Background: The Asian Movement for Christian Unity

The Asian Movement for Christian Unity was conceived in 1994 by the two largest Christian bodies in Asia - the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). Its goal is to promote Christian unity by bringing together leaders, theologians, and ecumenical officers of the various Christian Churches in Asia to study problems connected with Christian unity and to find ways to promote unity, at the local, national, and continental levels, among Christ’s disciples in Asia.

AMCU I

The first seminar organized by the Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU I) was held in Cheung Chau, Hong Kong, between 12-16 March 1996. Taking part were 42 participants from 15 Asian courftries, with official delegates representing the World Council of Churches and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

AMCU I studied “The Theology of Ecumenism,” “The Vision of Christian Unity,” and “Building on What Unites, Overcoming What Divides” according to the respective understanding of each. From this theological background, the participants embarked on a common search for practical ways to work for Christian unity in Asia and committed themselves to a wide range of programs aimed at fostering Christian unity.

By sharing insights on the subject of Christian unity and by worshiping together, the church representatives became aware of the common responsibility of all Christians for overcoming the scandal of a divided Christianity.

They tried to identify the obstacles to Christian unity in Asia: a long history of mutual indifference, prejudice, and hostility, an inadequate understanding of ecumenism, the failure of the ecumenical movement to reach the grass-roots, a lack of structures to carry out initiatives, and unresolved doctrinal, moral and disciplinary issues.

They also sought signs of hope: joint ecumenical activities at national and local levels, the experiences of churches in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Taiwan where churches have formed inclusive ecumenical bodies, common responses to social, political and economic issues, improved attitudes toward other denominations, increasing willingness to overcome prejudices and share experiences, and the heroism of Asian Christians of all churches who have given their lives in fidelity to Christ.

The participants agreed that a first priority is the formation and functioning of the Asian Ecumenical Committee. The committee, set up by the two bodies in 1993 and approved in 1995 at the FABC Plenary Assembly in Manila and at the CCA General Assembly in Colombo, is entrusted with carrying out joint CCA-FABC programs, fostering ecumenical relations at the national and local levels, and conscientizing Christians of all churches to the importance of “making visible the unity in Christ that already exists.
AMCU II

The Second seminar of the Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU II) was held in Tegaljaya, Bali, Indonesia between 10-13 January 1998, with 48 participants from 15 Asian countries. The participants were equally divided between those representing the more than 120 member Churches and Synods of the CCA and Roman Catholics, named by the Episcopal Conferences of FABC.

The main focus of AMCU II was the preparation of ecumenical teams who could give ecumenical formation courses at the local and national levels. The context for ecumenical formation as the Churches of Asia look forward towards the 21st Century was presented by various speakers from the FABC and CCA.

“An Ecumenical Vision of the Church in the 21st Century” was presented by Bishop Julio X. Labayen of Infanta, Philippines, and by Dr. Feliciano Cariño, General Secretary of the CCA. This was followed by a presentation on the “Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops” by Archbishop Armando Trindade of Lahore, Pakistan, with a response by Anglican Bishop Kenneth Fernando of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The subject of “Christian Theological Concerns in Asia for the 21st Century” was presented by Rev. M.T. Joseph of Bangalore, India, with a response by Bishop Deogracias Inigues of Iba, Philippines. These two presentations sought to draw out the main theological issues raised at the Congress of Asian Theologians held in Seoul in June, 1997.

Sister Pauline Chakkalakal of Bombay, India, and Dr. Hisako Kinukawa of Tokyo, Japan, addressed the topic of “Women in Theology and Ecumenism”, while Rev. Hermen Shastri of Kuala Lmpur, General Secretary of the Council Churches in Malaysia and Fr. J.B. Banawiratma, professor of theology in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, explored that of “The Wider Ecumenism: Ecumenical Concerns in Interreligious Dialogue.”

The final day of the workshop centered on setting up ecumenical formation courses. Fr. Kuncheria Pathil of Bangalore, India, and Rev. Glynthea Finger of the CCA staff in Hong Kong drew on years of experience in conducting ecumenical courses to describe the characteristics and syllabi of such courses, with references to available theological and worship resources for conducting seminars of ecumenical formation.

Here we present most of the papers delivered at AMCU. Unfortunately, several of the papers were not available at time of publication.

Henriette Hutabarat, CCA
Thomas Michel, FABC