WCC Assembly in Asia Breaks down walls, A Milestone By Gladys Mangiduyos Busan, South Korea- 7,000 people representing about 560 million Christians in 110 countries began with the most dramatic worship and official opening of the 10th WCC Assembly. With the vibrant music from the 500-voice choir, the assembly listened to the inspiring message of blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians who emphasized that as the Church, moral preaching must be an extension of Christ’s example of love and compassion…creating society not entirely without wounds, but with the spiritual tools to heal those wounds. This is WCCs first Assembly in Asia. One of the reasons why Korea was chosen is because of the extraordinary witness Koreas Christian Churches offer the worldwide Christian Ecumenical Movement. WCC in Busan is a milestone of sorts. It is indeed a promising event for hopeful people heading towards genuine ecumenism. A handful of participants from Asia, Africa, Europe and America have affirmed the significance of holding the assembly in Asia particularly in Korea considering its present circumstance. Korea has gone through enormous pain and suffering during the war in 1950-1953 and which goes on until now as they creatively presented in their musical presentation. “Holding the assembly here in Busan is starting initiatives of diplomacy between two Koreas, it has concretized what role the church should play” Larry Pickens, a United Methodist clergy said. “Considering Korea’s challenging historical situations, this assembly has exhibited a model - breaking barriers which is essential to ecumenical movement” he continued. This dismantling walls of differences as a core element of ecumenism is affirmed by a woman from Indonesia and a youth from Africa, “It is fulfilling our duty as WCC which is a strong influence on unification, and it is bringing light to the very foundation where solutions to conflicts stem from.” Christine Housel, General Secretary of the World Student Christian Federation in Switzerland added that it is significant to expose the youth to see other spheres of people of faith which are imperative to ecumenical movement. A priest from the Greek Orthodox Church in Lebanon, Rev Fr. George Dimas said that converging in Busan is in solidarity with the emerging growth of Christians in the midst of their pains and sufferings. This is, according to him, what ecumenical movement is all about. In solidarity is listening to the voices which are never heard. “In the near neighborhood of Busan there is a border that divides a nation. Families and churches are separated from each other and in one part of Korea people are suffering from hunger and oppression, this is one example of many, where you together with all delegates and participants will hopefully speak up in solidarity with those who are not able to make their voices heard.” Linda Bloom, UMNS director of correspondents quoting Bishop Wenner. The milestone has started when the assembly began. It is by “undertaking a personal outreach to others, by regarding fellow human beings, without exception, in the full dignity and holiness of their personhood…Jesus leads us to a world of many dimensions: a house of many mansions, where many different people, from many different walks of life, can find a true home,” His Holiness admonished.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 00:01:28 +0000