| The 2nd South Asia Christian Youth Conference on the theme “Gospel and Globalisation” was held from 8th-14th June, 2005 at the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore, South India. There were over 200 participants, mostly young people between 18 and early 30’s from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. It was a momentous week inspiring young people from South India to rise to the challenges of a changing world and to themselves be agents of change as they seek to embrace and work for the kingdom and mission purposes of God. Worship, Workshops, Plenary Sessions, Cell Groups, Local Exposure Visits and Cultural activities all worked together to produce an enriching programme that through its diversity helped to meet the hopes and aspirations of the wide range of participants.
The main partner churches sending delegations were: Church of South India, Church of North India, Church of Ceylon, Church of Bangladesh, Church of Pakistan, National Churches Fellowship of Nepal, a range of churches from Bhutan, Presbyterian Church of India (Mizoram Synod), Syrian Orthodox Church (India), Mar Thoma Church India, Kuki Worship Centre (Manipuri Christians) and Garo Baptist Churches. There were also some delegates from other churches (Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic). However as an ecumenical conference the aim was not to highlight church or denominational identities, but by coming together to transcend these and discover afresh a common unity in Christ. Only practical constraints prevented the conference having an even broader base.
The inaugural address was by Dr Pascal Alan Nazareth, a former Indian Ambassador to several countries. He gave a challenging critique of globalisation but also called upon South Asian Christian youth through advocacy action to call upon the richer nations to promote the gospel values enshrined in Jesus command to “Love your neighbour as yourself” as a way to enable to benefits of globalisation to reach all nations and beyond privileged political and economic elites. He said that “all countries, particularly the poor and weak, ones need an equal chance to trade their goods and services in the global market place at equitable prices, that foreign aid given and foreign investments made in these countries, build up their respective productive capacities in the agricultural, industrial, human and natural resources sectors and enable them to sustain self-sustaining growth in all these sectors within the next two decades.”
Ms Margaret Alva, a well-known political leader, former government minister and a current General Secretary of the Congress Party of India gave the Valedictory Address. She gave a strong challenge for Christian youth in south Asia to get involved in grassroots political organisations in order to bring Christian values to bear in politics, rather than deciding to avoid politics altogether because of instances of bad practice and its poor images.
Revd Dr Roger Gaikwad, Director of Extension Programmes of the SCEPTRE Programme of Senate of Serampore, provided the Bible Studies. These combined lucidity and depth and gave a wide-ranging biblical and theological basis for a Christian response to globalisation.
Other main speakers were: Revd. Dr. K.C. Abraham (a well-known Indian theologian, Revd. Dino Touthang (General Director of EFICOR, one of the largest NGO’s in India), Dr K.B. Rokaya (General Secretary of National Council Churches of Nepal), Rt. Revd. Vasantha Kumar (Bishop of Central Karnataka), Ms Carmencita Karadag (IFI & WCC from the Philippines), Revd. Subrata Fullonton (Director of Member Relations of the India Missions Association) and Revd. Philip Simpson (CMS Regional Director). There were many more resource persons who facilitated workshops, provided counselling and input into processes.
The 38 workshops covered a vast range of topics in four tracks (biblical perspectives, socio-economic-political perspectives, cultural perspectives and mission & church perspectives) For example: HIV-AIDS, youth culture, handling difference & diversity, geo-politics in south Asia, sexuality, poverty, mission cells, inter-faith issues etc.). In addition there were country or regional reports from the main delegations, 8 exposure visits (Kerygma youth ministries, A Rocha, Oasis, Mar Thoma Hoskotte Mission, Auto-Raju ministry to the destitute, Bridge Foundation, Places of Worship, CSI churches & ministries). Other highlights were a reception at the Cathedral School through the invitation of the Mr John Zachariah, the Principal, and visits to local churches, a cultural evening and an evening of “free worship”. The conference programme however centred on the three tracks of plenary session, workshop and cell groups.
The South Asia Youth Core Group (see Appendices for members of this Group) planned the conference over a period of more than two years leading up to June 2005 and this group monitored and gave oversight of the conference. The conference was also ably supported by a team of volunteers from the CSI diocese of Central Karnataka.
Overall this was a dynamic conference that has raised expectations of a third conference and other future South Asia Youth initiatives. However there are some key questions to be considered: How the conference and network can continue to be effectively resourced? To what extent can the ecumenical basis be maintained or broadened? How can partners effectively support South Asian young people in the outworking of the Conference Statement? What is the identity and relation of the South Asian Christian Youth Network to the churches, to other ecumenical bodies and to other Christian youth organisations?
The contents of this publication reflect the diversity and range of the conference. The overarching theme was Globalisation and the relationship of this to the Gospel. Yet the ancillary theme was Christian youth in South Asia, their growth in faith and various issues that relate to them. Thus the conference included sessions and workshop topics and concerns that are perhaps peripheral to globalisation, though related to it. Therefore although the focus of content is globalisation, other material is also included. Essentially it is hoped that this publication will serve to provide resource material for south Asian Christian youth in a wide range of areas.
The Conference Resolution provided a framework for the future and directions for South Asian youth work to respond to the challenges of globalisation as well as to strengthen their network of relationships for the task of mission in the diverse, complex and stimulating context of south Asia. Further steps in the mission and faith journey of South Asian Christian youth were taken a follow up meeting in Colombo in March 2006 and we look to God to continue to guide and empower as this new and inspiring movement goes on to maturity and takes new initiatives for the kingdom of God.
Adrian Watkins & Leslie Nathaniel
Conference Coordinators |
