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Review of Student Ministry in WSCF and the Asia - Pacific

New Lessons, New Dreams, New Journey

By Yong Ting Jin

Introduction

The announcement about the WSCF centennial celebration has kindled a surge of excitement among a large number of senior friends and, to a great extent, the present students and leaders of the SCMs. One dimension of the celebration is the sober call for reflection on WSCF and for taking stock of the state of the movements against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world situation around us in Asia-Pacific. This reflection, made from June 1986 to July 1993, is but a small part of the larger picture in a given period.

Looking back to the past seven years, the events and developments in the region and SCMs / WSCF were full of meaning as well as food for thought. Yet there may be many crucial and significant issues not covered here. Since this reflection is done mainly for the expressed intention of the regional Standing Committee as part of the preparatory materials leading up to a centennial celebration in Asia-Pacific, it is necessary to set a limited scope/framework for reflection and sharing.

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A Glimpse at the Global-Historical Scenario

The political events, which unfolded in Europe, marked a challenging future as manifested in Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika as well as his initiatives for peace and call for disarmament. The international political scene was dominated by the collapse of state socialism paving the way for new developments in Eastern Europe while the unification of Germany was welcomed.

In Latin America, we saw the Nicaraguan Sandinista Government being forced out of power in the face of the American reaction and loss of confidence by the people. In addition, in Africa, the release of Mandela and the unending people's cry for freedom from apartheid in South Africa continued to overshadow a series of political turmoil in countries like Angola, Liberia and Kenya. The end of the Cold War era was loudly hailed only to be quickly followed by a hot war in the Gulf. But Saddam Hussein's blunder had only ensured US continued control over oil, justifying their creation and maintenance of a new security in West Asia. Given the latest jargon of the re-ordered New World Order, US has emerged as the sole superpower with the subsequent breakup of the Soviet Union into individual socialist states.

While the world's attention was gripped by these global historical events and dynamic developments, Asia and the Pacific have become subject to the attendant consequences brought about by the winds of change sweeping across the world then and now. The struggle for greater democratization and the challenge against military regime or dictatorship were mounted in South Korea, the Philippines, Burma, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand. What seemed to be the resurgence of an increasing height of student and people activism especially in South Korea, Burma and the Philippines had lent justification to Singapore and

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Malaysia in the debacle of authoritarian prime ministers detaining public interest activists without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act, including the CCA’s exit from Singapore. The apparently spontaneous upsurge by students and the people for democracy in Burma and China were soon curbed through ruthless and mass arrest.

Despite the fact that Japan rolled out its seemingly unending news of crises in the rapid change of political leadership, it has emerged to reassert its military power. A concrete case in point was its loud echo for the necessity of the US bases in the Philippines for regional balance of power, peace and security. Having established itself as the economic superpower of Asia and the world, Japan placed the world’s third largest military spending budget and housing for the infrastructure to serve as the forward command centre for US nuclear strategy in Asia.

In South Asia, ethnic clashes in Sri Lanka peaked to a frequent standstill while many believed that the Indian Peace Keeping Force had only succeeded in holding the country in pieces. Elsewhere in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, rapid changes of governments and their heads have all yet to prove any changing impact in the lives of people in all fields. Meanwhile the sub-region continued to be wrought with violence and ethnic clashes heightened by an added inter-play of political, religious and communal undertones.

The South Pacific island nations and that of Aotearoa-New Zealand and Australia were also filled with news. One that caught the world's attention was the coup in the name of Fijian interests, which wrested power through the bullet giving use to massive ethnic fears and political repression. However, the Kanak struggle in New Caledonia persisted and the Islands have remained under foreign domination. Furthermore, there is a continued use of their grounds and seas for nuclear testing,

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causing destruction to human life and all living things on land and sea. The struggle of West Papuans initiated by the freedom fighters of Irian Jaya went almost unheard of in the regional and international scene. In the same breath, the Bougainville struggle became media news only at the margin and thus its urgency was understated due to the vested interests of local and foreign powers at play. Australia celebrated its bi-centennial even in the face of strong Aboriginal indignation. In Aotearoa-New Zealand, Maori People have viewed the 150th year celebration of the Treaty of Waitangi as adding insult to injury as the systematic programme to whitewash society is relentlessly going on!

Except for the influx of refugees making international news, the process of peace and reconstruction in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos was kept from the world, including their closest neighbors. The discriminated or lack of media coverage about the events and developments in these countries continued to be felt.

Reports of severe violations of human rights were on the rise especially in Indonesia, Burma, South Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Fiji and New Caledonia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Problems of human rights have also claimed the lives and disappearances of many in the region.

A questioning of the dominant development has resulted in the pressing concern for the ecology and environment in the region. The very life support system of people has been threatened through indiscriminate deforestation, sea and air pollution as well as the thinning of the ozone layer. Ironically, most of the Asian countries are aspiring and competing with each other to attain the economic miracle patterned after the NIC model of development performed by the four little dragons in Asia. Behind the undeniable fact of high growth rates lies also the cutting truth of subtle political repression, which seems to have become an absolute rationale / criterion for sustaining that growth.

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It was not at all surprising that capitalist and democratic states capitalized on the failure of socialism and almost immediately proclaimed the birth of the New World Order. However, it was still only US-led and dominated, justified and sanctified by the UN, supported again by its junior partners (e.g. Germany, France, Britain, etc.) in order to maintain its Western-European dominance. Indeed, they are still desperately making efforts to consolidate themselves through the European Common Market for better bargaining in the New World Order. Japan, the little dragons, and even the other Asian countries are all lusting after the goals and material benefits of a developed society. The irony is that it was already realized in the 70s that the development ideology with its promise of modernization through industrialization was nothing more than the rationale for incorporating neo-colonies into the global capitalist economic order. Today, the new catchword globalization is employed to engineer the creation of the New World Order.

In the name of progress and development, the disordered New World Order is still plunging the world and people headlong towards self-destruction. The unjust trade relations remain. The' oppressive political hierarchy is still intact. The reckless devastation of the earth and her resources goes on. Mindless consumption continues which threatens the support system of life and creation itself. All these go on in spite of pious hypocritical soundings for green awareness, care for the environment and. ozone layer, anti-nuclear proliferation and even human rights, etc.

While the world and regional powers assert their forces and principalities to rule the world, new movements were born amidst the existing people's movements, asserting their firm presence in solidarity with women, ecology and nature towards a vision of life in its fullness. Posing a particular threat is the women's movement within a highly patriarchal social structure in Asia and

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Pacific, in which half of the humanity is being, challenged whose manhood and maleness are called into question. The challenge of Asian feminism against patriarchy as an overarching evil force on the ideologies of capitalism, Marxism, socialism, communism, religion and ecumenism are all brought to the fore. A clear sociopolitical agenda to hold the international attention is visible in the issues of women migrant workers, prostitution and sex tourism, the exploitation of female workers as docile and cheap labor, recalling World War II and the systematic drafting of sex slaves by the Japanese Imperial Army during the atrocious Japanese Occupation. These and a host of other ugly forms of violence against women are manifested and experienced from the domestic to religious to societal realms on all levels and across class, caste, race, culture and creed.

Priorities and Turning Points in Movement Life

Corresponding to the global-regional dynamic developments and trends, life in the movement and the region was neither unaffected nor isolated. The following pages cover only a limited reflection on certain areas.

New Priority: Pacific Concerns

Pacific concern was a new priority identified with the aim of building and strengthening inter-movement links amongst the SCMs in the Pacific as well as to revive movement building. Several plans of action were employed as an attempt to continue and sustain the work as a priority concern. A movement visit was done in late 1988 and a Pacific Workshop was held in Papua New Guinea in mid-1989 to press on this concern. A positive result of all this was the revival of movement activities in Fiji-SCM. As another follow-up measure, the team visit carried out in late 1991 focused only on the islands of Fiji, Vanuatu and Western Samoa. In line with this plan, a rather long process of contact work was

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laid preceding the visit with several church leaders who were keen to open up some student ministry work in their churches. The visit was a positive experience and the insights gained have been encouraging.

Solidarity Work

Human rights solidarity work increased tremendously as many SCMs and individual members became more politicized in the face of widespread human rights violations against the backdrop of people's struggle for greater democratization. In many ways, this work has been an education for many SCM members through the human rights reports and mail-outs executed by the coordinators from SCM Australia.

Reviewing Leadership Formation and Development

Critical leadership formation and development was hailed as a major programme thrust for enabling movement-building work in the SCMs in Asia-Pacific. Various programs were conceived to meet the needs of the movements at a given period of time where changes or new developments determined certain shifts and emphases. From HRD (Human Resources Development) to SET (Student Empowerment for Transformation); IME (Inter-Movement Exchange) to MAP (Movement Animators Programme) — the concept of leadership formation underwent a renewed phase of thinking by the younger and new student generation in the recent years. Two critical assessment exercises were carried out in a comprehensive mariner through two HRD programs in 1988 and 1991. These evaluations resulted in a call for all the SCMs to address urgently the following issues: (1) the concept of leadership needed new perspective and insights to bring up a whole new generation of student and women leaders on all levels; (2) the grounding and deepening of biblical-theological understanding of faith in response to concrete situations; (3) the whole new question of women-men partnership in the Federation.

The underlying critique points to a leadership role model shaped by male perspective, bias and style. Thus, the core concept of leadership has to be freed from the highly patriarchal connotations and its subtle entanglements. Critical leadership formation must work towards collective power sharing between men and women, students and senior friends; consultative and participatory process in approach as well as empowering women and students with great sensitivity and tactfulness. Its renewed perspective must be gender and language inclusive too. It is believed that such a redefinition and renewed understanding of leadership will also inject a fresh feminist perspective in re-reading the Bible and making faith reflection; and the entire direction/vision for movement-building program.

Another significant change brought about by the evaluation done over the years at the annual HRD, and later SET, program was the important place of process and dynamics, coupled with creative and participatory approach to run the one-month programme. It was a challenge and trying moment at each programme to hold in tension the input and the methodology used. That is, how solid inputs could be presented without being too academic or cerebral but using more participatory style in response to the varying interests and expectations of the participants. In response to the emerging needs of our constituencies and the changing trends of the socio-political realities, SET and MAP programs were conceived to set new thrusts and directions to replace HRD and IME, respectively. Among these are the following:

· The new socio-political trends and grave ecological issues worldwide call for a new framework of social analysis and a new perspective for reading the Bible — one that incorporates the ecological dimension and the perspective of women (new critical analysis is needed to see the link between women, ecology and dominant development).

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· A re-reading of the Bible must be done with a critical faith reflection including a feminist viewpoint.

· The new shifts and emphases must address the line of young animators — female and male students, young staff workers and young senior friends of the SCM.

Apart from the aforementioned types of programme aimed at developing and molding leadership, the Women's Development Program was a priority targeted specifically for building / nurturing women. However, in one way or another, HRD / SET and IME / MAP enhance the Women's Program and vice versa.

Building up Women for Participation, Leadership and Partnership

The old saying, women hold up half the sky, is an apt reality experienced in the SCM / WSCF as well as in the church and society. Women in the early 1980s were witnesses of this. By the mid-1980s and onwards, women became an increasingly strong political force in the life of the movements. Indeed, through the gradual development of the Women's Project into a high priority Women's Program, it became a new ground – breaking, dynamic, challenging, empowering and life-giving wire in the life and work of the WSCF in the 1980s and 1990s.

A two-fold holistic guided the process of building up women and developing a women’s program over the years

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vision and perspective. First is that the women's struggle from oppression forms an integral part of the total human struggle from all forms of oppression to liberation and new humanity. This calls for an updated critical analysis of women's oppression in the context of socio-political, economic and cultural struggles in Asia and Pacific. The analysis exposes sharply the double and even triple oppression faced by women; addresses and links the close relationship between class, race and gender; and critics’ patriarchy as an ideology of gender tainted by male-bias. Second and which is equally important is the relevance of our faith in God, linking it with our stories and the many stories of women in church and society. Therefore the need to re-read and re-interpret the Bible and the need to encourage and equip women doing theology from the students' and young women's experiences and perception became a crucial part of the analysis and perspective.

(A more detailed reflection on the women's program and concerns is contained in another paper on Women's Journey With and Within the SCMs and WSCF printed in the CCA-WSCF Joint Programme '95 Dossier 2.)

Students Re-reading the Bible: Linking Faith with Social Reality

Some SCMs lack even a basic biblical knowledge with regard to Christian witness and ministry. The need for grounding and deepening biblical-theological understanding was a crucial step to be taken up seriously. In meeting this need, two comprehensive programs were created and implemented, including skills and techniques in Bible reading and faith reflection from the feminist perspective. The HRD 1989 and the Women's Workshop in 1990 were conducted to achieve the said objective.

What is new in doing theology in Asia-Pacific is that appropriate and critical contextualization has to be inclusive of the women's

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lived experiences and stories as well as the use of gender language. Therefore a re – reading of the bible requires new eyes and renewed perception. Many SCMs and individual members have gradually realized the importance of giving attention and emphasis on this aspect in order to enable them to make the link between faith and social reality.

Movement Life: Strengths, Weaknesses and Challenges

The overall picture of movement life in the region is one with mixed and varying colors and shades. Each has its unique context, strengths, problems and limitations. My hope is that this critique, though limited, may be taken for a sincere dialogue between and within the movements in view of the deep crisis facing many of them. This too calls for a very sober spirit of openness in discussion. Very few movements, which are prophetic in character, demonstrate certain ideological vision and clear option in their commitment with people's struggle and movements. A more holistic vision includes a biblical theological perspective in understanding God's acts in history, continued presence and intervention in any given reality. There is a stronger sense of history and firm foundation upon which they build their vision, direction and movement. At times when there is a sense of loss without much direction or becoming merely issue / program –oriented, the sense of history, foundation and vision are important elements to recall these movements to order.

Some movements possess a clearer sense of self-understanding, identity and mission as a student academic / learning community within the larger locus of the secondary / tertiary institutions. Being a student-based movement, student leadership is fully encouraged and active at the centre of movement life. By its constitution, it abides and lives out to its best a full-fledged student-centered and student-oriented movement.

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The strengths of these movements also lie in other closely related factors such as the course of movement – building and leadership formation that are shaped by their ideological vision. This in turn sharpens and enhances the perspective in building the movement and young leadership. A regular planning and review on movement-building programme in response to the situation or local context is a strong point. Annual or consistent leadership program is a plus as it enhances the course of direction, ideological vision and socio-political praxis of the movement. In some movements, attempts and efforts are made to link their Bible studies and educational / analytical studies as part of a balanced leadership course.

A systematic movement building and leadership formation plan (short and long term) is important for training its young members, male and female students, to be committed movement builders and leaders. Only a few movements are able to achieve as well as sustain the goal though not without problems.

Oftentimes, the above positive factors are further strengthened when there is a healthy relationship between senior friends and students. It is felt that senior friends who understand their role and position are always encouraging and supportive as opposed to those who are dominating and ego-centered with vested interests.

It is a rare but positive moment to witness a few movements displaying an added strength in the ability to be self-critical, and therefore humble, for a dynamic change and transformation. They took a positive step to review critically the nature and relevance of the organizational set-up in view of the need for restructuring in order to be truly student-based, more democratic, participatory and decentralized in its orientation and praxis. Such an action requires and reflects a tremendous spirit of openness to constructive criticisms and responding positively to challenges in order to be relevant in their situation and time.

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One recent experience by several movements' positive response is their changing attitude and understanding of the women's image, role and participation in the life of the movement. Though a painful process, it is a crucial step and indeed progressing towards integrating women and gender issues right into the core of its life as much as in movement – building and leadership programs.

While the above assessment gives a broad and positive sweep only across some of the movements, the other side of the picture depicting most movements is very gloomy, disturbing and alarming. Some movements are in a state of disarray, nonexistent or inactive. The problems include a lack of vision and self-understanding, lack of resources, low morale, fluctuating membership, continuously unresolved problems and weak leadership. It is also due to a lack of basic organizational, analytical, programme and leadership developmental skills among students. In terms of structure and organizational set-up, it is male dominated in leadership, patriarchal in culture and perspective. Therefore, in many ways perspectives on movement building and leadership formation are highly male-entrenched in quality, strategies, planning and implementation. The lack of good and committed movement builders and young leaders is another weakness in many movements. (Please refer to the section on Reviewing Leadership Formation and Development, p.? for more elaborate views.)

A lack of biblical foundation results in being unable to help students understand or provide adequate faith interpretation of their social reality in order that they may participate meaningfully in its transformation. Coupled with this a dearth of authentic and relevant thinking has deepened the existing crisis for an alternative ideology in the midst of a collapsed state socialism.

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It is observed that the patriarchal excesses have in many ways contributed to the pitfalls of bureaucratism and institutionalism. It is a disturbing trend, which goes deep into the roots of the problem in relation to all the aforementioned factors. Many SCMs have lost its credibility in witness as a dynamic movement by sinking into those pitfalls.

Another grave area related to the above situation is the role of the SCMs and their critical participation in the church. This whole question needs to be addressed again. There seems to be stagnation in the critical perception or analysis of the church institution. It has not only become shallow but lacks a renewed understanding of the root meaning and characteristics of the church as Jesus originally conceived it to be. The SCMs have not only lost sight of its critique but have been often silent and blind to the violence done against women in the church. So long as the SCMs ignore to undertake this prophetic responsibility of critiquing the patriarchal excesses, cultural bias in biblical interpretations, sexist language, church doctrines which denigrate women, worship and liturgies which reinforce the devaluation and exclusion of women, they are seen as actors in the conspiracy of shared sins.

The option to include in their constituency the need to identify and work with more marginalized groups and even to bring them into the life of the movement among students who are marginalized poses a challenge in addressing the question of class within the movement. Very few movements are considered exemplary of this in the context of a majority middle-class and elitist academic community.

While the SCMs have encountered many problems with fundamentalist Christians in and outside the campuses, many do not have a clear sense of the SCMs' role in student ministry and witness. Being located in the midst of a majority middle-class and

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elitist academic community, many movements seem complacent of their social status. It has further weakened or reduced the possibility of making an option to identify and work with marginalized groups and people for as long as the question of class is not addressed. Related closely to this state is the rapid changing character of education and its system within the waves of change towards a single globalized market economy. In a more subtle but aggressive manner, the education system is designed to produce agents to serve and fit into the market successfully. The old noble notion of SCMs being the agents of social change and transformation has now eroded. Instead, students are largely being produced to be the agents of Globalization based on the ideology of dominant development. Many SCMs and students have become co – opted into thinking that such education is good for modernization. They become uncritical of the dominant science and technology programs and paradigms, which may have contributed to the crisis of economy and ecology towards destruction of life and people.

Sharing Lessons and Insights

There were many lessons learned and insights gained which could be shared with the SCMs of the region. It is hoped that by sharing these, readers may be able to draw some pertinent issues and suggestions for discussion in the form of collective / self-critical reflection and evaluation of their own movement. However, the concrete plans, actions and responsibility belong to the new generations of students in preparation for the 21st century and the future (100 years) of WSCF.

An underlying critic who comes with all the above-said points is that a new framework of social analysis and new eyes for reading the Bible, one that integrates the perspectives of women and ecology, are sorely wanting. This framework takes on both a sharp feminist analysis of the socio-economic and politico –

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cultural structures, and a deep repentant self-critical reflection of one's own lifestyle and cultural value system. Accompanied by these tools is the radical need to develop new thinking and renew vision in the face of a deep ideological crisis more recently. New and creative forms of in-depth and critical studies are an urgent need for new input in order to comprehend the complexity of the various structures and systems at work in society. This double task of acquiring new tools for analysis and re-visioning is crucial for injecting new life into the movement. All other related areas linked closely to structures, leadership and movement –building and which require a redress would take the cue and direction resulting from this double task if carried out seriously.

Dreaming dreams and embracing visions is a proud tradition and heritage of WSCF since its foundation. Perhaps some dreams and visions have collapsed or eroded along the way. However, the Bible speaks of the outpouring of the Spirit inspiring people to embrace new dreams and new visions (Joel and Acts 2). Prophets like Jeremiah speaks of God setting one apart for a specific mission within a particular socio-political context to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant (Jer 1: 10). Jesus, in preaching the good news of the coming reign of God, compares it with the reality of life in parables — new wine is put into fresh wineskins and no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment (Matt 9:14-17).

These powerful images and symbols portrayed by the prophets and Jesus contain deep messages for they speak to our time and state of crisis or disarray even within the organization and structure of SCM and WSCF. Old dreams and old visions, old structures and old wine cannot fill up but will only burst the new wineskins. Likewise, new dreams, new visions, new structures and new wine will not match but burst the old wineskins. Therefore one should trust in the Spirit to send new dreams and visions; to lead one to pluck up and to break down; to destroy and to overthrow; to build and to plant; to pour and preserve new wine into new wineskins; to re – tailor a new piece of unshrunk cloth for a new garment.

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Conclusion

The WSCF is celebrating 100 years of its glorious history. Students of the '90s are moving into an era of the 21st century. What is or will be the character and lifestyle of the students and the movement as they journey into the new era? Who will determine and mould this character? Given the moving trend towards a single system of globalized economy as dictated by the powerful nations, what is the concrete response of the SCMs and WSCF for the next decade and century? What will be the movement character, vision and mission of the SCMs and WSCF in the next decade and 100 years?

Will the SCMs and WSCF take the challenges of dreaming new dreams and seeing new visions, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant, to pour and keep new wine in the new wineskins, to make a new cloth on a new garment? Jesus reminds us of the need to be born again of the Spirit in order to enter into and inherit the reign of God. Do we not need this born again Spirit to meet and welcome the challenges so that people will be filled with a new pioneering spirit of being the cutting edge again? Do we not need new dreamers and visionaries, new wine makers and tailors, new builders and planters, new hearts and new minds? We need also new prophets (female and male) to discern the signs of our time amongst the new generations of students.

Let us then walk together on a new journey in search of life and its wholeness for a new humanity and society.

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Young women from Bangladesh SCM having a time for themselves and with themselves during a Women doing Theology Workshop in Dhaka in June 1995.