In today’s world theology is asked to be done in an ever more global and universal context and perspective. This public aspect of theology derives in part from the recent historical conditions and is also due to the globalized reality of human life today. Since the modern era, due to the upheaval of scientific possibilities to approach the Bible without limitation through emancipation of human intellect from the church, challenges of critical issues of utmost diversified contemporary world societies — nation, economy, politic, gender, environment, culture, science, technology — demand responsible accounts from the perspective of theology. Christians are unable to escape from the challenges caused by the coexistence of various religions. Theology in this age cannot be done properly either through the reference to tradition alone or the persistence in a single perspective. Today open and communicative engagement with the critical questions with regard to the religion we belong to and what kind of religion it should be, has become the starting point common to contemporary theology. Hence it may well be that doing theology today requires face to face conversation between those doing theology in different contexts and out of various theological standpoints.

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The demand of a public aspect of theology that confronts theology today inevitably determines the mode and method of doing theology. Even the encounter with God occurring in the innermost part of individual persons needs to be articulated and delineated in such a way that others can understand it and share it. However, since it is restricted by history, culture and modes of thinking, etc., and thereby remains open toward various approaches and interpretations, theology should be done thoroughly inter- subjectively in its process as well as in its outcome, which may mean mutual enrichment in encounter with God’s revelation.

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Facing this requirement of the times, EWTF believes that we can learn much from each other and understand ourselves more deeply by virtue of the insights thus learned through dialogues and experiences the truth of God more richly so as to be able to see our reality and its problems with wiser eyes. Yet the public aspect of theology, rather than derived from the historical context or its scientific character, originates from the divine life of the triune God. The ultimate task of theology consists in the description of God who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to the world. It springs from the interpersonal life of the Trinity in whom relationality constitutes His eternal being and life. Therefore, it seems necessary to represent the truth of the triune God in, with, and beyond our differences through encounter and conversation. To experience the divine truth and represent it through our own lives in this authentic mode of doing theology — that is what we are expecting at our theological forum.

 

 

Mission Statements

- To encourage and foster dialogue and collaborative work between Eastern and Western Theologians.

- To facilitate mutual learning and understanding of the theological wisdoms and insights coming from different history and traditions of dialogue partners.

- To cooperate in identifying what the Christian Religion is and should be in the pluralistic reality. - To promote collaborative engagement with the critical issues raised out of the actuality of

globalized human community and in offering distinctive Christian answers.
- To assist in searching for the proper identity of the Christian church today.
- To collaborate in advancing and deepening the ongoing international ecumenical vision,

discussion and praxis.
- To strive together to find how to contribute to the life and history of human beings with the gospel of the triune God. 

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