Applications invited for ecumenical formation and leadership development through virtual training: Asian Ecumenical Institute–2020

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

No preference updated.

10 August 2020
Prof. Dr Wesley Ariarajah lectures at an AEI–2019 session

The Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI), an annual ecumenical training programme of CCA, will be conducted this year through a virtual (online) platform.

AEI has been providing opportunities for students throughout Asia since 2016 to learn about emerging trends in ecumenism and the ecumenical movement under the guidance of internationally acclaimed teaching faculty from diverse disciplines. More than 100 prospective ecclesial and ecumenical leaders have been trained during the last four annual sessions.

The theme of AEI–2020 is ‘We are Called to be Stewards of Renewal and Restoration for God’s Creation’.

Beginning on 2 November 2020 (Monday), this year’s AEI sessions will be conducted through the online mode every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday till 30 November 2020 (Monday). Two sessions of 60 minutes each will be held on each working day (Mon., Wed., Fri.) of AEI–2020.

The AEI is an ideal programme for those who want to study ecumenism through an intensive course and to participate in an international network of students and scholars of ecumenism to hone their leadership skills and ecumenical vision.

The programme also aims to extend the frontiers of the participants’ knowledge of Asia’s socioeconomic and geopolitical realities through in-depth explorations of the emerging issues and concerns in Asia.

Participants will be equipped with the necessary tools of biblical-theological analyses to formulate developmental and ecumenical responses to contemporary Asian issues.

Admissions to AEI–2020 will be limited to 25 students between the ages of 25 and 35. Applications will be screened based on competence, prior ecumenical and ecclesial experience, gender and confessional balances, national and sub-regional representation, and the ability to effectively communicate in English.

Internationally acclaimed ecumenists, theologians,  biblical scholars, and social scientists will be resource persons of AEI–2020.

Ten of AEI–2020’s best-performing students will be selected to attend the 15th General Assembly of the CCA, which will be held in 2021. CCA will cover the international travel, board and lodging, and Assembly registration fee of each of the ten outstanding students from AEI–2020.

The deadline for receiving applications for AEI–2020 is 10 September 2020.

For more details and the Application Form of AEI–2020, please click here:

  1. AEI–2020 — Application Form
  2. AEI–2020 — Background Information
  3. AEI–2020 — Letter to CCA Member Churches and Councils