Programme Committee sets new priorities and strategies for CCA’s programmes in the next quadrennium

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 May 2024

Newly Constituted Programme Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia – 2024

Medan, Indonesia: Through study-reflection sessions, focus group working sessions, and in-depth discussions at plenary sessions the newly constituted Programme Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) in its three days of proceedings has identified and prioritised programme areas and activities as per the constitutional mandates, affirming the enduring vision, and mission of the CCA.

The main programme focus areas will continue with emphases on a wider range of themes and issues: Mission in unity, contextual theology, mission and witness in multireligious contexts, ecumenical leadership formation, ecumenical theological education, Asian theologians summits, nurturing grassroots ecumenism, peace and security, training of young ambassadors for peace building, gender justice, combating violence against women, rights of migrants and stateless people,  responding to emerging geo-political and geo-strategic issues,  human trafficking, U.N human rights advocacy, pastoral solidarity accompaniment, freedom of religion, mental health, combating HIV/AIDS,  response to changing family values,  ecojustice and care for creation, and Asian Ecumenical Diakonia Network Forum.

Key issues that emerged during discussions included the issues related to peace and security in  the Asian region especially the ongoing conflicts, providing safe spaces for diverse genders and expressions in programmes, enhancing participation of women and youth, developing comprehensive follow-up mechanisms for programme implementation,  assessing the effectiveness of programmes in areas  of ecumenical leadership formation, rights of indigenous and marginalised communities, and articulating Asian contextual theologies and biblical hermeneutics on a more frequent basis.

The formation of an ‘Asian Ecumenical Diakonia Network Forum also has been endorsed by the programme committee and mandated to work out guidelines by the new working group which will deal with Asian ecumenical diakonia.

The programme committee decided to constitute five Working Groups that would be helpful for the core staff to work out strategies to improve the quality and implementation of programmes.

The five new working groups will have thematic focus on human rights, ecumenical diakonia, health and healing, care for creation, and good governance in churches.

Dr Mathews George Chunakara, CCA General Secretary, expressed the hope that efforts done by the newly-constituted Programme Committee during their first meeting would contribute to qualitative difference and improvement in the strategic programme plan which would be submitted for adoption to the next CCA Executive Committee meeting. He expressed appreciation to the committee members and added that the meeting’s discussions and deliberations have added much value to the CCA.

The CCA General Secretary also stated that a new programme structure as well as a new Strategic Programme Plan for the period 2025-2028 (SPP 2025-2028) will be formally approved by the CCA Executive Committee.

In a closing remark Metropolitan Dr Theophilose Mor Kuriakose, Chairperson of the CCA Programme Committee, reflected on the productive proceedings of the programme committee and called upon the committee members to “move forward by the power of the Spirit.” He compared the meeting to the Pentecost event, where the disciples were in one accord and were strengthened to spread the gospel.

He expressed gratitude for the communion and fellowship among members and the target accomplished through   reflective, analytical and productive planning during the meeting.

The newly constituted Programme Committee of the CCA was hosted by the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) and its Universitas HKBP Nommensen.

Photo Gallery, please click here: CCA Programme Committee Meeting 2024 Day 3