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 Editorial


Although it seems odd to begin an editorial with apologies, it is only appropriate that I offer you my sincere apologies for the delay of three issues of CTC Bulletin. After all, we owe it to you - dear writers and contributors as well as dear readers and subscribers.

In order to catch up with our publication schedule, the three issues of December 2002 (Vol. XVIII, No. 2), April 2003 (Vol. XIX, No. 1) and August 2003 (Vol. XIX, No. 2) are now combined in this triple issue.

Since I assumed the post of Joint Executive Secretary for Faith, Mission and Unity on 1st August 2003 (and consequently as editor of CTC Bulletin), I have made it my priority to publish this triple issue. I therefore hope that you will understand why this is dated December 2002-August 2003. I will try my best to ensure that the subsequent issue in 2003 will come out before the end of the year.

Nevertheless, I must give credit to my predecessor, Dr. Daniel Thiagarajah of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was during his term as Joint Executive Secretary for CCA-FMU that a consultation was held from 28th September to 6th October 2002 in Cairns, Australia. From that consultation which focused on the theme, "Journeying Together with Indigenous Peoples in Their Search for Life", a number of stories and papers have been selected for part of this issue.

These stories are simply representative of the many struggles of indigenous peoples in Asia � including the Minjung in Korea, Burakumin and Ainu in Japan, Aboriginals in Australia, Dalits, Adivasis and Tribals in India, Maoris in New Zealand, Orang Aslis in Malaysia, and the ethnic minorities in the Philippines, Myanmar, Taiwan, and other places.

The struggles of indigenous peoples may be one or several of interrelated issues of land, identity, human rights, and self-determination. All in all, they are issues of justice; they are issues of life in its fullness.

Reflecting on the plight of indigenous peoples in Asia, Daniel Thiagarajah wrote: "Experiences of Third World people, their cultures, religions and their contemporary struggles for justice and liberation have raised serious questions on the Euro-centric model of theologizing. In a way, the struggles and sufferings of these peoples for a new life demand a new paradigm of theologizing. This new paradigm should emerge out of the experiences of people who live under structures of violence, caste and racial discrimination, patriarchy and economic exploitation. Since all these theologies emerge from experiences of oppression, discrimination and marginalization, all of them stoutly reject the idea that their oppression is ordained or sanctioned by God. Instead, they see God being involved in their struggles. Hence, this is a new way of understanding how God acts in the world. It is a new way of articulating our faith in that God. It is, in fact, the real 'God-Talk.'"

The other part of this issue features three lectures delivered by Dr. Judo Poerwowidagdo on the overall theme, "The Role of the Ecumenical Movement in Conflict Transformation towards Peace-Building in Asia." These lectures, delivered on October 28-29, 2002 at the Eastern Theological College in Jorhat, North East India, were part of the Ecumenical Lecture Series of the Christian Conference of Asia. This is a new initiative of the present CCA General Secretary, Dr. Ahn Jae Woong, whose vision is to bring ecumenism and the ecumenical movement to the grassroots and to bring the regional ecumenical organization and the academe closer together.

The three lectures are arranged in this issue of CTC Bulletin in the order in which they were presented, which marks a building-up of the sub-themes: first is "New Century: Age of Conflict"; second "The Church and the Ecumenical Movement"; and third is "Ministry of Reconciliation and Peace."

It is significant that the lectures were done in Jorhat, among Indian tribal people. It is also significant that the theme focused on conflict transformation and peace-building, a much longed-for reality for many tribal communities in Asia. Nevertheless, as the papers in this issue would show, for indigenous peoples, there is no cheap and easy way to genuine peace and conflict transformation. It can only be through justice.


                                                                                                      Hope S. Antone
                                                                                                             Editor
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