World Communion of Reformed ChurchesMessage of the Ecumenical Forum on Peace in Northeast Asia
Prior to the centenary celebrations of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (PCK) and the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) an ecumenical forum on peace in northeast Asia was held.
It was attended by representatives of many WCRC member churches, as well as ecumenical partners. The forum presented a final message, with these 10 commitments:
1. Nurture a new Koinonia beginning with churches, in which hatred and hostility are overcome, and a transformative spirituality for life is nurtured.
2. Actively encourage and involve churches and ecumenical bodies to continue initiatives for healing, justice, reconciliation, and peace in Northeast Asia, and the reunification of North and South Korea.
3. Provide common platforms for churches and Christians, as well as people of other faiths and civil society, from both North and South to meet together in order to advance towards reconciliation and peace.
4. Develop approaches to peace education and advocacy for peace and reunification. These approaches should be intergenerational, cultivate ecumenical spirituality of resistance to war and violence, nurture theological reflection in our own contexts, and evolve a new vision of a world with justice, peace and a life together.
5. Promote the participation and leadership of women in initiatives for peace with justice in the region, and for reunification of the Korean Peninsula.
6. Invite and encourage all churches in the region to actively participate in the bilateral and multilateral programs and actions that pursue peace and reunification processes.
7. Focus our efforts to seek a final peace treaty that replaces the Armistice Agreement.
8. Commit to support global ecumenical endeavors to contain and delegitimize nuclear power and arms in all parts of the world.
9. Mobilize all new modes of media to highlight the issue of peace in Northeast Asia in order to broaden and strengthen solidarity.
10. Commit to a process of holding peace fora to continue the momentum of this historic ecumenical gathering by encouraging the PCK, the PROK and the NCCK to convene such peace fora biannually, and encourage partner churches globally to prioritize their ecumenical agenda to include action and advocacy on Northeast Asia