 1948. When they returned to their own churches in Asia, they began promoting the concern of the ecumenical movement in the Asian context. Unlike the global organization (WCC), the organization of the Asian ecumenical movement does not limit membership to churches. It includes national councils of churches and national Christian councils and other national Christian bodies. This regional organization was constituted in Parapat, North Sumatra, Indonesia in 1957 by representatives of Christian churches, national councils of churches, and national Christian councils. Originally called the East Asia Christian Conference, it was inaugurated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at its first Assembly in 1959. Since the fifth assembly of EACC in Singapore in 1973, the name was changed to Christian Conference of Asia (CCA). The Constitution of the Christian Conference of Asia states the purpose of the organization as follows:

"Believing that the purpose of God for the church in Asia is life together in a common obedience of witness to the mission of God in the world, the CCA exists as an organ and a forum of continuing co-operation among the churches and national Christian bodies in Asia within the framework of the wider ecumenical movement. The CCA is committed to the equal participation of women, men, youth, clergy and laity in the church and society."¹³

3.2  Being an ecumenical organization, but not a Church as such, CCA is not a member of the WCC, but it relates and cooperates very closely with WCC and other ecumenical organizations worldwide. As a regional ecumenical organization (REO), CCA has followed closely the agenda of the WCC. A number of CCA assembly themes were taken from WCC assembly themes, and focused to the region of Asia. The region in which CCA operates includes "that area commonly accepted as part of Asia and including Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand."¹⁴ Throughout the 45-year history of CCA, churches in Asia have faced so many problems, involving not only ecumenical concerns such as unity of the church, mission and witness, etc. but all other issues confronting the nations of Asia. These include such issues as war, poverty, freedom, democracy, development, economic and social issues, religious freedom, human rights violations, and many others. These issues keep recurring into the agenda of CCA. It seems that Asia continues to be in such a situation where these issues will constantly be present. If such is the case, what is the function or role of the church and the ecumenical movement?

3.3  During the 11th CCA Assembly held in Tomohon, Indonesia, in June 2000, the Moderator of the Protestant Church in Minahasa (GMIM) said in his sermon at the Opening Ceremony, "as we are joyfully and peacefully gathered here at the moment, we should also keep in mind the situations in our own area close by or even in the far away places where we come from. Namely, the situations of our people's struggles in our own respective countries. They are faced with crises, tensions and conflicts as manifestations of their aspirations, hopes and expectations."¹⁵

3.4  During the last forty-five years the Asian ecumenical movement has been confronted with so many tensions due to different and conflicting political interests. Violent conflicts happened not only between nations, but also among conflicting parties within many nations of Asia. Many political crises could not be solved, without resorting to open wars including wars in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (Indochina). "Though the countries of Indochina have been undergoing tremendous transformation, the legacy of war, isolation and the growth of fundamentalism have left the people there, needy, broken and hurt. "¹⁶ Addressing the issue on West Papua, the 11th General Assembly of CCA said: "We believe that reconciliation is a matter of justice and peace. Genuine and authentic reconciliation is possible only if all creation and all God's people enjoy the time when justice is served and life is made abundant."¹⁷

3.5  As we now look to each of our nations, and ask what kind of future we will leave to our children and grandchildren, we are but forced to realize that unless we can find solutions to our conflicts, or unless we can transform our conflicts, i.e. the conflicts that are currently manifest in our societies, we will leave our children and grandchildren with a catastrophic world, unfit for human beings. Therefore it is necessary for all of us to struggle and work for the transformation of our societies and to build peace among the nations of Asia, and among communities within each nation. We need to make a firm commitment to this effort at transforming our conflicts into peaceful and much better relationships between communities and nations of Asia.

3.6  What can our churches in Asia and the Asian ecumenical movement do in such a situation? I am sure that we are all concerned about overcoming the violence that is happening all around us. The global ecumenical body, in this case represented by the World Council of Churches, has made the right step in declaring the Decade to Overcome Violence and focus its programs around this matter. The Christian Conference of Asia as an Asian ecumenical organization also needs a strong commitment together with churches in Asia to promote the Decade to Overcome Violence and plan programs for action in this direction. As to what the churches and CCA can do will be topic of the third lecture.