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Reflecting on the realities of Ecumenical Youth Movement in Asia-Pacific

 

This is an exercise helping the participants to link up the inputs from the resource persons and the realities of SCM and NCC Youth nowadays. The participants shared their comments in the following four areas of the Ecumenical Youth Movement in light of the future of church and the more wider Ecumenical Movement.

 

1.Strengths

·                  Ecumenical Movement combining all spirits together in colour, sex, age, religion etc.

·                  Alliance with Social Movements, study groups (Academic)

·                  Challenge by other Faiths

·                  Inter denominational Exchange dialogue.

·                  Solidarity for common issues.

·                  Social Issues

·                  Communication and network

·                  International Support

·                  Youth Student Alliance

·                  Christian Faith

·                  Network with different denominations

·                  Fund raising among churches

·                  Alternative media

·                  Provide social service/ welfare/education

·                  Basic Masses exposure Integration

·                  Well organized structure

·                  Enthusiastic individuals

·                  Members with potentials

·                  Internet

·                  Network Alliances

·                  Legacy/history/heritage/organization

·                  Remnant Theology

·                  SCM in high school (Sri Lanka) building base and integration with society

·                  Provides a window/mirror for reflection for Christians/churches not concerned with social justice and the welfare of humans

·                  Ecumenical Movement is a Church body and not confined by nation state borders

 

 

2. Weaknesses

·                  Little knowledge of ecumenism within churches

·                  Little interest in social issues amongst the churches and skipping is often a political decision

·                  Lack of continuity between the older generation (senior friends) and youth

·                  Isolation

·                  No education for from churches about ecumenism.

·                  Limit time and energy

·                  Individualism vs social concerns

·                  Communication barriers

·                  Finance

·                  Increasing concentration of power hierarchy

·                  Lack of genuine commitment for ecumenism

·                  Lots of talking and no actions

·                  Lack of knowledge and understanding

·                  Competition for survival among individual, church and movement

·                  Globalization value

·                  Evangelism groups mobilization

·                  Hierarchy of churches

·                  Power politics in the ecumenical movement

·                  Discriminative social system in the churches (caste system)

·                  Patriarchy in church

·                  Gender imbalance in the church, for example, in the church structure

·                  Nationalism

·                  Lack of leadership

·                  Diminishing membership

·                  Constrained by bureaucracy and government

·                  Over workload of students

·                  Lack of interest in politics and social issues

 

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3. Opportunity

·                  Attending seminars, networking, building alliance

·                  Besides current social issues, increasing contradictions within the global community means that the youth groups' analysis has greater relevance to society.

·                  No education from the church.

·                  Communication / sharing and network

·                  International network and support

·                  Learning

·                  Youth and Student alliance

·                  Meet new people

·                  Inter-religious dialogue

·                  Inter social-life-community dialogue

·                  Mass Media

·                  Nationalism

·                  Alliances

·                  Cross cultural communication

·                  New knowledge and experiences

 

 

4. Threats

·                  Church concept of "worldliness" in relation to social issue

·                  Fundamental student Christian groups makes it very difficult to talk about ecumenism and social justice (anti-human attitude)

·                  Political oppression, suppression and violence (assassination)

·                  Government policy

·                  Social and political discrimination against Christians

·                  Conservative church and theology

·                  Social trend

·                  Intensifying globalization

·                  Power of money and military

·                  Diminishing space for democracy and rights

·                  War and conflicts

·                  Lack of interest and support from family, friends, church and society

·                  Relationship with governments

·                  "Conquer" model in evangelism

·                  Mass Media

·                  Chauvinistic nationalism

·                  Globalization

·                  Comfort zone of students and youth

·                  Isolation of student and youth groups

·                  Government

·                  Communal conflicts

·                  Apathy