International Ecumenical Consultation Communique

International Ecumenical Consultation

“Far-Right Extremism and the Response of the Global Church”

On the night of December 3, 2024, the declaration of martial law in South Korea came as a shock to the entire nation. However, from winter 2024 to spring 2025, the people, as the sovereign of the nation, took direct action to invalidate the self-declared coup by the far-right ruling regime. Eventually they overcame the crisis and restored democracy through remarkable social solidarity. Nevertheless, the rise of far-right political forces driven by some Protestant groups has posed a significant challenge to Korean society.

On June 3, a new government was inaugurated in South Korea, pledging to achieve social integration and great social transformation. At this historical juncture, over 80 theologians, clergy, women and youth leaders from Asia, North America, and Europe who have dedicated themselves to justice, peace, unity and solidarity, gathered at St. Bede(Daehakro) Church, Anglican Church of Korea in Seoul from June 30 to July 1 under the theme “Far-Right Extremism and the Response of the Global Church.” We reaffirmed that the immense crisis faced by Korean society is by no means an exceptional situation. Rather, we paid particular attention to the fact that the global rise of far-right extremism makes Korea's example of overcoming crisis all the more exceptional.

In Asian countries, the rule of the military and authoritarian governments is reaching a very dangerous level, and different forms of far-right forces support it. The present junta government in Myanmar has been maintaining a state of emergency for four years, destroying democracy and committing all kinds of human rights abuses. The military in Thailand and Indonesia are major obstacles to democracy, and the Philippine government is severely repressing political opponents and citizens demanding democracy. In Turkey and the Middle East, authoritarian regimes leaning toward extreme right-wing ideology are restricting citizens' freedom and suppressing democracy. Israel's racist colonial/apartheid policies are inflicting extreme suffering on the Palestinian people, resulting in a plausible case of genocide. The recent preemptive attack on Iran by US and Israel Air forces also shows intensifying international confrontation. In Japan, political forces clinging to the specter of militarism are threatening the Peace Constitution, and far-right groups exploiting this situation are spreading hatred and discrimination.

In Europe, countries such as Germany, Austria, Italy, and Hungary are seeing a rapid rise in far-right political forces threatening the established democratic party system. Far-right political forces are openly inciting the public with extreme authoritarianism and racist xenophobia toward refugees and immigrants, reminiscent of the past memories of fascism, thereby reshaping the political landscape.

Return of Trump administration in the United States is the most dramatic example of the rise of far-right forces, which has become a global trend. This demonstrates again that even strong democratic traditions can be undermined through legitimate democratic procedures. Also we should pay attention to the polarizing impact of extreme right-wing political forces in Brazil in recent years, as well as the strengthening of authoritarianism in some other countries in Latin America and the renewed spate of military coups in Africa, including Sudan, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

As Christians, we are particularly concerned about the alliance between far-right political forces and Christian nationalism. The behavior of Christian nationalists, who use the so-called “spiritual war” as a pretext, reinforces hostile worldviews, excludes the socially vulnerable, and deepens social conflicts. They even justify and support unjust power. This not only abandons the mission of Christians to achieve justice and peace, but also distorts the essence of the Gospel, which is good news for the poor and brings reconciliation among people.

We have seriously studied the rise of extreme right-wing movements as a global phenomenon and their alliance with Christian nationalism and deliberated on alternatives.

With a grave concern that extreme right-wing nationalism could turn into fascism, we must find alternatives that involve the whole society in order to dispel this concern. Historically, the crisis of fascism has always begun with socio-economic crises. The sense of loss caused by economic disparities and the sense of alienation caused by social discrimination serve as fertile ground for fascism. When political forces exploit these conditions to realize their will to power, the phenomenon of fascism leads to a fascist regime. It is precisely at this point that the establishment of democracy based on social and economic equality and the formation of peace-oriented international relations are the most reliable ways to prevent the rise of right-wing political forces.

Furthermore, as the combination of right-wing extremism and Christian nationalism stems not only from unequal social conditions, but also from the internal conditions of the church that tolerate the logic of extreme hostility, it requires an appropriate theological response and church reform. In the midst of a world marked by conflict, the theological task of awakening the Gospel of love and reconciliation and the challenge of building a church as a community of love welcoming everyone are before us.

Therefore, we urge and propose the following to the governments of each country, the international society, and the ecumenical community.

1. The world today urgently needs genuine democracy. We urge governments of all nations to develop democracy that fully accepts the political will of the sovereign people and to devote themselves to establishing socio-economic alternatives that can overcome inequality.

1. We urge international society, including the United Nations, to pay close attention to the reality of human rights violations occurring on a global scale and to consolidate their efforts to build a world where everyone is guaranteed dignified human rights.

1. As an ecumenical community united in the Gospel of Christ, we closely monitor the rise of right-wing extremism on a global scale and its impact on society. Therefore, we propose to form an "Ecumenical Network responding to Far-Right Extremism" initiated by the participating bodies of this consultation to continue to explore theological discussion and develop context-based alternatives.

1. We are deeply concerned about the combination of extreme right-wing movements and Christian nationalism, which is particularly evident in the United States and South Korea. Therefore, we propose that churches in Korea and the United States cooperate each other and consolidate all their efforts to become public witnesses and have a positive influence on society.

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14a)

We will consolidate all our efforts to overcome the divisions and conflicts facing the world today in the Gospel of peace proclaimed by Christ.

July 1, 2025

Participants

International Ecumenical Consultation on “Right-wing Extremism

and the Response of the Global Church”