CCA expresses grief on demise of prominent Indonesian Muslim cleric, Salahuddin Wahid

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).

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04 February 2020

NR photo

The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) expressed grief on the demise of Salahuddin Wahid, a prominent Muslim cleric and defender of democracy in Indonesia.

Known for his commitment to promoting religious tolerance and harmony as well as interreligious cooperation, Wahid headed Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) with more than 80 million members. He passed away on 2 February 2020 in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia.

Salahuddin “Gus Sholah” Wahid, a luminary of the Islamic movement for peace and reconciliation, was the head of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association and the deputy chairman of the National Commission of Human Rights in Indonesia.

The General Secretary of CCA Dr Mathews George Chunakara expressed condolences and sympathy on the demise of Wahid, and stated, “Wahid’s untiring efforts in establishing interfaith relations and peace-building in the conflict-affected regions of Indonesia, the largest Islamic country in the world, will be ever remembered.”

The CCA General Secretary further added that Salahuddin Wahid’s commitment to recognising religious plurality and communal harmony served as a role model for other Asian religious leaders to strengthen Asia’s long-nurtured religious harmony.

CCA Moderator Archbishop Willem T.P. Simarmata joined other religious leaders in the country in expressing sympathies on Gus Sholah's passing.

Emeritus Ephorus (Archbishop) of the HKBP, Simarmata added, “Our country has lost a great Islamic scholar and respected religious leader whose commitment and contributions in advocating for religious tolerance will be remembered by future generations.”

Wahid played a crucial role in initiating peace-building in West Papua in collaboration with the council of Papuan bishops. He was instrumental in settling religious conflicts in the violence-affected Maluku and Central Sulawesi regions, and also investigated human rights violations in East Timor. Wahid prioritised reconciliation and unity over everything else, even when confronted with serious theological differences.

The iconic statesman was known for the compassion he extended towards Indonesia’s religious minorities, especially the Christians.

Wahid was laid to rest on 3 February 2020 within the grounds of Tebuireng Islamic boarding school in East Java, Indonesia.