WCC Secretary Encourages Hong Kong to Further Strengthen Ecumenism

The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, fulfilled his commission in Hong Kong on Wednesday 7th July in completing the first leg of his 10-day Asia-Pacific tour.

Kobia arrived in Hong Kong on Monday 5th July, the WCC secretary was warmly greeted at a public reception organised, on behalf of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), by the Primate of Hong Kong Shen Kung Hui (Anglican Archbishop of Hong Kong and Macau), Peter Kwong. The reception involved the participation of 40 church and ecumenical leaders. Bishop Thomas Soo, President of the Hong Kong Christian Council (HKCC) offered a prayer. Rev Kobia gave a keynote address for the occasion.

“Asia’s rich heritage and culture of being together in diversity should be adopted as a model which will further strengthen ecumenism in the 21st century,” he said. Compared to its Western counterparts, most of the societies in Asia enjoy good interfaith relationship and live as a good example to the rest of the world. Especially Hong Kong, with a Chinese culture-centered social setting, is also greatly influenced by Christianity due to the colonisation by Britain for 156 years. Hong Kong has been returned to China since 1997, and a wide spectrum of religions now exist in harmony, with citizens enjoying religious freedom.

As HKCC is carrying out its year-long 50th anniversary celebrations, Rev Kobia was invited to address the ecumenical youth gathering on Tuesday 6th July. He called for “revitalisation of the ecumenical movement through the ecumenical formation of Christian youth”.

On Wednesday 7th July, the last day of Rev Kobia’s trip, Rev Kobia was presented on a WCC-CCA consultation at the CCA centre. Rev Kobia provided CCA leaders with many insights in ecumenical movement by introducing to them the emphasis of the work of WCC in 2005. Also, he welcomed closer cooperation with CCA in the future.

Before Rev Kobia left Hong Kong, he had a 30 minute meeting with the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Government of Special Administrative Region, Mr Tung Chee Hwa. The meeting was also attended by Dr Mathews George Chunakara, Asia Secretary of the WCC, Dr Ahn Jae Woong, General Secretary of the CCA and Rev Eric So, General Secretary of the HKCC.

On 1st July - the 7th anniversary of the return to Chinese rule - 7 Christian organisations in Hong Kong called on Christians for support on the democracy rally and prayer meeting. Despite the increasing opinion of Hong Kong Christians in politics, Kobia expressed his hope that the government will continue to nurture its relationships with Hong Kong's churches, which have been making significant contributions in the field of education and social services.

During the 3-days visit, the WCC general secretary also attended a number of other meetings organised by the Hong Kong Christian Council, the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China, and the Methodist Church in Hong Kong.

From 8th July to 11th July, Rev Kobia will continue his Asia-Pacific tour in Australia.