One Hundred Years of Memory: First World War Centenary

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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05 August 2014
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

 Say No to War

4th August 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of one of the deadliest historical conflicts that has gone down in public memory as World War One.  Although the terrible struggle from 1914 to 1918 was fought mainly in Europe, it is rightly called the First World War, as it involved about 27 countries assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers.

  • More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans were mobilized in this war which is said to be one of the largest wars in history that led to major political changes.
  • Of the 60 million European military personnel who were mobilized from 1914 to 1918, 8 million were killed, 7 million were permanently disabled, and 15 million were seriously injured.
  • More than 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians died as a result of the war
  • There were about 4.5 to 7 million homeless children in Russia as a result of nearly a decade of devastation from World War I, the Russian Civil War, and the subsequent famine of 1920–1922.

The experiences of the war also led to a collective trauma shared by many from all participating countries. For years afterwards, people mourned the dead, the missing, and the many disabled. Many soldiers returned with severe trauma, suffering from shell shock, a condition related to post-traumatic stress disorder. Though many participants did not share in the experiences of combat or spend any significant time at the front, the images of suffering and trauma became the widely shared perception.

Challenges

The centenary brings back to human memory the destruction and the devastating impact of war. 6 August also reminds us of the horrors of the Atom Bomb dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is only right that at these intersections of time and memory, the world should consider why war begins and how it can be avoided, the importance of peace, disarmament and de-escalation in manufacturing and stocking weapons of mass-destruction, reduced military spending, respect for the sovereignty of each country and belief in the comity of nations.

And yet we see that war rages all around us in the deadliest and most inhuman forms ever, with utter disregard to accepted norms and international laws that ensure the safety of women, children and people in non-combatant zones.

Churches and religious communities are challenged to be prophetic voices that advocate for peace and justice; healing communities that will take care of people who are wounded both in body and spirit; reconciling communities which will help reconcile the inner and outer worlds by drawing from the depths of theological and spiritual understanding, so that they will learn to live in peace and harmony.

Speaking on the 100th year since the start of WWI, Pope Francis said:

"As we remember this tragic chapter, let's not make the same mistakes, but rather, may we learn from history. May the lessons of peace and of patient and courageous dialogue always prevail. Never resort to war! Never war! Above all, I think of all the children who are robbed of their hope for a better life and a decent future. Killed children, wounded children, mutilated children, orphans, children who play with remnants of war, instead of toys, children who don't know how to smile. Please stop! I ask you with all my heart. It's time to stop.”

  Inputs and Photo Credit: Internet Sources