Programme Info

CCA-FABC Joint Ecumenical Formation (JEF) 2002

Background:

Since their foundations, the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) have organized a great many programs and formation sessions. All of these, however, were programs organised by one party (either the CCA or the FABC), independent of the other, even if at times the programs duplicated one another. Both parties, of course, were very much aware of each other's existence, but efforts at partnership and collaboration were in the main minimal. Thus, when the CCA-FABC Joint Task Force was established in 1991, it saw the beginnings of a new era of ecumenical partnerships. Specifically, at a meeting in Hua Hin in the year 1993, the Asian Ecumenical Committee (AEC) was established, which had amongst its functions the promotion of joint programs between the CCA and FABC.

The AEC then initiated a series of seminars called the Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU) which began in 1996, and which aims to meet once every two or three years. These are meetings of the top-leaders of the respective National Councils of Churches together with their counterparts from the National Catholic Bishops' Conferences. While AMCU I focussed on "The Vision of Christian Unity," AMCU II had as its focus "Ecumenical Formation." It was at AMCU II, held in 1998, that the leaders of the Protestant and Catholic churches acknowledged the need for ecumenical formation to be ranked amongst the priorities in their pastoral programs. More importantly, they felt that ecumenical formation has to be done ecumenically. In other words, not only must Christians be formed on the importance of ecumenism, they must do so in an ecumenical context, together with their brothers and sisters of other Christian confessions and denominations. Moreover, these sentiments are also shared elsewhere as the Joint Working Group of the Vatican and the World Council of Churches have also pointed out that ecumenical formation is necessary to conscientize people with regard to ecumenism. Thus, what the AEC and AMCU were proposing at the Asian level is really part of the world-wide effort to promote the ecumenical agenda through ecumenical formation.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that one of the very concrete resolutions of AMCU II was to have regional-level ecumenical formation programs. This was realized in 1999 when the first CCA-FABC Joint Formation program was held in Bangalore, for Christians of the South-Asian region. It was no doubt a very significant first step as it was truly a joint program, in what came to be called a 50-50 partnership: CCA contributed 50% towards the program as did FABC. Thus, from the number of participants to the number of resource persons to the amount of financial contributions, etc., each party had exactly half share. The program was therefore co-owned by both CCA and FABC alike. It was very unlike FABC programs where CCA members were invited to participate or CCA programs with Catholic participation.

Both the FABC Plenary Assembly held at Samphran in January 2000 as well as the CCA General Assembly held at Tomohon in June 2000 ratified this need for ecumenical formation. Thus, the present proposal is for the Second CCA-FABC Joint Ecumenical Formation program to be organized in the region of North-East Asia.

Goal:

The program aims at providing capacity building for ecumenical facilitators/enablers for fostering closer partnership of CCA and FABC constituencies in the grassroots.

Objectives:

• Gain tools in analysis and theological reflection on history of church divisions and movement for Christian unity, exploring issues and contemporary solutions;

• Enter into dialogue on religions of Asia for learning to live in community in context of plurality of religions

• Explore relevant contextual issues related to ministry of justice, peace and integrity of creation

Date: September 2- 13, 2002
Venue: Taipei and Hualien, Taiwan
Host: National Council of Churches in Taiwan

Program Components:

1. The program will facilitate ecumenical dialogue in that it will look at the history of church divisions as well as the history of ecumenism. Issues related to this division and attempts at unity will be explored in view of finding contemporary solutions.

2. In view of the existential reality of Asia that Christianity is but one small religion amongst the rich variety of other Asian religions, the program will also facilitate a dialogue on the religions of Asia. Specifically, the religions of East Asia such as Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism will be explored.

3. Most importantly is that together with our brothers and sisters of other Christian confessions as well as other faiths, we are all on a mission of love and service to the peoples of Asia. Specifically, this mission is oriented towards the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. Hence, the formation program will explore relevant contextual issues related to the ministry of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.

FABC Participants: 15 enablers c/o Edmund Chia

CCA Participants

7 participants who are EASYNET National Coordinators and youth leaders in-charge of ecumenical relations/ecumenical formation ( aged 22- 30); recruited through the Youth Empowerment Desk

8 - 10 participants who are:

• in-charge of ecumenical relations/ecumenical formation in their respective national church/council and who have not attended any regional ecumenical formation course;

• ready to undergo an intensive program together with Roman Catholic brothers and sisters

• willing to implement action plan of fostering closer ecumenical relation /action in the grassroots

• Aged 31 - 45

• from: Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Australia, Aoteroa-New Zealand

• recruited through the National Council of Churches and Member Churches