Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM), 8th - 11th June 2009

1,200 representatives of Protestant denominations and missionary societies from around the world gathered in Edinburgh, Scotland for the World Missionary Conference in 1910.

It was both the culmination of nineteenth-century missions and the beginning of the modern missionary movement and ecumenism.

A century later, the Edinburgh 2010 conference will be convened, to celebrate the centenary year of the historic conference and also to see the direction for Christian mission in the 21st century.

As part of the worldwide process leading to this conference STM hosted the Edinburgh 2010 Study Process for Asean and Sri Lanka with the theme “Mission as Reconciliation in Pluralistic Context.” In our context of religious plurality where Christian faith remains a minority, the issues are challenging and urgent for Asian churches and Christians to be the catalyst of the gospel of Christ amidst various conflicts in diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic composition.

Three keynote speakers, Dr David Shenk from the United States, Dr Vinoth Ramachandra from Sri Lanka and Rev Dr Paulus Sugeng Widjaja from Indonesia, presented their papers elaborating on the theme, providing a theological framework for reconciliation as the message of the gospel, analyses of the factors giving rise to social, ethnic and religious conflicts in our region, and sharing case studies of the praxis of reconciliation from around the globe and in ASEAN countries.

In partnership with Christ as the King over His Kingdom, we are involved in God’s mission to reconcile the world and the people to Him. God initiates the ministry of reconciliation, and He invites us to join Him in peacemaking, bridge-building, and bearing witness to the peace and reconciliation in Christ. Through us, God brings hope, healing and transformation to lost and broken lives in His ultimate purposes in redemption the world.

Disciples of Jesus are called to be people of peace and reconciliation among the nations. The ultimate reconciliation with God our Creator is not separable from the reconciliation within ourselves, in our relationship with one another, and with all creation. Acceptance is the central tenet of reconciliation. Jesus demonstrated table fellowship with the lost, the least and the last, with humility and vulnerability; and ultimately He paid a costly price by His death on the cross (Phil 2:5-8).

Conflicts, oppressions, marginalization and violent confrontations have marked many of the countries in Asean and Sri Lanka. The church as the redeemed and reconciled people of God is called to be the agents of reconciliation, healing and hope for those scarred by these conflicts and violations. Reconciliation is costly. It calls for the virtues demonstrated by Jesus, the vulnerability and willingness to open ourselves in humility; to empty and deny ourselves; to share our lives with those for whom Christ died.

It means that churches must first be communities of reconciliation where we must demonstrate the presence of the Kingdom among ourselves. Churches and Christians must recognize the need for continual selfexamination, forgiveness, repentance and renewal among ourselves. We must confess our failures of divisions and conflicts, and prejudice towards others. In order to be used by God as His agent of reconciliation and instrument of peace, we must first grow into solidarity with one another, learning to embody reconciliation among ourselves as well as with others.

Janice Tay
(Ms Janice Tay, a member of Trinity Methodist Church Petaling Jaya, attended the Study Process. This is a slightly revised and shortened version of the article she wrote. Editor)