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The Ecumenical Task of
Asian Student Christian Movements
The late sixties and
early 70's was a period of dramatic and sometimes traumatic change, for the
world in general and for churches and universities in particular.
Early in the period
(1966), the then East Asia Christian Conference and the World Student Christian
Federation agreed on a common approach to the ecumenical task in the academic
world. Sixteen eventful years later, their representatives met again to review
the agreement, reflect on experience gleaned and bring forward proposals for
the future.
Thirty seven
participants, invited by the Christian Conference of Asia and the World Student
Christian Federation Asia-Pacific Regional Committee, met at the Tao Fong Shan
Ecumenical Centre, Hong Kong, 1-5 March 1982. The Rev.
Harry Daniel served as Moderator. The opening worship in the Tao Fong Shan
chapel was led by the Rev. Alan Chorchoi Chan (a
member of the CCA Presidium) and the Rev. David Rodriguez (Chairperson of the
WSCF Asia-Pacific region I.
The encounter proved to
be as enriching as it was overdue. Misunderstandings were removed and new
possibilities for collaboration glimpsed. There was a recognition of the need
to elaborate an Asian perspective on theological and political aspects of the
development of the ecumenical movement, lest we fall into a Euro centric view
of our own past.
Participants found
themselves, as the report puts it, "sharing a vision". The following
material from the consultation is offered to the two sponsoring bodies, to SCM's, churches and national council of churches, in the
hope and with the prayer that they may share it too.
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Sharing a Vision
1.
In 1966, representatives of Churches in Asia embodied in the East
Asia Christian Conference (EACC), now the Christian
Conference of Asia (CCA), and Student Christian Movements (SCMs) embodied in
the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), met in Hong Kong and forged a
covenant in which they committed themselves to a common ecumenical vision and
strategy for work among universities in the region.
2.
On the one hand, this covenant committed the WSCF, through its
Asia Committee, to plan and implement a sustained program for the life and
witness of the Christian community in the Asian academic world. On the other,
it bound the churches, through the EACC to recognize
and support the WSCF as the ecumenical body through which their concern for and
work with students and universities in the region were to be expressed. The
covenant was the result of many years of common work and cooperation between
these two ecumenical bodies and symbolized the strong sense of mutual trust and
confidence, love and care between them and between the churches and the SCMs
which they represent, in the faithful fulfillment of their common obedience and witness to Jesus Christ in
institutions of higher learning.
3.
Meeting again in Hong Kong in March 1982 as representatives of the
CCA and the WSCF and looking back at what has happened since 1966, we
recognize, first of all, that many changes have occurred. These have
drastically transformed the life of the institutions of higher education and
the nations and societies in which these institutions are situated. We have
critically examined the work that has been done and the plans that have been
envisioned, and we note with gratitude many fruitful results that have emerged,
in the life both of the WSCF as a regional body and of the SCMs at the national
level. We recognize, finally that many discouraging problems have been
encountered, and that some
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failures, even mistakes have
arisen.
4.
One of the more dramatic changes has been the rise of more
authoritarian, even militaristic governments. The stringent controls which this
has imposed on student movements, especially those not wedded to the programs
and projects of governments, has often meant the dismantling of their
organizational base. The untold oppression, which this has brought upon various
sectors of society, especially upon the poor and the deprived, has meant that
students and student movements, including the SCM, have had to respond to
political options hitherto unconsidered.
5.
As a result of this new political situation, we have seen the
shattering of the ideals we used to entertain about the autonomy and
independence of the academic community. The university like other sectors of
society has been manipulated to the extent that this former sanctuary of human
creativity, innovative thought and critical enquiry is now little more than the
assembly line of the personnel needs of national development and an adjunct of
the technocratization of life. The academic
community, in short, is a political and ideological battleground for
conflicting ideas about its task and its vocation in society. The result has
paralyzed not only the academic profession, since that profession is a vital
source of creative energy for society, but also society at large.
6.
The fruitful results that came out of the 1966 covenant and the
gains that have been attained have not been negligible. Joint efforts in work
with university teachers were established, mutual support was provided for
leadership development in the WSCF, and the resources for the regional program
of the WSCF became augmented as a result of the mandate that was given from
Hong
7.
Most
important have been the gains in the life of the movements. A new generation of
SCMs has emerged, less concerned about its part in the elite class of
university students, and more involved in the struggle for justice and freedom
in society. The active commitment, which many SCMs and their members have
expressed towards the transformation of society, the sacrifices they have made
and the fact that through all of these they have remained alive, (albeit in
certain places weakened), re testimonies to their obedience and to the
challenge which they pose to the life and mission of the Church.
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8.
We note with sadness, however, that soon after
1966, some of the areas of cooperation that had been initiated began to wane
and the hopeful results that had been anticipated did not emerge. A sense of
distance between some churches and SCMs set in. brought about by
misunderstanding and by disagreements about the meaning of the Church's
ministry in the academic world. This distance led in some instances to the
withdrawal of mutual support and even direct confrontation, and in other
instances to a more quiet and debilitating sense of mutual indifference.
9.
We note with even greater sadness the fact that in many countries
in the region, membership and constituency in the SCMs had so dwindled that the
prophetic message could no longer be backed by organizational viability. We
note further that in many places, in the passion for social and political transformation,
the academic world itself lost any meaningful ecumenical presence. We note
finally that many SCMs, in the midst of the critical socio-political stance
they have taken and its corresponding praxis, had shown an almost total lack of
concern and love for the Churches, unlovable as many of them may be, of which
they are a part and whose ministry they are supposed to share.
10.
In the midst of all this, we have been challenged by the work of
the so-called "conservative" and "evangelical" campus groups.
We know the zeal with which these groups witness in the campuses of
Asia/Pacific and the enormous resources that are available for them. We are not
unaware of the appeal, which their concern for personal salvation and
individual piety poses in the midst of the spiritual vacuum which is a part of
our technological and commercial societies. Their strength has been increased
even more by the usefulness of their spirituality to the maintenance of the
social and political status quo. We are appalled, therefore, less by the
religious and spiritual options which they present, than by their support for
the political powers against which many 6f our churches and SCMs have struggled
and under which our people and our fellow-Christians have suffered. Such spirituality
is inevitably political and ideological, and we find it difficult, if not
impossible, to share with such groups a common vision of Christian witness in
the academic world.
11.
We are conscious of the changes that have occurred, of the gains
that have been made, of the setbacks we have suffered, and of the new
challenges that confront us. Yet we have. above all else,
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experienced once more that
fellowship which cuts across organizational and confessional boundaries and across
the generations, that sense of mutual trust and confidence, love and care. out
of which we recommend strongly that the CCA and WSCF reaffirm the covenant that
was made in 1966, and that they give support and concern to each other even
more firmly and strongly than in the past, as an expression of their common
obedience to the mission of the Church in the academic communities of
12.
In the light of these basic convictions, we express
the hope that the SCMs may evidence in their life and work the
following concerns and characteristics:
a.
As an expression of the ministry of the Church and as an
embodiment of witness to the Gospel, the SCMs must continually reflect upon
their membership of the community of faith and their work with others in that
community for the renewal of the churches. They must be a part of that ongoing
search for new ways of understanding and expressing the meaning of Christian
faith. They must reflect theologically in the midst of their work, for the renewal
of the educational enterprise and the society of which that enterprise is a
part. They must make worship and prayer a priority in their common life as
movements, and be communities of care and concern for the needs and problems of
their members and of individuals who are the victims of the present social
situation and the movements to change it.
b.
As movements that are located in the academic world, they must be
involved in the problems and aspirations of students and other members of that
world, and in the issues that arise out of the situation of educational
institutions in the light of the present political realities.
c.
As movements that are concerned for the transformation of society.
they must continually reflect upon and develop a more
profound understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of their
involvement in society and the solidarity they seek to build with those outside
the academic world.
d.
Above all, their vision for the life of the Church of which they
are part and for the life of world in which they make their witness, can really
only be authentically expressed in terms of
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the quality of life and
action through which they show the marks of their obedience to Jesus Christ in the
midst of the sufferings of the people with whom they work and their service to
the aspirations and hopes of those people for a better future. Unless the
movements are so rooted, they have nothing to say to anyone.
13.
We ask finally that the churches recognize and respect a number of
elements in the life of the SCM that are necessary to its witness in the
academic world:
a.
The SCM is an ecumenical fellowship. Its life and work therefore
require freedom and flexibility, especially in the relationships it seeks to
build with Christian and other groups in the academic world.
b.
The SCM is a lay movement. Its witness is located less in the inner structures of the
churches' life, and more in that part of the world where its members live and
work.
c.
While the SCM is a movement that is based in Christian faith,
participation and membership in its life are open to all students and other
members of the academic community who are interested in its activities. The SCM
has always been and must continue to be, a meeting place for students and
groups with a variety of political experiences and confessional backgrounds who
are critically concerned with the life and mission of the Church.
We believe that it is in
the faithful outworking of the SCM's membership in
the Church and its freedom from the churches that it becomes able to express
the mission of the Church in the academic, world and to maintain that creative
tension with the churches through which together they can become more fully the
Church in the world.
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Building a Movement
The WSCF Asia/Pacific
today faces the challenge of movement building. Several national SCMs have
already made significant achievements, quite often at tremendous cost,
including the loss of human lives. In quite a few instances, local churches have shared in the
struggle and agony of local SCMs and given them much needed support.
In addressing this
crucial task, we reflected on the nature and role of the movement we are
seeking today. We also identified some of the needs and problems involved in
building such a movement and recommend some ways of dealing with them.
The Nature and role of
the SCM
We believe that the
nature and role of the SCM is an interplay of being on the one hand the vehicle
for the ecumenical witness of the church in the campus and on the other, a
Christian student body that shares the anguish and aspirations of the general
student movements and seeking to be obedient to the gospel in this context. It
should not only reflect the concern of the churches to perform a ministry in
the campus, it should also reflect the concern of the student movements to I be
a creative force in socio-political changes towards a just society.
The SCM is a movement
that:
a)
deliberately cuts across
confessional boundaries, and attempts to witness to the gospel in a
non-sectarian way.
b)
provides opportunities for Christian worship,
Bible study, evangelistic witness, personal counseling and programs of
reflection, fellowship and service.
c)
is willing to be engaged in political action in
the interest of the student
body and the larger society.
d)
is concerned in the change and renewal of the university and
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the change and renewal of
the Church so that both may be open to participate in the renewal of the
society.
Therefore, the SCM
attempts to bring together the religious, the University & the politics.
However, it should be recognized that the very nature of this task has inherent
difficulties.
i.
While the SCM is an ecumenical Christian Movement, it is not
identified with any church.
ii.
While they participate at all levels in university structures,
they do not belong to any of the structures so that they may have the power to
control those structures.
iii.
And finally, while they are committed to an ideal and have a
progressive political stance, they do not have a party structure as a political
organization.
These inherent
limitations tend to prevent SCM becoming a mass movement, but the concern is to
build within, the campus a SCM, which is a relevant and significant minority.
Problems and Needs in
Building a Movement
(a) Strategies for
Functioning in repressive political conditions
Because of the
progressive political stance of the SCM, it is sometimes branded as subversive
and banned by authoritarian governments. In some instances, such political
constraints seem to break down the SCM, and in other instances, a committed
stand against an authoritarian government seems to draw more members.
We recognize the need to
explore multiple strategies for combat and survival in such situations rather
than go along one particular line
of action, which is easy to identify and neutralize.
(b) Leadership Development
for
Part of the problem
seems to be a lack of necessary skills for communicating the vision of the SCM.
Another part of the problem seems to be the language, which is used, a
language, which is heavily influenced by certain forms of ideological thinking
and rhetoric that tend to turn away the uninitiated from the movement rather
than draw them to a commitment of the vision of the movement.
In the light of this
situation, we recommend that the WSCF ex-
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plore possibilities for
setting up more leadership training courses that will provide participants with
greater skills in communicating the vision of the SCM principally to the
students and also to the Churches.
Leadership development must take into
account the following things:
1. that SCM is a
movement—and our strength and the focus of our work
2. that such development
is not for the select few but must be extended to the broader constituency
3. that it involves
promotion of leadership by and participation of women
4. also the social
conditions in the
specific locale, country, region and global conditions
5. the conditions in the
university and the educational system
6. the use made of
Biblical studies/theological tools
7. and the general
principles and methods of
organizing and other
skills.
Such leadership can be
developed through:
1. being
equipped with theological tools and tools of analysis to guide action
2. acquiring
skills and enriching theory through praxis and experience
(c) The need for support from churches
and senior friends
Besides soliciting the
help of the churches for the SCM, there is the need to rebuild the Senior
Friends' Fellowship of the SCM to play a supportive role in the building of the
movement.
CONCLUSION
Recognizing these difficulties, the
WSCF is now embarking, as a first priority, on a conscious program of 'movement
building', in terms of membership, a deeper reflection and a clearer sense of
direction. New strategies are emerging at the national level, reflecting the
particular needs of each country.
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Working as Partners
1. As the local branches
of the national SCM's are the key points for movement building, so too they must become
the foci for more effective partnership between the churches and the student
movements. We urge churches and SCM's in each place
and in each country to pursue with each other what opportunities there may be
for collaboration on matters of common concern.
2. To facilitate that
kind of working partnership, initiatives should be taken by the two regional
bodies to review and increase their own patterns of cooperation.
3. There were some
programmatic links between the two organizations following the 1966 EACC/WSCF consultation, but not all initiatives taken then
have been maintained. The CCA has a very comprehensive array of programs that
would benefit from the WSCF's critical support, but
the student movement's response to this challenge in recent years has become
somewhat muted. One complicating factor is the structural difference between
the CCA and the WSCF. The rapid turnover of the WSCF's
student constituency contrasts with the relatively stable operating base of the
CCA, leaving the former with problems of continuity and rendering its
longer-term programs vulnerable to sudden change.
4. Questions must also
be asked of the CCA and its member churches and national councils. While EACC gave the WSCF a mandate to work in the universities,
what concrete support has been extended to
the WSCF in this period? Why has not the EACC/CCA
understood the difficulty - primarily financial - faced in working within the
universities?
5. During the period of
1966-82,
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develop working
relationships with their local SCMs. 6. A significant result of the EACC/WSCF consultation in 1966 was that financial support
from churches outside the region was oriented along ecumenical lines. Donor
agencies were challenged to strengthen ecumenical initiatives such as those of
the WSCF and the allied work of EACC, rather than to
deepen denominational divisions. For various reasons, support for student work
has diminished, while support for CCA work has continued. It is pointless to plan new programs,
if there is no financial capability to bring them to life. The
funding/sponsoring relationships have suffered as a result of long neglect. It
is necessary, as a matter of urgency, to revitalize these links with donors and
interpret to them the directions and concerns of the student movement.
Specific CCA/WSCF
Program Concerns
Joint efforts should be
initiated in the following areas:
7. University work: The consultation has recognized the critical
situation facing our universities. The crisis of higher education has been
analyzed in terms of the domestication of the academic enterprise by the power
structures and its captivity to the "technocratization"
of society. There is fresh need for an investigation of the critical role of
universities in
8.
Human Rights: The paucity of resources in both organizations precludes the
possibility of embarking upon substantially enlarged programs in this area.
Therefore, initially at any rate, the WSCF should refer human rights issues to
the CCA Human Rights desk. WSCF will continue to activate the international
solidarity network and to carry out educational work within its constituency.
9. Women: CCA has
been deeply involved in a variety of women’s concerns over the years. The
experience it has gleaned should be
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shared with the WSCF
Asia-Pacific's constituency. The WSCF's women’s
constituency can be an important support for the CCA's
women’s work, not least in identifying priorities for this work in the Asian
region. The consultation believes it to be desirable that a major ecumenical
consultation on the women’s issue be organized jointly, to involve women from
all sectors of Asian societies, in
order to define such priorities for the ecumenical movement in the
region.
10. Bible Studies:
WSCF and CCA are asked to collaborate in preparing a series of bible studies,
for publication by CCA.
11. Universal Day of
Prayer for Students: CCA is asked to encourage member churches and councils
to celebrate this day, in cooperation with their respective SCM's,
so that it may be a significant event throughout
12. Organizational
Structures: We urge that a WSCF/CCA
consultation be held once in every four years to facilitate greater
understanding and closer evaluation of progress. We recommend that an ad-hoc
committee be appointed to evaluate all joint ventures, including interpretation
and resource development.