CCA Executive Committee expresses concern over escalating conflicts and violence across Asia

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.

19 January 2024

Special prayers for peace in Asia were offered during the closing worship of the CCA Executive Committee Meeting on 19 January

Chiang Mai, Thailand: The Executive Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia expressed deep concern over the escalating conflicts and violence across Asia, emphasising the urgent need for peace and security.

The Statement highlighted the detrimental impacts of religious and ethnic conflicts, increasing militarisation, particularly noting the escalations of military actions between Iran and Pakistan, tensions in the Korean Peninsula, cross-strait tensions between China and Taiwan, and increasing arms build-up.

“Peace and well-being for all must be prioritised,” the Statement asserted, calling for a reduction in external influences that exacerbated Asian conflicts.

In India, the ethnic conflicts in Manipur have resulted in significant Christian community casualties and displacement. The Statement urged immediate action to stop the violence.

The Statement also addressed the dire situation in Myanmar, where ethnic communities were suffering under brutal military crackdowns, and called for the “full restoration of democracy and peace”.

Highlighting the plight of over 980,000 displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh, the Statement underscored the urgent need for a solution to their statelessness and suffering.
The economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka and the struggles for self-determination in West Papua were also emphasised in the Statement.

The Statement did not overlook the war in Gaza in the West Asia region, where ongoing war had led to widespread death and destruction, outbreaks of illness, and the potential for famine. It also pointed out the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Asian economies.

Emphasising the need for a strong ecumenical and prophetic witness, the Statement called for unity among Asian churches in addressing such complex challenges. “Peacebuilding depends on the prophetic voice of the Church,” the Statement stressed.

The newly constituted CCA Executive Committee met from 17 to 19 January 2024 at the CCA headquarters in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The full text of the Statement issued by the Executive Committee can be found below: