CCA reaffirms commitment to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula

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).

First Preference:
Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)
Second Preference:
Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)
07 June 2010
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

The Christian Conference of Asia, the member churches and National Councils of Churches in Asia join the World Council of Churches in expressing deep concern over the precarious situation the people on the Korean peninsula are facing, getting more serious by the day.

The sinking of the navy ship Cheonan last March 26th near Baekryungdo in the West Sea resulted to 48 soldiers losing their lives, a grieving people, and the endangered prospects for peace in the peninsula.

The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK), one of its constituent members have issued statements challenging the findings of the Joint Civilian-Military Investigation Group, which they claimed has not established the culpability of North Korea, leaving more questions than answers. 

They propose a call for an independent investigation group which includes civilian experts and opposition party representatives to get to the truth of what transpired and to recommend follow up measures.

Church leaders also urge the South Korean Government to take a broader perspective on the unfortunate incident to avert any possibility of a military confrontation and demand strong diplomatic efforts towards dialogue and reconciliation in place of confrontation.  They also ask the US Government to take a more active role in the investigation and in resolving this crisis peacefully.

CCA, which co-organized the International Consultation on Korean Reunification, which culminated the celebration of the 25 years of the Tozanso ecumenical process, joins the international ecumenical community in condemning all types of violence and support all efforts aimed at peace negotiations and dialogue.  The Tsuen Wan Declaration contains the calls and recommendations from this Consultation.

The Declaration states, “The Korean people have suffered for too long from their forced division. They are one people, one culture, one nation, yet they remain divided. Justice demands that they be reunited in peace and in common commitment to one another. The rest of the world needs to step back from policies, prejudices and pressures which hinder the Korean people from moving forward in the process that will lead to their peaceful reunification and from shaping their future together.”

The Declaration also affirmed,   “It is the fervent hope and prayer of all participants at the Tsuen Wan Consultation that the divided people of Korea will be reunited soon. We long for the day when the people of the Korean peninsula, together with the rest of the world, can join together in thanksgiving and joy to celebrate that they are again one people and one nation.”

CCA enjoins all member churches and NCCs to continue to pray for peace in the Korean peninsula and to actively work to mitigate the suffering of the people, particularly in North Korea, who have suffered far too long from the economic sanctions and the continuing threats of war on their divided nation.

“My peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27)

Sincerely,

PRAWATE KHID-ARN
General Secretary

Cc:  CCA Officers and Members of General Committee
       Member churches and NCCs