Kobia Speaks on Ecumenism at CCA General Assembly

Continuing his trip to Bangladesh and Thailand, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia attended the 12th general assembly of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) in Chiang Mai, Thailand which started on Thursday 31st March.

On Friday, Kobia delivered a keynote speech on the assembly's theme "Building Communities of Peace for All" in front of representatives from over 100 Asian churches. He urged for a "risky, change-provoking" ecumenism that would engage the issues and challenges facing the world today.

Kobia said that the root of the ecumenical movement has the ability "to read the signs of the times, often ahead of member churches and society in general". He affirmed its "bold and prophetic involvement in the struggles against apartheid, military dictatorship and the suppression of human rights".

However, Kobia said that "we seem to have lost some of the spirit that led us to take risks" and therefore this special quality needs to be recovered. He suggested an "active encounter and creative engagement with the issues and challenges facing our world of today" instead of the "inwardly-directed obsession with our own structures".

Kobia explained the current trend of ecumenical movement is more and more based on the "experiential dimensions of faith" which he sees especially among the younger generations. They are "crossing boundaries of tradition and forming new spiritual and moral networks", he said.

In addition, the "spirituality of life as experienced among the poor and the social movements that support their cause" has brought about "new alliances for life, [...] coalitions of resistance to injustice, oppression and exclusion."

Kobia stated the need to draw these two streams together into a creative dialogue.

Kobia also highlighted Asia’s contribution to ecumenism. He encouraged churches to search for "new meaning and new ways of being the ecumenical movement", with the purpose to serve the causes of justice and peace in the world, instead of only serving its own interests and those of the institutional structures of the churches.

On the 12th General Assembly of the CCA, the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) 2005 this year will focus on Asia. National and local churches and networks on various levels are conducting projects to overcome violence and promote a culture of peace, both within the churches and in society. There will be two Asia-wide events during the DOV Focus on Asia: one in July, bringing together scholars under the focus theme, and a larger DOV consultation later in the year.

CCA 12th General Assembly will end on 6th April.