PTCA Sub-regional Consultation held in Taiwan

Dear Friends and Participants,

Welcome to this PTCA consultation on “Fundamentalism and Theological Education, host by Chang Jung Christian University and sponsored by ETE-WCC and National Science Council of Taiwan.

In order to brief you the nature of this consultation and the objectives we are looking for, I attach here the original project proposal of this meeting for your reference, I am looking forward to meeting you and to enjoy the intellectual sharing and exchanges, and as well fellowship and common commitment created from this gathering.

Huang Po Ho

A Project Proposal

Project: Consultation on (a) Religious Fundamentalism and Theological Education, and (b) Strengthening Theological Networks in Asia

Background: The Programme for Theology and Culture in Asia (PTCA) was founded in 1983, having Professor Choan-seng Song from Taiwan as the first Dean. The PTCA is not an organization nor an institution but a theological movement, and committed to:

• Helping equip theologians and church leaders in a theological reorientation for their various ministries;
• Recovering our own cultural and spiritual resources in Asian countries and making these available for the doing of living theologies in Asia;
• Promoting creative, indigenous theological writing within the concrete experiences and heritages of the Asia arena;
• Facilitating active theological interactions within Asia and between Asia and other parts of the world.

Since its inception, the PTCA has been working for the constructions and re-construction of theologies that reflect Asian resources, contexts and experiences mainly by organizing Regional Theological Seminar-Workshop, National Workshop, Theological Consultation and by publishing JTCA. The primary focus of the movement is “Doing Theologies with Asian Resources” and the target group is younger theologians especially those who are in the final stage of their doctoral programme or those who have just joined in teaching ministry.

The PTCA activities are facilitated by a team of theologians, known as Programme Committee, representing theological bodies from South Asia, South East and North East Asia. For the effective implementation of the programme and also to reduce cost but to ensure larger participation, the PTCA has reorganized its activities on sub-regional basis. Hence, this project proposal is presented for South East Asian region.

Rev. Dr. Huang Poho is co-coordinator of South East Asia region who is also the Dean of PTCA. He is requested to take the lead in organizing the consultation at School of Theology of Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan in January/February 2010 for the South East Asia region.

Rationale: Christians and ethnic minorities in South East Asian countries are facing many hardship and persecution. The continuing religious conflicts in Indonesia and Myanmar are a glaring example. Violence and senseless destructions are taking place in massive and organized manner in many countries because of the use and misuse of fundamentalists by politicians and those who enjoy power in society. Several churches, mosques, temples (including the orphanage) and religious institutions have become the targets and many precious lives have been lost. The growing religious fundamentalism (and also ethnic minority assertion) is threatening the very fabric of the society. It is a threat to social harmony, justice and human rights.

Fundamentalism regards diversity as a liability rather than as an asset. They assert a monolithic society over against pluri-form society. Tendency to suppress the minority by majority and minority resistance movement, and the aggressive efforts to increase the number by minority poses real threat to peace, democratic principle, social harmony and the very future of the people. This challenges us to re-examine the present practice of mission of the church, the theology of conversion and ecumenical and ministerial formation programme of the churches.

This demands new ways of doing theology, inter-religious theological education and institutional collaborations for ensuring quality theological education in Asia.

Objective:

• To appraise ecumenical and ministerial formation programme and explore inter-religious theological education programme;
• To explore inter-disciplinary theological learning within secular context for common good;
• To assess inter-faith relation and explore new ways of doing theology in secular context;
• To explore new ways of inter-faith engagement in secular context; and
• To strategize future collaboration of ecumenical and ministerial programme between ATESEA and BTESSC.