Promoting Ecological Justice: Asian Churches’ Response

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.

08 November 2012
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

Consultation on Ecology, Economy and Accountability

31 October-5 November 2012
Participants of a 6-day Consultation on the Asian Churches Response to Promoting Ecological Justice, urged Asian Churches to create awareness about the perils of the ecological crisis among local congregations and mainstream ecological concerns in the life and ministry of the Church.
The Consultation that was organized by CCA-JID, coordinated and hosted by the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), and the Simalungun Protestant Christian Church (GKPS); was held in Pemantangsiantar, in North Sumatra, Indonesia, from 31 October-5 November 2012;   focusing on the theme "Promoting Ecological Justice: Asian Churches Response."
In the Opening Worship that was enriched by a Traditional dance recital and Indonesian songs by students, Rev. Jaharianson Saragih, General Secretary of the GKPS, emphasized God's lordship over the earth and called for a “profound commitment to fulfill our human vocation to be earth-keepers to serve the earth" and "be different so that we can make a difference for God's sense to glorify God in our life in caring for all creation."
Mr. Favor A. Bancin, Executive Secretary, PGI's, warmly welcomed the participants and shared the organization's ecological concern and information on its "Green Church" program in the Methodist Church, Medan, North Sumatra.
Addressing the participants, Rev. Dr. Henriette Hutabarat, General Secretary said "We will hear more stories from some of our friends but also from you all of your experiences in addressing the issues of calamities, natural disasters in their places. But we want to look deep into the causes of the problems and what our responses are as churches."
Giving an overview of the consultation she said that the process will include re-reading the Bible, evolving a theoretical framework to look into the ecological problems and develop a concrete plan of action. She called on the participants to communicate with each other saying, "The most important issue is how do we as Asian churches share each other's experiences, empower each other, and strengthen each other."
The consultation that was attended by 50 participants from Indonesia, India, Philippines, Thailand, Korea, Sri Lanka and Japan, issued a statement calling for increasing awareness on eco-reformation, the concept of green churches, resistance to development projects like dams, nuclear plants that endanger and put all forms of life to risk, discourage global investors that monopolize the markets, strategies that preserve local resources, and adopting a social praxis that leads to self-reliance, sustainability and accountability.
Giving a serious and concerted call for networking, unity of thought and action, and solidarity among churches, the participants also stressed on the need for a Christian commitment towards establishing "Eco-Justice" in preserving God's entire Creation.
(Reported from Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra, Indonesia,
 by Hisashi Yukimoto, Japan)