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Proceedings
of the
CCA-WSCF
Joint Programme '95
A Celebration and
Renewal of SCMs in Asia-Pacific
The CCA-WSCF Joint Programme '95, or briefly CWP '95, began with the
arrival of most of the participants on the first of April 1995 at the Bangkok
YMCA in
This year's programme was also the biggest in terms of attendance with
both the students and student workers attending and senior friends coming from
the academe, university chaplaincies and church leadership, as well as
ecumenical organizations. This year there was also a broader representation
from outside
After sharing lunch together, the group gathered for an informal
get-together and community building, sharing something of themselves, their
countries or places of origin and the issues being faced there through creative
exercises.
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The subsequent sessions of the CCA-WSCF Joint Programme '95 were moderated
alternately daily by Park Sang Jung, a senior friend of the SCM/WSCF and former
general secretary of the CCA; and Amanda Tibbey,
current chairperson of WSCF A-P Regional Committee.
Henriette Hutabarat Lebang, associate general secretary of the Christian
Conference of Asia (CCA) and Wong Wai Ching, regional secretary of the World Student Christian
Federation (WSCF) Asia-Pacific Region each gave a brief history and background
of the CWP during the orientation on the second of April 1995.
CWP is a long-time
covenant always re-affirmed...
Ery Hutabarat traced the
history of the Joint Programme back to 1966 when both the CCA and WSCF
Asia-Pacific made a conviction to fulfil their common ecumenical responsibilities
in the university world in
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students, SCMs' senior friends, university
chaplains and academics, and church leaders. It is also special because it is
part of the region's celebration of the WSCF's
centennial anniversary in 1995.
CWP is a covenant for
taking Jesus' commission seriously...
Wai Ching described the
CWP as an effort and determination of both the CCA and WSCF A-P to pull our
energies and resources together as students and academic communities and as
churches and ecumenical bodies to fight the forces of injustice in this region.
Although there is a continuing tension between the SCMs' more radical
socio-political engagements and the more conservative sectors of the churches,
still the CCA and WSCF must continue to work in faith and partnership for the
cause of taking Jesus' commission seriously, that of seeking peace for and
among the least of our neighbors. The call to act faithfully with
God, therefore means the need to work together to overcome the differences and
tensions, review with courage our weaknesses and seek ways to move beyond them
and to envision anew God's call to build and plant peace and justice in our
societies.
The CWP '95 Process...
Wai Ching then went on
to describe the process of renewing this covenant during the CWP '95 gathering:
through a critical examination of ecumenical student ministry amidst the
present dynamics of Asia-Pacific; a critical analysis of the spiritual,
political and economic changes of university campuses and the needs and problems
of students; and a sharing of strategies and vision for building stronger and
more effective SCMs with concerted efforts from the churches. These shall be
done through worship and Bible studies,
panel presentations, small groups reflections and analyses; and creative
workshops.
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The Opening Worship
The CCA-WSCF Joint Programme '95 formally opened with the opening
worship and celebration held at the
The task of building
and planting begins with one's self-worth...
Harry Daniel gave an inspiring homily of how senior friends can learn a
lot from the students instead of the students always having to listen to the
older senior friends. He also cited the importance of finding and affirming the
value of every individual person as inherent in the development of everyone's
character. He used the illustration of a teacher who affirmed that value in his
own life and so helped him become what he is now. Sharing something of his own
experiences in the SCM and how it helped to shape his perspective and his
being, he paid tribute to the students and student workers who in their
youthful, idealistic and sincere ways try to make changes in society through
the SCMs. He also paid tribute to the senior friends who continue to provide
the necessary support and encouragement to the students. He then offered a
moving prayer of thanksgiving and blessing.
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The task of building
demands uprooting...
Athea Penaloza, a student
from SCM Philippines, gave a message for the future calling on the youth and
students and the churches to unite and work together in solidarity with the
struggling peasants and workers of Asian societies. She said the issues confronting the academic
community are but part and parcel of the problems faced by society at large.
She also called for the need to uproot and destroy the weeds that obstruct the
work for peace with justice before any rebuilding and replanting of a new
society can be done.
Words of Greetings
After the opening worship, greetings were said by the following: Chanajit Ismangi, pastor of Second
Church; Sint Kimachandra,
general secretary of the Church of Christ in Thailand; Prakai
Nontawasee, president of the CCA; and Surakit Kamonrat, chairperson of
Thai SCM. This was followed by a tea reception at the social hall of the
Keynote Addresses
The keynote addresses were given by Kyaw Than,
current chair of the History Working Group of the WSCF and Amanda Tibbey, current chair of the WSCF A-P Regional Committee.
SCM/WSCF has role in
both the university and society...
Kyaw Than traced the historical development of the
role of the SCM/WSCF on university concern, highlighting the various emphases
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at different stages of its history. He showed
how these emphases are based on the realities of the times, such as the need to
manifest unity that the world may believe and the need to examine what it means
to be Christian in the midst of social and political challenges. A later need
was to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ through
examining the nature and purpose of the university and the relation between
Christian faith and the various intellectual disciplines. Then came the idea of
responsible university in
SCM/WSCF strives to do
incarnational theology...
Mandy spoke on the perspectives of the current Asia-Pacific regional
committee. She described the theology
which helped shape the perspectives and programmes of the regional committee as
incarnational theology and way of life: to be fully
part of the world God made and to be fully engaged in its struggles. She
enumerated the current priorities of the region which include the following:
women's participation, critique on development, socialism and new perspectives,
justice for indigenous people, human rights, bible study and worship,
inter-faith dialogue, becoming really Asia-Pacific, links with China and
Vietnam, towards student-led
movements, challenges of fundamentalism, issue of resources and
sharing, issue of global styles of work, and ecumenical linkages and
partnerships. Reminding senior friends of how they could have behaved and been
regarded by their own parents and grandparents when they were students, Mandy
concluded her talk with a plea: ...it
would be marvelous if all of us could
suspend judgment of the current crop of SCMers in our countries.... Instead,
let us take a leap of faith, ask these young people onto our committees, invite
them to give talks to our church
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fellowship of young
people, invite them to afternoon tea, give them a grant of church funds to help
their work, because we may be surprised...perhaps, just perhaps, it might be
the work of God.
Biblical Reflection 1
The third day of April began with a morning worship followed by a
biblical reflection led by Monica Melanchthon,
current adviser of the WSCF Women's Commission.
Using the theme of the day, The Current Intellectual, Ideological and
Spiritual Climate in the Universities of Asia-Pacific Region, Monica based her
first biblical reflection on the Wisdom of Solomon 15:7-13 which tells of how a
potter can make something out of the same lump of clay - it may be good like
vessels or bad like idols. She related this to the manner in which an
individual uses/misuses his/her education - for the good of humankind or
personal advancement and gain; towards a more egalitarian society and better
distribution of resources or towards continuing to emphasize and support the
existing structures that demean and suppress those with less power – a basic
question of the underlying ideology that decides how an individual employs the
knowledge attained. She pointed to the other gods in today's time such as
materialism, consumerism and individualism which have also become the normative
prism for our faith.
After the biblical reflection, participants divided into small groups
for more sharing and reflection. Monica gave the following guidelines for the
break-up groups: characterize the modem day potter and identify other idols or
symptoms of idolatry; discuss the idea that education is a source of power;
discuss God-centred wisdom; think of practical
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things for the SCM and the church to do to
change the existing ideology.
Panel 1 Presentations
Presentations on the first panel topic which was the day's theme,
Intellectual, Ideological and Spiritual Climate of the University, were made
by Feliciano V. Carino, general
secretary of the NCC Philippines, Edwina Hunter of Australian SCM and Joyce Masih of Indian SCM. Prof. Wang Yi-bing,
programme specialist in higher education at the UNESCO Principle Regional
Office in
An ideological drift
on campuses...
Feli Carino recalled affirmations made in previous
CCA-WSCF Joint Programmes on the task of the SCMs to be a part of a double
renewal: (a) ongoing search for new ways of understanding and expressing the
meaning of Christian faith and of the life of the church; and (b) they must
reflect theologically in the midst of their work for the renewal of the
educational enterprise and the society. This vision however has largely been
ignored or has remained unfulfilled and has even resulted to a greater
deterioration of a double alienation of the SCMs from the churches and the
university. This could be caused by the changes in the socio-political-economic
realities of the region and the collapse of socialism. The subsequent results
are privatization of economic life and economic amelioration which further led
to the privatization of intellectual and vocational goals and an ideological
drift. Similarly the appeal for personal help and salvation of the more
conservative and evangelical campus groups has become attractive to people in
academic communities. In the absence of any compelling ideological alternatives,
religious traditions and prescriptions become bearers of social vision, social
cohesion and identity, or even social conflict and
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division. Religion then becomes the new
political reason for conflict or the new reason for the imagining of a new
political and social community that has not yet been found.
Emerging signs of
campus activism...
Edwina Hunter spoke of the ideological climate of all Australian
universities which has been altered by the effects of the end of the Cold War
and the subsequent discrediting of Marxism and socialism through the demise of
communism in
A declining influence
of SCM...
Joyce Masih described how everything about
universities in
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teachers. The SCM influence seems to be
declining whereas the evangelical groups seem to be more successful in
influencing more people.
Higher education also
needs reform...
Wang Yi-bing cited the fact that with increase
in enrollment of students in higher education,
there is also higher graduate unemployment. But there is no equivalent increase
in public funding for higher education; instead, as coping mechanisms, open
universities have been set up, privatization encouraged and entrepreneurial
activities tolerated. Asia-Pacific is a region of contrasts, diversity and
massive changes. The changes in society pose considerable problems and
pressures for higher education systems to meet current and emerging needs.
Higher education must therefore emphasize review, innovation and reform to keep
up with the changes in society.
After the panel presentations, a brief open forum was held with
questions raised by the participants to the concerned presenters. Then they
broke into small discussion groups for wider participation and deeper
reflection.
Creative Workshops
The afternoon session was spent in the creative workshops. Teams of
SCMers and senior friends helped to plan and facilitate three creative workshops:
shadow play was facilitated by Philippine SCM; drama was facilitated by Amanda Tibbey/Australian SCM and Lawrence Tan/Singapore SCM; and
dance and music facilitated by Daniel Peter/India SCM. These workshops were avenues for creatively
sharing and expressing their thoughts, feelings and reflections on the issues
raised during the day as well as a time to appreciate something of the
different cultures in
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International Forum
In the evening of the third day, an international forum was held on the
theme, Lessons from Yesterday, Challenges for Today and Tasks for Tomorrow.
Sharing on this theme were students and senior friends from the other regions
and the WSCF Inter-Regional Office, led by Jean-Francois Delteil
and Clarissa Balan-Sycip, co-secretaries general of
the WSCF.
This group continued to meet as the University Concerns Group during the
break-up discussion sessions. They also held another session on 8th April to
finalize their statement, a draft of which was presented at the plenary session
of the programme. This draft is found in the Appendix of this report. It
consists of three parts: (1) analysis of the present condition of higher
education; (2) needs of the academic community to which SCM/WSCF should
respond; and (3) strategies for responding to student, faculty and
institutional needs.
Biblical Reflection 2
Following the morning worship on the fourth day of April, Monica Melanchthon gave her second biblical reflection which
focused on the theme of the day, The Contemporary Problems and Needs of
Students m the Universities. Using the book of Jonah as the text, (specifically
4:6-11), she described the clash of Jonah's (human) values shown in
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his anger over the death of the plant that
earlier sheltered him and God's (divine) values shown in God's forgiveness for
the people of
From the text, Monica picked out the following issues for the break-up groups
to reflect on: contrast between personal/human values and divine values or
contrast between the material and spiritual worlds; the modem day Ninevehs clamoring for attention
(human rights problems including those of women, dalits,
children, physically/mentally challenged, indigenous people, racial minorities,
gays and lesbians, and problems of poverty, illiteracy, nuclear warfare,
north-south, east-west, black-white, man-woman, etc.; and the tendency for
spiritual pride like Jonah's which we should all strive to avoid.
Panel 2 Presentations
Presentations for Panel 2 topic. Contemporary Problems and Needs of
Students in Today's Universities, were made by Sandy Yule, professor of the
University of Melbourne in Australia, Emerald Nyo,
lecturer of Myanmar Institute of Theology (read by Alvina
Tapah) of Myanmar, Jega Ponnambalam of the Asian Students Association, Alex Tuhin Sen of Bangladesh SCM and
Melissa Tan of Singapore SCM.
Students need care,
support and resources...
Sandy Yule shared his understanding of the basic needs of students in
Asia-Pacific, seen from the perspective of a teacher: (1) teachers who
genuinely care for their learning; (2) to be supported/affirmed by universities
in their community involvement; and (3) resources for gathering together,
spiritual formation and integrative study.
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Both students and
teachers have many needs...
Emerald Nyo listed the needs of students in
Students' needs have
political-economic-social spheres...
Jega Ponnambalam who
spoke from the perspective of the Asian Students Association described the
needs of students in Asia-Pacific as varied and change with their respective
situations. But basically these needs may be classified according to political,
economic and social spheres. Politically, students need to develop a deeper and
updated analysis of their society along with intellectuals and other sectors in
order to keep abreast with the changing world. Economically, students need to
be aware of present economic policies and their effects on people's lives;
students need to break the myth that economics is only for those trained in it
for the real effects of this are vivid in the lives of exploitation and
oppression of the poor in
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Students need
arms-free education...
Alex Tuhin Sen said
students in Bangladesh need universities that are free from arms and the
influence of political parties (some students are supplied with weapons to
terminate rival parties; campus violence has often resulted in closure of
universities which then hampers the studies of students). They also need
teachers who are sincere, experienced and are fair to all their students. They
need more educational institutions so more students could avail of higher
education. They need more subsidy in education (government has given 100%
subsidy to military and 70% to education) and more textbooks in their language.
Above all, the problem of poverty in
Students need space to
speak out…
Melissa Tan shared that in
After the panel presentations, the participants raised questions with
the presenters and then went into their respective discussion groups for
further reflection. In the afternoon the creative workshops continued.
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Biblical Reflection 3
Following the morning worship on the fifth of April, Archie Lee,
professor of the
In the break-up groups that were made to further reflect on the Bible
study, Archie suggested for SCMs and senior friends to share what messages they
heard from the prophet in terms of situation, vision and vocation, and to
describe the vision and strategies of SCM in relation to the prophet's word.
Panel 3 Presentations
Presentations on Panel 3 topic, Strategies and Vision: Movement Building
of SCMs, were made by Kwon Jin Kwan of Korea, professor of the Song Kong Hoe
University in Seoul, Korea; Necta Montes, a senior friend of the SCM
Philippines; Quintus Fernando of Sri Lanka SCM and Michael Wallace of
Aotearoa-New Zealand SCM.
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Solidarity building
and organizing as base communities...
Kwon Jin Kwan described the SCM of Korea as very much affected by the
drastic changes that are happening within and outside
New challenge of the
ecumenical youth movement...
Necta Monies spoke of movement building as the central strategy for both
the national SCMs and the WSCF Asia-Pacific Region. At the national level it
includes: organizing, mobilizing students to join SCM units; participation of
SCMs in local struggles and campaigns on student and sectoral issues; and education and leadership
development. At the regional level, it includes: supporting and providing
resources to facilitate movement building in the national level; providing
venues for networking and linkaging
of SCMs in various countries for exchange and solidarity; and leadership
formation programs with specific stress on women leadership development. There is an emerging challenge to the SCM,
especially in the
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Student Christian
Movement re-defined...
Quintus Fernando shared that movement building of Sri Lanka SCM is
outlined by the following definitions: student movement developing its identity
within the university/school community and dealing with student-related issues;
Christian movement building up the true
Christian identity; socio-political movement creating deeper awareness about
socio-political issues and relating with other socio-political organizations;
and humanitarian movement striving to act in favor of
human rights and women's rights.
Keeping a balance of
Student, Christian and Movement…
Michael Wallace spoke of some factors which have contributed to the
renewal and which form part of vision for SCM in Aotearoa/New Zealand: SCM
needs to reclaim the Christian faith by being strong in our identity as
disciples of Jesus Christ and being familiar with the stories and traditions of
our faith. SCM must also be strong in our ecumenical identity, welcoming not
just Christians but even people of other faith or of no faith. SCM must not
just be an alternative to other Christian groups, but also to mainstream
society. Therefore, our programmes aim
to have a balance of three things:
Student -responding to the immediate concerns of students; Christian -
encouraging the exploration of the Bible, sharing and celebration of the
diversity of Christian traditions, facilitating spiritual growth and empowering
student in their Christian journeys; and Movement - informing students of the
realities of the political situation, teaching students to critique society and
to hear the stories of people's movements.
After the panel presentations, participants raised questions with the
presenters and then broke into small discussion groups for further sharing and
reflection. In the afternoon, the
creative workshops continued.
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Biblical Reflection 4
After the morning worship on the sixth of April, Archie Lee gave the
fourth biblical reflection which focused on the day's theme, The Response of
Christian Communities to Student Ministry.
This reflection was based on selected passages from the books of
Jeremiah (especially chapters 27, 28 and 29) and Zechariah 2:2-5. Archie described the political dimension of
the conflict at the time of Jeremiah and the prophet's role of interpreting the
law and its tradition in the new social context with new perspectives and
innovative ideas. He highlighted the prophet's advice to the exilic community
to stay together and work for the shalom and well-being of the society. He then used the vision of Zechariah, of
In the break-up groups that followed, Archie suggested discussion and
sharing on the understanding of well-being (shalom) in the various situations
of the participants and how it can be achieved and the implications of the
image of a city without walls on the mission of the SCM and the churches.
Panel 4 Presentations
Presentations for Panel 4 topic, Churches' Response to Student Ministry,
were made by Christine Ledger, director of Christian World
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Service of the Australian Council of Churches; Aris Pongtuluran, professor of
the Teachers' College Graduate School in
Churches need to learn
to trust young people again...
Chris Ledger stated that it is impossible to be a member of SCM and be
neutral about the church. For even when
their relationship is strained, for the SCM the churches are important, never
irrelevant. The SCM, however small, provides an extraordinary number of young
leaders to the churches and councils of churches; therefore it is imperative
that SCM claim and nurture its basic ecumenical vocation which makes it
distinctive from other Christian groups whose identity is para-church
or non-denominational and so peripheral to the ecumenical life of the churches.
There is also an ongoing need for the SCMs to be open and intently listening to
the questions and concerns of young people today whose deep spiritual yearning
is not being addressed in an increasingly materialistic dollar driven world;
therefore through its open minded reading of the Bible, the SCM may provide a
place where students may find the grounding in values to guide them in pursuing
justice, peace and love in such a world. It is time for SCM and the churches to
leave behind the trauma in their relationship which marked the 1960s; instead,
it is imperative for them to address the rapidly changing world in which they
live today and to understand the stresses and strains on a world in pain and to
find a community of prayer and loving action. Churches therefore need to learn
to trust young people again and to provide them with resources to undertake their
own ministry in their own way with the freedom to make their own mistakes.
Churches also must be encouraged, as suggested by CCA and WSCF A-P, to host
national consultations to address the needs of student ministry today.
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Students and churches
need to learn from each other...
According to Aris Pongtuluran,
there is a slowing down of SCM activities in
Church and SCM cannot
work apart from each other...
Zarmina Kelash said that in
Pakistan, the SCM is a movement that provides not only opportunities for
Christian worship, Bible study, personal counseling and
programs of reflection and fellowship, but that it also aims to inculcate
awareness among Christian students about their duty of initiating changes in
society. Through SCM we have learned to adapt ourselves as a minority in a
Muslim country. Aside from being a creative force in the socio-political
changes for a just society, the SCM must also work for the renewal of the
university and the church. The church and SCM cannot work apart from each
other. It is the duty of the church to take initiative to promote and build SCM
and to support it also financially. While the SCM is better based on each
campus and led by students themselves, it must maintain mutual relations with
the church. It must be open to other denominations and its programs flexible
enough to meet the changing needs of students.
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Churches need to update
their view of student ministry...
Tsai Cheng Tao said most churches in
Campus ministry as
partnership of denominations...
Clyde Robinson said that in the past, majority of the campus ministries
sponsored by mainline denominations in the
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heavily invested in the student movement and,
particularly, the WSCF. Most of us believed that the past efforts to establish
a student Christian movement in the
After the presentations, a brief open forum was held with participants
raising questions for the presenters. Then they went into their small break-up
groups for more sharing and discussion. In the afternoon, the creative
workshops continued.
Workshops and general discussion filled up the morning session of the
seventh of April. In the afternoon, the
draft statements on the University Concerns Group and the CCA-WSCF Joint
Programme '95 were heard, revised and received (please see pages 37 and
following and pages 24 and following for the texts of these statements). A
solidarity letter (see page 48 for the text) was also made and signed by the
participants for Sitthipong Kalayanee,
a Thai SCM senior friend who was recently arrested by the police for his
organizing work among the Burmese people at the Thai-Burma border.
The CCA-WSCF Joint Programme '95 then culminated in a closing worship
and celebration. Highlights of the culturally colorful
service included a Thai song of challenge composed, sung and choreographed
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by Ruth Srisuwan for
the CWP '95 and a commitment song, Solidarity Lyric, composed by the Dance and
Music Workshop Group. It was followed by
a special dinner and a cultural night for celebrating 100 years of WSCF and the
ongoing collaboration of the CCA and WSCF A-P in the region.