Introduction

1. Acting upon the recommendations of the 1998 second seminar of the Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU II) the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and the Federation of Asian Bishops’Conferences (FABC) jointly pledged that ecumenical formation is to be given priority for the churches in Asia. AMCU II, which had as its theme“ecumenical formation,”was even emphatic that ecumenical formation has to be done ecumenically where the participation and contribution of each partner had to be full and equal.

2. Thus, the first Joint Ecumenical Formation (JEF I) was held in Bangalore, India, in 1999 where it was described as a“50-50”effort as each side contributed about 50% share to the number of participants, resource persons and all other aspects of organizing the program. The second Joint Ecumenical Formation (JEF II) was no different from the first except that it was even hosted by one of the few national council of churches in Asia where the Roman Catholic Church is a full participating member. JEF II, which was held from 2 – 13 September 2002 in Taiwan R.O.C. was thus hosted by the National Council of Churches in Taiwan (NCCT). We, the 45 participants and resource persons of JEF II coming from 15 countries of Asia, have been through a very fruitful experience of ecumenical learning and living and now would like to invite the local churches to join us in our reflections on the praxis of ecumenism.

3. In his opening message, Rev. William Lo, the Chairperson of NCCT, encouraged the participants of JEF II to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God through justice and peace and the integrity of creation as well as people’s security (ref. Lk 8: 1-3; Rm 14: 17-18). Urging that we, as Christians, be fully committed to God’s mission, or the missio Dei, he reminded us that in the Lord’s Prayer“your kingdom come”is closely followed by“your will be done on earth.”Thus, unless we are united in Christ and actively cultivating a culture of justice and peace here on earth, we would not be playing our role in ushering in God’s Kingdom. In other words, it is our Christian duty to be the voice of the voiceless and the power of the powerless so that God’s Kingdom may come.

4. Adopting the pastoral cycle/spiral as the methodological approach for our formation, the JEF II took us through the following stages: Exposure Experience, Social Analyses, Theological Reflections, and Action Planning.

Our Exposure Experience

5. Our “exposure” experience took us to a variety of places in and around Taipei where we were able to witness first-hand the realities of the suffering and tears of Taiwan’s society, as well as interact with persons who helped shed light on our understandings of the various socio-political issues. Throughout the two-day experience, we were enriched by the otherness of the “other” and developed a wider perspective for understanding the people and historical context of Asia.

6. We looked at the issue of ethnicity and specifically at how the indigenous and other ethnic minorities have suffered discrimination over the years. We were disturbed by the ethnophobia which prevailed but realized that such discrimination is also very much present in most of our own countries. We also looked at the issue of political oppression and realized that this has often claimed the lives of many innocent victims. In particular, we were disturbed by the drastic consequences which the abuse of political power brings about, especially for those who lack education and others from marginalized communities. We identified a “spirit of Formosa,” which is a spirit characterized by national self-determination, peace, justice and democracy. We also looked at the issue of transnational migration and sympathized with the dilemma of the migrant workers whose pain, as a result of being exploited, calls for our involvement. We realized that ignorance of the law, a low standard of education and the lack of awareness of migrants’ rights are contributory factors to their plight. We aspire to be a “bridge” towards their liberation and pray especially for more who will act as hope for these helpless, so that fullness of life may be attainable.

7. We also looked at the various communities of churches or “koinonia” and especially at how they perform the mission of service for God’s Kingdom. We were encouraged by the ecumenical spirit of working together and the sharing of resources, as well as the truly prophetic stance which some of the churches take, despite Christianity being a minority religion in Taiwan. At the same time, we also witnessed that some churches have yet to be truly committed to ecumenism and the dialogue with other religions as their preoccupation is more with the protection of their churches’ self-interests. Likewise, we looked at the various religious traditions and especially at how they relate with one another as different “streams of life.” We were encouraged by the true spirit of friendship existing between those involved in interreligious dialogue and are convinced that it is this personal friendship which has made authentic and respectful dialogue possible. At the same time, we are also challenged by what it means to be Christian in a pluralistic society and have questions, especially on how we ought to understand the church’s teachings of Jesus being the one and only way to salvation.

Our Social Analyses

8. We then experimented with doing social analysis, based primarily upon our exposure experience but also upon our wider experience of the realities in the Asian context. From the outset, we were consciously aware that our efforts of engaging in social analysis stem from a desire to understand, as well as to be more deeply connected with the people. Significantly, we began by identifying the pain, the cries and the tears of the people and attempted to look at the root causes of these suffering. We identified the victims and those most prone to being victimized, at times merely on the basis of their race, caste, nationality, political affiliation and/or socio-economic status. We also explored how the environment and the ecosphere have suffered and been victimized merely on account of the greed and the profit of a very few.

9. Next, we looked at the various “actors” involved in each specific situation of injustice and discrimination to identify the underlying values and/or goals which motivate their actions. The love of money and power and the need to preserve one’s own privileged position and the status quo seem to be at the root of many of these evils. We also noticed that often there is a mutually reinforcing relationship between powerful political leaders, those who hold economic power, the military, the media, and other elites, whose position depends upon the preservation of the status quo.

10. We were also aware that while some of these evils are sporadic and the result of the actions of particular individuals, others may be structurally rooted and are deliberate actions of institutions. Any proposals for change, therefore, have to take into account the long-term and deep-seated dynamics which perpetuate the evils directly or indirectly. This, in turn, demands more thorough analyses so that the power for change and the chances of success may be increased in any strategic actions. In this regard, education and awareness programs are indispensable for the conscientization of the perpetrators of violence as well as their victims.
11. We noted that the socio-political realities of Taiwan are but a reflection of the realities in many of our countries where the common people are continuously crying out for justice, sovereignity and respect for human rights. Reflecting upon the struggles of the peoples of Taiwan, we are hopeful that persistence and faith will eventually result in the triumph of justice and freedom. We in Asia, therefore, have to be similarly committed in our struggles for change and transformation so that freedom and peace will be the order of the day.

12. In this regard, we are challenged by the prophet Jeremiah’s call that we uproot and pull down, destroy and overthrow, build and plant (Jer. 1: 10) so that more of Asia will eventually evolve social structures based on justice and love, as well as compassion and the dignity of persons. Psalm 34: 15 also challenges us to depart from evil (i.e. stop the oppression) and do good (i.e. help in the liberation of peoples); seek peace (between God and people as well as between people and people) and pursue it (salvation and liberation for all).

Our Theological Reflections

13. We then engaged in theological reflections and realized from the outset that just as we, in twenty-first century Asia, experience situations of injustice and discrimination, so Jesus of Nazareth, who lived in first century Palestine, was also a witness to similar situations of dehumanization. So, as Christians, whose mission is to bring about a culture of peace, we gave more attention to how our brother Jesus went about in his mission of cultivating a culture of peace through the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.

14. We began by reflecting upon Jesus’ double baptism: first, of water at the river Jordan, and then, of blood which culminated on Calvary. The Jordan baptism by John the Baptist was Jesus’ immersion into God’s cause expressed in his fundamental option for the poor and proclaimed as the Reign of God among us. This is Good News mainly for the “nobodies” of the world: the outcast, lepers, sick, oppressed, women and children. The Jordan baptism was, thus, Jesus’ immersion and acceptance of God’s pact with the poor. The baptism at Calvary, on the other hand, was Jesus’ own immersion into the struggles and suffering of the poor. It was, therefore, his struggle against all the dehumanizing influences of his time, including the socio-religious and political structures which were oppressive to the common peoples. Through his healing ministry and meal or table-fellowship with all without distinction, Jesus revealed God’s Kingdom as one concerned for the liberation of all, but especially the poor. Thus, Calvary was God’s pact against Mammon, which is anyone, anything or any structure which undermines human beings and dehumanizes them. Thus, just as Yahweh delivered the Israelites from Egypt, this same Yahweh will also deliver the peoples from their bondage and slavery to Mammon, wherever these may occur (Ref. Mic. 6: 4).

15. A second point of our reflection was that in Asia the majority of the poor belong to religious traditions other than Christianity. So, our Christian mission for a culture of peace has to be a mission together with the peoples of other religions, as well as for and on behalf of the peoples of other religions. Baptized, therefore, in the Jordan of Asia’s religiousness and in the Calvary of Asia’s poor, we Christians learn from our neighbors of other faiths the cardinal virtues of simplicity, non-attachment and the commitment to alleviate the suffering of Asia’s poor. Hence, the challenge for Christian mission is not only to struggle for the poor, but to be poor as well. It is, therefore, in the embrace of this “voluntary poverty” that we Christians can contribute more effectively to the alleviation of the “forced poverty” of Asia’s poor. While the former (those who embrace poverty by choice) are the disciples of Christ, it is the latter (those who are poor by circumstance) who are the vicars of Christ (ref. Mt. 25: 34-40).

16. A third point of our reflection was that, as we grow in our understanding of the Christian mission, Jesus of Nazareth also grew in his understanding of the mission of God’s Kingdom. Reflecting upon the feeding of the five thousand (Mt. 14: 13-21; Mk. 6: 30-44), the crossing of Jesus to the other side of the lake (Mt. 14: 22-33; Mk. 6: 45-52), the healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter (Mt. 15: 21-28; Mk. 7: 24-30), and then the feeding of the four thousand (Mt. 15: 32-39; Mk. 8: 1-10), we noted that the greater openness and concern of Jesus for the four thousand in the predominantly Gentile territory came after his encounter with the faith of the Canaanite woman and after he had crossed to the “other side” of the lake. If the feeding of the five thousand was prompted by Jesus’ disciples, the feeding of the four thousand revealed more of Jesus’ own deliberate initiative. If he was initially reluctant to heal the Canaanite woman’s daughter, it was the woman’s persistence and faith that reveal the rightful claim of the Gentiles upon the Kingdom. So, it was in crossing to the “other side,” to Gentile lands, that Jesus’ vision of God’s Kingdom was broadened. In the same way, it was through the ministry of the woman that Jesus’ horizons of God’s Kingdom was stretched beyond the house of Israel.

17. Using the analogy of a tree with its roots, trunk and leaves, we reflected on the three components of religious traditions and how they help or hinder understanding between religions. These are the core or roots (the experience that gave birth to a particular tradition), the collective memory or trunk (the scriptures, codes for living, etc. that relate the core to believers) and the interpretation or the leaves (the articulation and communication of the core experience so that succeeding generations may come to believe). Religions usually meet on the level of interpretation. As the interpretation is far from the core, it can become the breeding ground for clashes, misunderstandings and violence between the different traditions. In a spirit of humility, Christians are challenged to divest themselves of any prejudice or misconceptions about the “other” and to be ready to take risks in going to the core experience of other religious traditions. This exposure to what God wishes to teach us at the heart of the “other” is the beginning of a culture of peace between the religions.

Our Experience As Church

18. It was only after we had placed the JEF II within the context and realities of Asia that we began to explore the issue of inter-Church relationships. This showed us that our ecumenical task has, as its foundation, the joys and sorrows of the peoples of our lands. With that as background, we began our exploration of the history of schism and unity in the church. In particular, we noted that Christian division and disunity over the centuries was the result of both theological as well as non-theological factors. The latter include conflicts arising from cultural, political, social, economic, ethnic and ideological differences. Similarly, the ecumenical venture and Christian unity have always been motivated by both theological as well as non-theological factors.

19. We then explored the case of the Church in Taiwan, specifically from the perspective of its effort to be ecumenical as well as contextual. In particular, the mission of the Church was discerned from the backdrop of the socio-political and historical context of Taiwan. For example, the ecumenical understanding of the missio Dei, emphasizing social involvement and mission work for the marginalized, characterized the thrust of the contextual theologies which evolved through the New Century Mission Movement of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. The movement emphasized the quality of Christian life rather than its quantity. The “salt of the earth” theme was key to understanding what it means to be Church. Specifically, the theology of identification with Taiwanese history, cultures, sufferings and hopes became a principal motif for doing theology. Such a theology enables the Christian churches to participate in the building of God’s Kingdom and the koinonia, whilst they become both contextual as well as ecumenical.

20. We then looked at the modern ecumenical movement as an attempt to end the scandal of a divided Christianity. The scandal is more embarrassing, given Christianity’s minority status in most of our countries. In particular, we looked at the events which led to and followed the founding of the World Council of Churches, as well as the spirit which brought about the renewal of the Second Vatican Council in the Roman Catholic Church. These renewal currents, which found their contextual expressions in the Christian Conference of Asia and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, continue to inspire as well as challenge all of us. Specifically, we are inspired by the theology of communion, which invites us to be accepting of unity in diversity. Likewise, we are challenged to discover new forms of partnership so that our Christian witness can respond more meaningfully to Jesus’ prayer “that they may be one” (Jn. 17: 11).

21. As a result of these explorations, we experimented with doing contextual theology from our own local contexts. Specifically, we used stories to relate theology with our contexts. We are convinced that theology must begin from the dusty soils of our countries and thus be in dialogue with the peoples, their religions, their cultures, and especially their pain and sufferings. Such an approach in doing theology takes as its starting point the experience and context of the peoples which must then be brought into dialogue with the Christian tradition and its texts. The approach of the whole JEF II program was both contextual and ecumenical. At its heart were extensive periods of meditative exercise, reflection, Bible-study and Gospel-sharing.

Our Action Planning

22. As a result of our experience and explorations at JEF II, we committed ourselves to:
A. deepening our personal prayer and spiritual life through contemplative meditation, as well as our Christian life through Gospel-sharing, Bible-study and theological updating, especially on what it means to be ecumenical and contextual.
B. promoting established ecumenical activities, such as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and praying for the needs of the different Christian communities throughout the year.
C. initiating new ecumenical ventures such as local joint ecumenical formation programs, sharing of resources across denominations, networking across churches, as well as jointly participating in social action.
D. fostering an ecumenical consciousness in all areas of Church life, especially in the basic formation programs, fundamental church apostolates, media news and programs.
E. developing new friendships across other churches and other religions so that they may develop into new partnerships, especially in cultivating a culture of peace.

23. We also propose that the Churches in Asia, in particular the CCA and FABC:
A. continue to organize joint ecumenical formation programs, especially those which aim at training lay and grassroot leaders and youth.
B. provide user-friendly resources for ecumenical training.
C. promote both ecumenical relations and interreligious dialogue, as the latter continues to be crucial for all Christians in the context of our pluralistic cultures and societies.
D. encourage local churches in all countries to disseminate the fruits of our Second Joint Ecumenical Formation so that many more Christians in Asia will take seriously the importance of ecumenism and contextualization.
E. encourage church leaders to establish more inclusive and effective ecumenical structures at national as well as local levels, so that ecumenical activities can be better promoted.

Up...