The term ‘oikoumene’ refers to the ‘whole inhabited world’ and encompasses its economic, social, and ecological systems. It affirms the interconnectedness between economic activities, environmental impacts, and social justice concerns, and offers a framework to holistically address them. In light of the dire situations that increase the fragility and vulnerability of life, there is a pressing need for Asian churches to adopt a more comprehensive and integrated approach to addressing economic and environmental issues.

The ecosystem has suffered from development aggression over the years. Human attempts to generate wealth through improved business and economic ventures have harmed the environment by contamination of water, soil, and air, deforestation, and extraction from land and sea that have endangered not just the environment, but also the lives of animals and of the indigenous peoples who regard these places as sacred.

Churches today are compelled to emphasise the spiritual connections between humans and nature, and promote environmental stewardship and caretaking of the ‘whole inhabited earth’. These initiatives can include advocating for fair trade practices, supporting local businesses and cooperatives, promoting sustainable economic practices, reducing energy consumption, investing in renewable energy, promoting sustainable agriculture and forestry practices, protecting natural habitats and biodiversity, and reducing pollution and waste.

The Churcha session on ‘Towards a Holistic Approach to Economy, Ecology, and Oikoumene in the Asian Context’ aims to explore the role of Asian churches in promoting a holistic approach to sustainable development and to consider how economic growth can be achieved without compromising environmental sustainability and social justice in the oikoumene.