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[Fwd: CCA AND WCC DISCUSSIONS]

From Audrey Whitefield <a.whitefield@quest.org.uk>
Date 27 Feb 1997 02:54:49
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Title:CCA AND WCC DISCUSSIONS 
Feb. 14, 1997
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon Jim Rosenthal, Director of Communications
Anglican Communion Office
London, England

FEATURES SERVICE

(ACNS) The Anglican Communion Office receives most of the diocesan
papers from
around the world.  We use these as resource material for ACNS and
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to post up features which we believe will be of interest to other
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be
those of the Anglican Communion Office.  Please credit the author,
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[97.2.2.9]

CCA AND WCC Discussions
from Margaret Rodgers

Senior leaders and staff of the World Council of Churches and the
Christian
Conference of Asia met in Hong Kong for three days in early February to
discuss issues of common concern and further possibilities of joint
co-operation in the Asian region.  Indo-China is already a focus for
co-operative work from the two bodies.  The return of Hong Kong to China
in
mid-1997 and the future of the Hong Kong churches were major questions
underlying the agenda.

Participants

Dr Konrad Raiser, General Secretary of the WCC, senior staff Wesley
Ariarajah and Huibert Van Beek, and WCC Asia Secretary Dr Park Kyung Seo
travelled from Geneva for the meeting as did Central Committee member Dr
Park Jong-Wha from Korea.  CCA was represented by three Presidents,
Bishop
Kenneth Fernando (Sri Lanka), Mr Yotaro Konaka (Japan) and Margaret
Rodgers
(Australia), Treasurer Susan Li-shu Chang (Taiwan), Dr Feliciano Carino,
General Secretary and executive staff.

Issues facing the churches

Dr Carino said that the questions of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong; of
North
and South Korea; and of the countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia must
be
a crucial part of Christian and ecumenical life and witness in Asia
today.
He spoke of the future significance of China and the Asia region in
international affairs.  "In a still painfully divided world, the
koinonia
of the churches conveys a message of hope.  In the new geography of
economic, social and political life that is coming into being in our
part
of the world, Christian community demonstrates the possibilities of
human
community.  It provides expression to the fact that we are not simply
being
drawn into the "new world of relations", but are willing to decide to
enter
into it and help in building its religious and human foundations."

Konrad Raiser spoke of the effects of globalization.  He said it has
brought a rapid increase of exclusion.  "Its beneficiaries are a limited
group, and it has been accompanied by the emergence of dualism in
societies.  There are clear beneficiaries, but also those who are
structurally excluded from ever becoming beneficiaries," he said.  He
argued this has brought an increasing sense of plurality, and a dramatic
increase in a culture of violence.  "While globalization has brought a
uniformation of lifestyles and economics, underneath there is a growing
pluralisation with the tendency to reclaim traditional values.  These
assist in marking difference so that individuals and whole sub-cultures
avoid being submerged.  Another side of globalization is that it
excludes
people brutally and therefore provokes a violent reaction by its
victims."

Dr Raiser also said that society appears to have reached the end of the
period of secularisation.  "We now know it hasn't meant a decrease in
religion," he said.  "There are new religious forces spreading
throughout
the world, many of them syncretistic.  Religious plurality will have to
be
recognised as a definite characteristic of society, and this is a
challenge
to historic Christianity.  The challenge to the Christian community goes
beyond articulation of Christian faith.  It will have to affect how we
talk
about the church theologically.  What does it mean to be the church? 
Our
living and being the church will be decisive in this complex field.

The meeting decided that a small group should meet annually for the next
three years to continue to explore future co-operation in the Asian
region.

Church leaders request prayer for Hong Kong

During the meeting WCC and CCA representatives were hosted to a splendid
reception by the Hong Kong Christian Council and church leaders in Hong
Kong.  Time was spent in discussion of the future of the churches and
people.  Dr Tso Man King, General Secretary of the HKCC informed the
visitors of the Hong Kong Church plans for a global chain of prayer from
15
June to 15 July.  He invited everyone to publicise this in their home
churches.

The Hong Kong Christian Council has prepared a leaflet with 10 prayer
requests.  This includes asking people to pray that the Church will
steadfastly stand with the people of Hong Kong to give them courage and
hope during this time of transition of sovereignty; that Christians in
Hong
Kong will continue to grow in number and spirit that they may be well
equipped to face the new challenges and demands as citizens of the
Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China; that the Church can continue to
spread the Gospel without interference and restriction; that the unity
of
the church in Hong Kong in their witness may reveal the power and beauty
of
the Kingdom of God; and that leaders, pastors, ministers and
intellectuals
of the church be granted a special measure of wisdom and fortitude to
carry
out their calling faithfully.

Any people interested in their leaflet may obtain a copy from Anglican
Media in Sydney, or through the HKCC offices, (e-mail address
hkcc@hk.super.net).

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for
us,
too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim
the
mystery of Christ. (Colossians 4:2-3)
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