Council of Churches of Malaysia
The Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) is an ecumenical fellowship of Churches and Christian organisations in Malaysia. It is one of the three constituent members of the Christian Federation of Malaysia.
It is affiliated with the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches and a member of the Christian Conference of Asia. It also participates in the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism as part of the Christian Federation of Malaysia.
History
In 1947, the Malayan Christian Council was mooted and officially inaugurated on 9 January 1948 under the leadership of John Leonard Wilson, the Anglican Bishop of Singapore, with Hobart Baumann Amstutz of the Methodist Church acting as General Secretary to promote Christian unity among the Churches and Christian organisations in Malaya and Singapore.
Despite the 1963 federation of the British Crown Colonies of Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak with the Federation of Malaya into the new nation of Malaysia, the Malayan Christian Council continued to function using the old name. In 1967, the Malayan Christian Council was renamed the Council of Churches of Malaysia and Singapore. In view of Malaysia and Singapore having separated and become independent sovereign nations, it was considered desirable to have separate Councils of Churches for each nation, therefore, the Council was divided into 2 national organisations; the current Council of Churches of Malaysia and the National Council of Churches of Singapore in 1975.
Basis and objectives
Basis
The Council is founded
- on a common belief that God has revealed His eternal purpose for mankind in His Son Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit. Its members accept the scriptures of Old and New Testaments as the supreme standard of faith and practice, and confess their common faith as expressed in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds
- on the acceptance of the principal that the Church is in the Christian enterprise that the local congregation is basic to its life and witness, and that evangelism is its primary task
- as an association of Churches, and other Christian organisations, each believing that it is Christ's will that His Body, the Church should again be visibly one and each desiring to work towards this end
- as an association of co-operating members, each of which determines its own policy and action
Objectives
The objectives of the Council are
- to offer itself as an instrument or agency to the Churches in Malaysia whereby they can more and more do together everything except what irreconcilable differences of sincere conviction compel them to do separately
- to show forth among its members that Christian unity which is God's gift to His people in Jesus Christ, and by common prayer, study, consultation and action, promote the Church's mission in Malaysia and the World
- through common consultation and action to form Christian public opinion and bring it to bear on the moral, social, national and international problems of the day, particularly those affecting the life and welfare of the peoples of Malaysia
- to promote discussion and action among Churches in Malaysia towards Church union
- to provide an agency through which governments in Malaysia both federal and state, may consult with member-churches and organisations on matters of common concern to all member bodies of the Council
- to maintain fellowship with other Christian Councils or Council of Churches of other countries and with such ecumenical bodies as the Council may decide, and in particular to fulfil its obligations as an affiliated member of the World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia
Constituents
Member Churches
| Member Church | Head of Church |
|---|---|
| Anglican Diocese of Kuching | Bishop: Rt Rev Bolly Lapok |
| Anglican Diocese of Sabah | Bishop: Rt Rev Albert Vun Cheong Fui |
| Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia | Bishop: Rt Rev Ng Moon Hing |
| Basel Christian Church of Malaysia | Bishop Dr.Thomas Tsen |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia | Bishop Dr. Solomon Rajah |
| Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore | Bishop Philip Lok Oi Peng |
| Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Malaysia | Dr Thomas Philips |
Methodist Church in Malaysia
|
Bishop: Rev Hwa Yung
|
| Orthodox Syrian Church in Malaysia | Cor Episcopa Philip Thomas |
| Presbyterian Church in Malaysia | Rev Dr Yeo Sim Sek |
| Protestant Church in Sabah | Sopirid Masandu |
| Salvation Army in Malaysia | Lt Colonel David Bringans
|
Associate Members
| Organisation | Head of Organisation |
|---|---|
| Bible Society of Malaysia | Kong Yeng Phooi, President |
| Boys' Brigade in Malaysia | Michael Moorthy, Brigade President |
| Girls' Brigade in Malaysia | Tnay Yong Hua, President |
| Malaysian Christian Association for Relief | Wong Young Soon, Executive Director |
| National Council of YMCAs | Geh Thing Lok, Executive Director |
| Young Women's Christian Association of Malaysia | Loius Bong, President |
| Seminari Theoloji Malaysia | Dr Ezra Kok, Principal |
| Sabah Theological Seminary | Dr Thu En Yu, Principal |
| Mobilisation Fellowship Malaysia | Choong Wye Choon, National Director |
| Interserve Malaysia | Philip Chang, Chairman |
| Prison Fellowship Malaysia | Dr. Tan Kah Hock, Chairman |
Affiliate Members
| Organisation | Head of Organisation |
|---|---|
| Coptic Orthodox Church in Malaysia | Fr Joseph Sim, Representative |
Leadership
Presidents
| Period | Name | Denomination |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 - | Dr Thomas Philips | Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Malaysia |
| 2001 - 2003 | Julius D. Paul | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia |
| 1995 - 2000 | Yong Ping Chung | Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia |
| 1989 - 1994 | Dr Denis C. Dutton | Methodist Church in Malaysia |
| 1987 - 1988 | E.B. Muthusami | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia |
| 1983 - 1986 | George Vergis | Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Malaysia |
| 1979 - 1982 | John Gurubatham Savarimuthu | Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia |
| 1977 - 1978 | E.B. Muthusami | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia |
| 1975 - 1976 | C.N. Fang | Methodist Church in Malaysia |
| 1972 - 1974 | Basil Temenggong | Anglican Diocese of Kuching |
| 1970 - 1971 | V.E. Thomas | Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Malaysia |
| 1968 - 1969 | Roland Koh Peck Chiang | Anglican Diocese of Sabah |
| 1966 - 1967 | Robert F. Lundy | Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia |
| 1964 - 1965 | R.M. Greer | ? |
| 1963 | Dr Ho Seng Ong | Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia |
| 1962 | Roland Koh Peck Chiang | Anglican Diocese of Jesselton (Sabah) |
| 1958 - 1961 | J.R. Fleming | ? |
| 1947 - 1957 | RLeonard Wilson | Anglican Diocese of Singapore |
General Secretaries
| Period | Name |
|---|---|
| 1998 - | Dr Hermen Shastri |
| 1995 - 1997 | Dr Hermen Shastri (Honorary) |
| 1989 - 1994 | Varghese George (Honorary) |
| 1975 - 1988 | Dr Denis C. Dutton (Honorary) |
| 1973 - 1974 | V.D.P. Pillai |
| 1972 | R. Chelladurai |
| 1967 - 1971 | Wong Hoon Hee |
| 1958 - 1966 | Chung Chi-an |
| 1952 - 1957 | J.R. Fleming |
| 1947 - 1951 | Hobart B. Amstutz (Honorary) |