Asians live in a multicultural and multi-religious context. Although Christianity was born in Asia (today’s West Asia) and several Asian Christians trace their history and tradition from the first century onwards, Christianity in Asia, by and large, has been the outcome of Western missionary activities. As such, the witnessing of Christ in Asia has been often branded or labeled as a Western agenda linked with colonialism. The leadership of churches and the mission of the churches for a long time remained in the hands of missionaries and had the colonial ethos built into it. The Asian world during the missionary era was primarily a mission field and arena for Christian service and humanitarian missions. In the post-Western missionary era, the biggest struggle for the churches in Asia was to rediscover the identity of Asian Christianity and Christian mission. Over the decade Asian churches tried to establish their own identities, but still in many contexts ecclesiastical traditions and mission agendas of the churches are very much influenced by the historical past. Mission and witness of the churches in Asia have still not been integrated in its local, cultural and indigenous roots. This is hindering meaningful and relevant Christian mission and witness in Asia’s multi-religious situation.

This activity will focus on issues related to mission and witness in a multi-religious context in Asia with an emphasis on how to address the concerns of the unity of the church, which is the essential factor in carrying out God’s mission and provide an ecumenical platform to articulate relevant missiology in Asia. The CCA will seek the collaboration of various ecclesial and confessional bodies like the FABC, EFA, and Pentecostal Churches, as well as CCA member churches and councils in Asia to identify the issues, facilitate and coordinate the programs and activities to address the concerns of mission and witness in Asia’s pluralistic context in the coming years. These activities will help to rediscover the identity of Asian Christianity and Christian Mission in Asia’s pluralistic context; address the concerns of the unity of the churches; and provide an ecumenical platform to articulate relevant missiology in Asia.