ASIA - Ecumenical Meeting of Asian and American theologians and experts: “Churches as agents of reconciliation ”

Berkley (Agenzia Fides) - How Christian Churches in Asia can be active agents of peace and reconciliation was the theme of a recent Ecumenical Meeting held in Berkley, California USA. The Participants included American and Asian Bishops, theologians and experts of various Christian denominations from USA, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan.
On the basis of the spiritual, cultural and social role of the Churches in the different countries of Asia, the meeting sought to identify, means, ways, places and times for Christians to be active promoters of peace and reconciliation in countries suffering from war, civil conflict, ethnic conflict, violence in the name of religious extremism.
One path which cannot be renounced is prayer. The participants said “through prayer we proclaim Christ as good news of peace and love”. One of the speakers Rev. Shintaro Ichihara, from Japan said that in the land of the rising sun, Christians live in dichotomy between traditional Japanese culture and the life style of a totally westernised society. But acting as bridges across these two aspect and striving to keep them in mind in prayer and in apostolic activity, Christians can be channels of reconciliation in Japanese society and culture.
For Chun Wai Lam, a theologian from Hong Kong, the Church must be a place “inclusiveness”, and it can foster peace in society working within social structures, schools and social service centres and in contexts where it is a minority.
Dr. Young-Sil Choi, New Testament Professor at the Institute for Theological Studies at the University of Korea, said Christians can help build “culture of reconciliation”, and he gave the example of the people of Korea, for fifty years divided in two different nations, with many separated families. “Reconciliation - he said - does not cancel differences, it rebuilds and authentic relationships”.
The participant said Christians must advance on the ecumenical journey, offering first of all witness of unity among themselves in order to be credible heralds of peace, solidarity, love and reconciliation in societies and nations with situations of conflict and war. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 31/10/2007 righe 30 parole 305)