“And this Good News about the Kingdom will be preached through all the world for a witness to all people.” -Matthew 24:14
The word ecumenism comes from a family of Classical Greek words:
oikos, meaning a “house,” “family,” “people,” or “nation”
oikoumene, “the whole inhabited world”;
oikoumenikos, “open to or participating in the whole world.”
Like many biblical words, these were invested with Christian meaning. The oikoumene describes the place of God's reconciling mission . That the Gospel is being revealed and actualize to all people in different walks of life through the Body of Christ or Universal Church. Ecumenism is used in a more narrow meaning; referring to a greater cooperation among different religious denominations of a single one of these faiths. The word is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine , history , and practice . Within this particular context, the term ecumenism refers to the idea of a Christian unity in the literal meaning: that there should be a single Christian Church
ECUMENISM IN THE PHILIPPINES
In the Philippines, there are movements of ecumenism arising; NCCP, PCEC and the so called “interfaith movements” which surprisingly often meet and worship together when a certain political leader has to be ousted. Almost all mainline Protestant Churches in the Philippines belong in an ecumenical movement with an exception to the Fundamentalist Christian Groups. Even new independent evangelical churches are involved in ecumenism.
The National Council of Churches in the Philppines or SANGGUNIANG PAMBANSA NG MGA SIMBAHAN SA PILIPINAS is one of the emerging ecumenical movements in the country. From its inception, the NCCP has been a channel for united witness to the Good News of salvation through its prophetic role on issues affecting the powerless and its active engagement with the people in their struggle for social transformation. It is a fellowship of ten mainline Protestant and non-Roman Catholic Churches and ten service oriented organizations in the Philippines and established in 1963. It represents close to twelve million adherents who believe that the Christian faith must be lived out in the people’s daily experiences.
It is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures and, therefore, seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christian organizations other than churches may be received as associate members. It is member of the World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia
NCCP as a fellowship is not confined to the "getting together" of leaders of its member churches. Rather, it finds its fuller expression in the visible movements for unity and common action forged by the churches as a means for credible mission and evangelism
Today, the NCCP has retained several practices instituted in the past: annual celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian unity, an Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service (now in its 56th year), a common Vacation Church School curriculum for all the churches. The NCCP was a leading force in the nurture and spread of alternative paradigms among its member churches, promotion of emerging theologies, highlighting church and society relations as well as Christ and culture issues, and the advocacy and defense of human rights.
LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS is what Jesus Christ lived and died for. NCCP envisions this life in a just, egalitarian (equality), self-reliant, and sustainable society.
ECUMENISM IN ASIA
It can be confusing and difficult to be Asian, as this means being religiously plural - something that is challenging to many.
Asia has been defined as the exotic "other" of the "Western self". Yet in many instances, Asian countries are much more intertwined with Western powers than they are among themselves. In fact, Asia is far from being the unified reality that would be understood by Asians themselves.
Asia has its own experience of God, world and human beings, which at times is not in relation to the West.
Most countries in Asia have a national council of churches or national Christian council or similar body and in most countries there is also an evangelical alliance or fellowship.
The main church bodies at the regional level are:
Christian Conference of Asia (CCA)
Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC, Roman Catholic)
Evangelical Fellowship of Asia.
Since 1996 the CCA and the FABC have initiated the Asian Movement for Christian
Unity. In2006 the Evangelical Fellowship of Asia joined this movement.
Asia is also the region where the churches founded by western mission societies were the first to claim their autonomy and for some of them to enter into organic unity,
With the exception of the Philippines and Timor Lorosa'e and to some extent South Korea, Christianity is a minority religion in all Asian countries. In some countries, e.g. Japan, Mongolia, Thailand the Christian community is a tiny minority of less than 1%. Yet there has also been an uninterrupted presence of the church in Asia since the apostolic times, notably in Kerala, South India, where according to the tradition Christianity was introduced and churches were founded by the Apostle St Thomas. And in recent years there has been remarkable church growth in China, Laos, Nepal, Vietnam and other places.
THE PROBLEM IN ASIAN ECUMENISM
The problem and the promise of the “many religions”, the challenge and instrumentality of the “many poor”, the systematic and indigenous forms of Asian structural marginalities (such as caste, patriarchy and ethnicity), and the post-colonial resistance within the dynamics of globalization arising from the memory of colonialism are the issues that face ecumenism in Asia
Because many churches in Asia and are burdened by colonial legacies, one finds that where they were divided since their formation, they have remained separate and disunited until today. At times, there is still a competitive spirit amongst churches, incidences of sheep-stealing, manifestations of prejudice and suspicion as a result of the separation and division.
Moreover, after some 50 years or so of the ecumenical movement in Asia, there seems to be a resurgence of denominationalism among many churches--as shown in the proliferation of denominational seminaries or the strong emphases on denominational theologies or doctrines in most seminaries' curricula. In some places, there seems to be an allergy or aversion to ecumenism. While this can be traced to the legacy of rivalry between the so-called movement of liberal theology and the counter-movement of neo-orthodox theology, the lack of understanding of this unfortunate historical accident from the West continues to divide and haunt Asian Christians. Thus, the dream of unity is still seriously at risk today
Due to its differing polarities and vast cultures and religions, Asia may not be as united as some Western regions. But Asian theologians do have a role to play in exploring and using their knowledge of different peoples to work for unity of the churches, and also for the greater unity of civilization.
CHALLENGES FOR ECUMENICAL FORMATION IN ASIA
One of the important challenges for ecumenical formation in Asia is the need for a broader understanding of ecumenism itself, which should be grounded in the radical (i.e. root) meaning of oikoumene. An understanding of the whole world as the "household of God" does not limit the all-embracing love of God to a selected or chosen few. Neither does it put any select group in opposition to all others outside the group
“Ecumenism in Asia is more about working together for a better world than about exploring sensitive and doctrinal issues that divide”
Ecumenism should be liberating , holistic and transformative, a vibrant movement based in local communities, one willed by Jesus. Ecumenism is not far from its word itself –“household” or “home” where understanding respect and love reign.
BY: Emilio “Jon” Manaois Jr
Master of Divinity, Senior
Union Theological Seminary
Sources:
www.cca.org.hk – Rex B. Reyes
www.wcc-coe.org - Miriam Shastri, from the Lutheran Church
Encyclopedia Britannica
www.nccphilippines.org
www.oikoumene.org
www.findarticles.com
The Bible, TEV
