Christian Conference of Asia greets its former President Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan on his 90th birthday

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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26 June 2020
Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan (middle) leading the thanksgiving service at the CCA Diamond Jubilee celebration held in Yangon, Myanmar in October 2017 together with Asian and global ecumenical leaders. Others in the photo from left to right: Rev. Khamphone Kounthapanya (Laos), CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara, Ephorus Emeritus Dr S.A.E. Nababan (Indonesia), CCA Moderator Archbishop Dr Willem T.P. Simarmata, WCC General Secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, and CCA Vice Moderator Rev. Diana Tana. (Photo: CCA)

CHIANG MAI: The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) extended greetings and best wishes to the former President of the CCA, His Beatitude Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan, the supreme head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in India, on the eve of his 90th birthday which falls on 27 June 2020.

In a special message of greetings extended on behalf of the CCA to the seasoned Asian ecumenical leader, Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan, the CCA Moderator Archbishop Dr Willem T.P. Simarmata, and the CCA General Secretary, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, recollected Dr Joseph Mar Thoma's ecumenical contributions.

The CCA Moderator and the General Secretary in a joint message stated, “On behalf of the CCA, we take this opportunity on this special occasion to acknowledge and recognise your valuable contributions to the Asian and global ecumenical movement in manifold ways. We came to know that a special Eucharistic and thanksgiving service will be offered on 27 June 2020 and special prayers will be offered by many people, especially the Mar Thoma diaspora around the world, which will be live-streamed. It is with profound happiness that we will also join many around the world to pray for you, and thank God for your life and ministry.”

The two top officials of the Asian ecumenical movement conveyed the CCA’s message to the nonagenarian ecumenist of Asia, in which they stated that the Mar Thoma Metropolitan’s leadership in various international ecumenical events over half a century have been deeply appreciated and valued by the ecclesial and ecumenical communities at the international level.

“Your participation in Asian and global ecumenical events have always stimulated and asserted the need for an Asian ecumenical identity at the global ecumenical arena. Your passion and concern in building bridges between churches and in promoting unity, together with your faith, commitment, and strong conviction, as well as your zest for instilling hope in the minds of people at times of despair, are admired by many beyond ecclesial boundaries,” observed Archbishop Dr Willem T.P. Simarmata and Dr Mathews George Chunakara in the CCA’s message of greetings.

Born on 27 June as P.T. Joseph, his childhood was shaped in the context of a noble tradition. He was ordained a priest in 1957, a bishop in 1975, and in 2007 as Mar Thoma Metropolitan and the 21st Malankara Mar Thoma Metropolitan to occupy the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas after the re-establishment of the episcopacy in the 17th century. He is the fifth Malankara Mar Thoma Metropolitan from a distinguished Christian family in Kerala, the southernmost Indian state with one of the most ancient communities of Christians.

Under normal circumstances, a large number of people from all walks of life would have gathered at the headquarters of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church on 27 June 2020 to celebrate the 90th birthday of their shepherd and spiritual leader. However, a mass gathering of that scale has been cancelled in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Eucharistic thanksgiving service will be offered on 27 June 2020 at 8:00 AM (IST) and special prayers will be offered by many people across the world especially the Mar Thoma Diaspora. The Eucharistic service will be live-streamed.

The full text of the congratulatory message to the Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Dr Joseph Mar Thoma, on the occasion of his 90th birthday can be found here.