“Jesus sets new covenant by reversing 'shame into honor'”, says young Indonesian Theologian

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.

22 April 2016

[caption id="attachment_1746" align="aligncenter" width="647"]IMG_6704 Dr. Binsar J. Pakpahan addressing the CATS VIII partcipants[/caption]

The age-old concept of 'shame and honor' was reversed by Jesus with his death on the cross, told Dr. Binsar J. Pakpahan, a young Indonesian theologian, to the participants of the eighth Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS).

While delivering the fourth thematic address on the theme ‘Re-imagining the Covenantal Relation and Stewardship in God’s Oikos’, Dr. Pakpahan said, "With resurrection, Jesus destroyed the shame associated with the Cross and made it a sign of honor".

Pointing out that "Asia is a continent of honor based communities, Pakpahan admitted that "there are several types of honor killings in Asian countries - contrary to the honor standards Jesus has shown".

Even a corrupt man who provides free meals to poor villagers gets 'honor' while ordained pastors dream of becoming church leaders and seeking honor.

"What is required is a new healthy spiritual attitude to accept shame. We have to distinguish between social shame and spiritual shame. Jesus set a new model and established a new covenant," Pakpahan added.

In a Biblical theological reflection during the morning worship, Rev. Sirirat Pusurinkham, an ordained minister of the Church of Christ in Thailand, lamented that, like the victimized and exploited Hagar and Tamar of the Old Testament, women and children are being exploited in several Asian countries.

CATS, held in Kochi, India from 18 to 22 April, was organized by the Christian Conference of Asia and hosted by the Senate of Serampore College (University)  and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. Over 100 theologians from Asia attended CATS-VIII to discuss on the theme, ‘Doing Theologies in the Context of God’s Oikos’.

The next Congress of Asian theologians will be organised by CCA in 2018.