CCA urges churches to adopt holistic health approach on World Health Day – 2025

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.

07 April 2025

Chiang Mai, Thailand: On World Health Day 2025, the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) called for a renewed commitment from churches and communities across Asia to prioritise the health and well-being of mothers and newborns.

This year’s theme, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” draws urgent attention to the need to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths, ensuring every child is welcomed into the world with dignity and care.

In a statement issued on 7 April 2025, CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara highlighted the ongoing challenges in the region, noting that Asia and the Pacific remain far from achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Faith, health, and healing are deeply interwoven in our Christian understanding of wholeness. Healing is not solely a medical outcome but a sacred journey of restoration—one that calls upon the Church to advocate, support, and walk alongside those struggling with health challenges, including mental health”, stated Dr Chunakara.

The statement called on churches in Asia to strengthen their role as stewards of God’s creation by adopting a holistic approach to health and healing. This includes prioritising the well-being of mothers and newborns by advocating for accessible healthcare, fostering safe spaces within communities, and empowering faith groups to engage in health promotion and policy advocacy.

The CCA General Secretary further added, “As we work towards a future free of preventable maternal and newborn deaths, we must ensure that every mother’s health—mental, physical, and emotional—is safeguarded, and every child is given the best possible start in life.”

The full text of the CCA General Secretary’s Statement on World Health Day 2025 can be found here: