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Workshops

 

The Assembly did much of its work in small discussion groups which reported back to workshop plenaries.  With aliti4ist 300 young people debating the workshop topics, you can imagine that many issues were raised, some resolved, some not.  The workshop reports are summaries of the common looking of the participants.  They reflect the depth and vitality of the workshop discussions.  Certainly, hardly any item on the ecumenical agenda escaped attention.

The workshop reports were drafted after each workshop plenary had examined a rough draft.  The final draft was then submitted to a plenary of the whole assembly on the final day. We hope these reports will not only inform readers what happened in Delhi but, more importantly stimulate further debate and discussion around the region.

The Drama and Art Workshop did not present a written report. Their presentation came at the closing act when a powerful play was presented and a banner depicting people’s struggle was unfurled.  However, the workshop did submit some proposals for follow-up of their work which are being acted upon.

 

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1.   IDEOLOGY, THEOLOGY AND A NEW POLITICAL VISION

 

In the past decades, Asian people have been influenced by many ideologies. Most obvious have been the colonial ideology of domination and service of a foreign power which was replaced by the ideology of national independence and sovereigns.  The newly independent states then developed ideologies of "nation-building",  "national development" and, increasingly, "national security".

The peop!es' hopes have not beenfu4filled: unequal distribution of national wealth, neo-colonial control by foreign powers which prop up dictatorial local elites, increasing repression and militarisation, cynical ideological manipulation of the people.

Asian peoples' movements have grown during the past two decades into a powerful force.  Their ideologies centre on self-determination and national democracy and identify neocolonialism as a major force to be opposed.

However, in each national situation a need remains for a integrated new political vision for Asia to be developed and articulated.  Asian youth must be in the forefront of this.

 

Present Realities

Foreign influence and a modern capitalist sector (industrial and business) characterise Asian societies to differing degrees.  Ethnic and religious diversity typifies the Asian reality.  Trends in the operation of national governments include:

a.       The state operates to advance capitalism.  An elite clique of interest groups combine to form a ruling class and to serve the interests of big monopoly capital.

b.       The development of agricultural capitalism ensures the continuing influence of landed interests.

c.       The increasing power of the state and its use of social control is seen in authoritarian regimes.  These regimes sponsor militarisation, undermine the independence of the judiciary and impose pervasive ideological control in the name of democracy

 

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and benevolence.

In some ways the role of religion seems to be increasing.  This is seen both in terms of the church hierarchy supporting the status quo with increasing vigour and in the tendency of some Christians to work for social change by siding with the poor.

Similarly, forms of Christian discipleship and youth participation are changing form and polarising: the increase in revivalist fundamentalists and charismatic groups as against the increasing disillusionment of youth with theology and the church (especially in the case of those youth involved in political struggles).

 

Ideology

Ideology is the way a group of people views the world and their place in it.  Or it may be the motivation for a group to act in a particular way.  Ideology may be hidden or brought into the open where it can be analysed and evaluated.

Churches, races, economic classes, political systems act to support and sustain their own ideology.  Their ideologies may oppress or liberate people.

In the Asia-Pacific context there are ideologies which justify economic exploitation, political domination and foreign intervention.  There are also ideologies which challenge the ruling ideologies, try to open the minds of the people, encourage the fight against injustice and which promote a vision of a new life.

Does conventional Christian theology oppress or liberate?

 

Critical Theology

Today, theology is in the hands of the powerful and is used by them to subjugate the poor.  The existing theology of the powerful is concerned solely about the spiritual and has nothing to do with issues of justice.  The available theology is Western and it is used as an ideology to oppress the poor.  The dominating group's exclusive authority over the Gospel has also resulted in the alienation of the Christians from their particular culture.

Western theology has expounded a wonderful, triumphant theology.  But we find Jesus in our suffering.  This is a new emphasis.  Theology has something to say on the unjust social structure.  But theology should be able to criticize itself — a theological critique of theology.

For example some Western theologians will quote Romans 13 and say that authority should be universally respected.  But if we

 

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have a critical understanding of the passage then we see that just the opposite is being stated.

Also theology must criticise ideology when it claims to be absolute.  National chauvinism, totalitarianism, and patriarchy in any form must be theologically and politically criticised.  Theology itself must be criticised when it claims absolute rights.

 

Asian Theology

The Christian responsibility is to liberate people.  Theology comes out of the particular context of the liberating experience of the people through a process of reinterpretation and of being faithful to the scriptures.

Likewise an Asian theology should come out of the specific experience of the people.

Jesus Christ's message was one of release from any kind of oppression.  He announced the Kingdom of God which is:

-          hope for the oppressed,

-          wholeness for individuals and society.

Because of our understanding of Jesus Christ as Liberator, we consider that the essential aspect of our political vision must also be one of liberation.  Liberation: the establishment of justice. justice: the release of the oppressed from what binds them.

 

Our Vision

Our vision includes therefore:

-          struggle against foreign domination towards self-determination.

-          transformation of the state, feudal and capitalist systems of exploitation.

-          development of new social relations on the basis of equality and justice.

-          faith and ideology giving strength to popular movements.

 

Agenda

We need to develop ways to free people from physical oppression, ideologies which enslave the mind and spirit, and economic, political and religious structures which oppress.

The struggles of the poor pave the way for the emergence of a new ecumenism based, not on the unity of the established churches, but on the universal unity of the poor.  The strategy includes a continuous critique of the existing ecumenical movement.

The ecumenical movement must work in two areas:

 

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1.       Participating in the Peoples' struggles and peoples' movements.

2.       Challenging the churches to be faithful to the struggle of the people; changing the structures so that these may be used to liberate not oppress.