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Introduction

This is the 17th book in our Book Series and in this we are happy to present a small selection of Rev. Park Sang Jung's biblical and critical reflections on ecumenical praxis in Asia.

For two reasons we are happy to have Rev. Park among our authors. First, he has been an untiring supporter of the Federation in Asia and has contributed much to the thinking of the WSCF, in his various capacities, particularly when he was the General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA). Second, having been an old SCMer, he shares with this generation of students his insights into ecumenism and its relevance to Asia. He offered these reflections to the WSCF Asia-Pacific for publication and by these we become more blessed in our search for a meaningful involvement in the struggles of the people.

The two cardinal points on which these reflections are based on are 'people' and 'Christian witness'. The question of praxis, specifically an ecumenical praxis, can be encountered in these points. Asia with its diverse and rich cultures, languages and peoples is a pluriform continent and has to be addressed in its specificities. Yet, these Biblical studies reveal a methodology to address specific contexts. When Rev. Park reflects on the minjung in Korea, he does not exclude other peoples elsewhere. Rather, he takes a specific context to demonstrate the point that Jesus is with the "ochlos" everywhere. Or when he talks of the struggles

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for democratization in Korea he includes the aspirations of all peoples suffering under the yoke of political and economic oppression.

When we address the issue of ecumenical praxis in Asia today, it becomes evident that most of the ideological basis for that came out of important ecumenical meetings, particularly the ones that had a large concentration of former SCMers. That the SCM/WSCF had been at the cutting edge of ecumenical thought in the past is a point none can refute. That the SCM/WSCF is in a constant process of search for a meaningful identity in the ever-changing political and economic scenario of our continent is a fact that we have to reckon with. In that search, we will be more enriched if we peg our spirituality in the struggles of the people.

I am hopeful that our national movements will make use of these critical and biblical reflections and evolve new paradigms in Christian witness in Asia.

Yong Ting Jin

February 1993