International experts gather for CCA’s study consultation on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Posthumanism: Ethical and Theological Perspectives’

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).

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24 September 2025

An aerial view of the Cyberjaya cityscape, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the site of the upcoming CCA consultation.

Chiang Mai, Thailand: A selected group of international experts in Artificial Intelligence will meet with theologians, social scientists, ethicists, and medical professionals for a four-day study consultation from 1 to 4 October 2025 in Cyberjaya, Malaysia’s first smart city, located near Kuala Lumpur.

Organised by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), the study consultation on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Posthumanism: Ethical and Theological Perspectives’ aims to discuss and examine the ethical, social, and theological implications of emerging technologies, including humanoid robotics, as well as posthumanism and transhumanism, and their impact on Christian mission and witness.  

Explaining the expected outcome of the consultation, CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara stated, “In a fast-changing world, Artificial Intelligence has been transpiring and reshaping societies with rapid advancement, introducing both advantages and challenges. In such a context, it is important for the adherents of faith communities to understand, discern, and reflect on the impacts and relevance of AI through the lens of their belief, social, ethical, and theological values.” 

“The Cyberjaya consultation, in this context, will be an effort of CCA to provide a space for understanding the pros and cons of AI and to help the Asian churches navigate AI’s impact with wisdom and discernment”, further explained the CCA General Secretary.

About 40 selected delegates from across Asia and beyond, including experts, professionals, and scholars in science and technology, ethics, law, theology, missiology, social science, medical science, and education, will attend the consultation, which is limited to invited participants only.

The resource speakers at the consultation include: Hong Kong Baptist University Professor Dr Levi Checketts (USA); defence research scientist Dr Latha Christie (India); robotics technology expert and academician Prof. Dr Takeshi Kimura (Japan); theological educator Fr Justin Nnaemeka Onyeukaziri CSSp (Taiwan/Nigeria); theologian and AI researcher Rev. Dr Yong Sup Song (South Korea); Roman Catholic theologian Fr Rajesh Kavalackal CMI (India); theological educator Prof. Dr Kelvin Chong Chun-ming (Singapore); theologian and posthumanism and nanotechnology researcher Rev. Dr John G Mathews (India); professor of Daejeon Theological University Rev. Dr Yoon Tae Kim (South Korea); President of the Graduate School of Theology Rev. Dr Bernard Wong Kwok Wai (Hong Kong); cultural anthropologist and senior research fellow Dr Erica M. Larson (USA); researcher and training instructor Dr Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras (Indonesia); computer scientist Prof. Joy M. Dy (The Philippines); legal academician Dr Manotar Tampubolon (Indonesia); medical science academician Dr Albertus Dimas Aji Putra (Indonesia); theological educator Dr Judy Berinai (Malaysia); cardiovascular practitioner Dr Jimmy Agung Pambudi (Indonesia); and Orthodox theologian Dr Zacharias Mar Aprem Metropolitan (India).   

Thematic plenary presentation and theological reflection sessions will range from “Artificial Intelligence and Posthumanism: Changing Global Contexts and Trends”; “Artificial Intelligence in the context of Posthumanism and Transhumanism: Social and Ethical Implications”; “Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Challenges to the Health and Healing Ministry”; “Artificial Intelligence and Imago Dei”; “AI in Healthcare”; “Humanoid Robotics”; “Changing Cyberspace, and Impacts of AI on Mission among the Elderly and Senior Citizens, Mental Health and Neuroscience, Education”;  “Faith and Science”; and “The Role of AI in Churches and Christian Witness in Asia”. 

An on-site learning session and exposure visit to the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence and Engineering (FAIE) at Multimedia University (MMU), Cyberjaya, is also scheduled as part of the consultation.  

The consultation will culminate in the preparation of a study document developed to guide churches in understanding and responding to the challenges of an increasingly AI-driven world.