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Preface

The World Student Christian Federation Asia-Pacific Region is very pleased to publish this 19th book in our Book Series. This is a selection of biblical reflections and consultation papers by Ahn Jae-Woong, a former Regional Secretary of the WSCF A-P and the present Executive Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia-Urban Rural Mission (CCA-URM).

This book comes at a time when WSCP is celebrating its centenary in fall 1995. In our last issue of the WSCF Asia-Pacific Book Series (no. 18), Frank Engel, our former East Asian Secretary, kindly provides us with his intelligent analysis of the history of our region. Following Frank's substantial reflection from his experience in the last issue, this book comprises of essays written out of a faithful journey of another important person in WSCF Asia-Pacific, Ann Jae-Woong, a former staff of the region. It tells of a journey of a person who has committed seriously to both his Christian faith and actions for peace and justice and tried to bridge the two throughout his ecumenical career. The sharing of Jae-Woong's journey in faith in the God of justice, love and peace, I believe, is his best way to contribute to the "cloud of witness" of the 100th years of WSCF history.

It is Jae-Woong's passion for justice and peace for the general peoples in Asia-Pacific and his insightful assertion of God's presence among them that give this book its vigour. This selection is representative of his continuing struggle, through his life as well as work/career, to bridge the gap between the intellectual community, including academics and students (which he served through the WSCF and which he continues to actively support up to this day) and the grassroots community, including labourers, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups (which he now serves through CCA-URM). It is his belief that the two must work together "in order to build a genuine humane community in our midst."

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God in Our Midst is the title Jae-Woong rightly appropriates for his essays. Reflecting on his long time struggle against various repressive forces in his personal life and among the marginalized peoples through his work/career. God in Our Midst does not only proclaim the faith that has deeply grounded in him as a Christian, but also challenges politically the legitimacy of the repressive authorities in our societies. The essays say it loud and clear that God is on the side of the peoples who struggle for a humane society but not on the side of the existing powers.

This selection consists of some biblical meditations delivered to various local congregations and at university chapels; some essays which were presented at various ecumenical consultations; and some other essays presented at Jae-Woong's own institution at various occasions. It contains a wide spectrum of thought and insights on different biblical passages incorporating various concerns.

The WSCF A-P finds a lot of food for thought in all these essays, hence the publication of this book for sharing with our wider constituency. We in the WSCF A-P believe in and strive to live out the process of praxis, which is the process of relating our faith with action, our theology with life's struggles, our faith with social reality. Jae-Woong's essays are a proof of that. The title, God in Our Midst, affirms that God is indeed with us in all our struggles in this material world. Being so, our faith cannot just be detached from social reality, our theology cannot just be separated from life's struggles.

It is our hope in the WSCF A-P that readers of this book will find new insights even from old texts from the Bible; and new challenges even from old faith affirmations such as that. God is (indeed) in our midst.

Lastly, a special note of thanks to Cecibel Perez and Hope S. Antone for their generous assistance in encoding-typesetting the manuscript and the editorial process and to Ahn Joon-Hyun for the artwork.

Wong Wai Ching

Regional Secretary

February 1995