The Lausanne Global Conversation

New questions are emerging which are different from the older, familiar ones. And the older ones are also taking on new forms. Think, for example, of the issues surrounding the massive rise in people movements over the past 50 years, and of the trends in urbanisation, and of the penetration of other faiths. Christians need to talk, and global issues need global conversations.

The Lausanne Movement is working in partnership with publications around the world in providing the 12 key articles by leading theologians on issues facing the global church. Each article will be published in the same month by everyone, to spark the conversation globally. These articles each have four commissioned respondents from different parts of the world and will be accompanied online by video and photo essays, and responses from people like you.

The Lord gave gifts to his church to share and, through Lausanne, the Africans can share their joy and perseverance, the Indians their wisdom on living in a pluralistic context, the Persecuted Church their precious trust of what it means to share in Christ’s suffering, the converts from other faiths their insights into ways of reaching those whose faith they once shared, the West its scholarship (which we should remember was once found in North Africa), and so on around the world. In ways unimagined, we can share these gifts even across different languages, through automatic translation tools. Those translation tools are not perfect, but, with a commitment of all to the authority of Scripture and a willingness to listen and learn, we will manage to understand one another. The work you put into the global conversation will be richly rewarded.

The Lausanne Global Conversation will include:

a series of 12 articles appearing in Christianity Today (and in dozens of publications around the world), plus parallel articles in the Canadian media and elsewhere

thought-provoking blogs, podcasts, radio programs and video discussion forums

interaction on Twitter and Facebook

advance written and multimedia presentations from CT2010 speakers

connections to related discussions on the web already underway

in-person interaction at Bible colleges, mission agencies, churches and theological institutions through the Cape Town GlobaLink

Here is the very first article to kick off the whole conversation:
Whole Gospel, Whole Church, Whole World by Christopher Wright

Understanding The Times

In view of requests to simplify the Total Truth lessons in bit-sized nuggets, here are some slides and notes from my sharing done for a group of teens/college students handpicked for the D'Nous Academy 2007 organised by FES/SU. The camp is the brainchild of Bishop Hwa Yung and Dr Kam Weng in view of the lack of reflective Christian leaders and combines intellectual development with heart/hand training in
the form of community service and dialogues with other faiths.

I had a good time interacting with the students, browsing through the Seminari Teology Malaysia library for my assignment on the book of Joshua and "lawatan sambil belajar" at the Maha Vihara Buddhist temple at Brickfields.

What Is Dualism?

Scripture defines the human problem as moral rebellion against God but the Greeks believe the problem is metaphysical. The material world is seen as evil/chaotic while the spiritual Forms are rational/good. Augustine treated the contemplative life of prayer and meditation in monasteries as superior to the active life of ordinary work in the world. Descartes and Kant pictured the world as a huge mechanistic system moving in fixed patterns by natural laws while the mind is the realm of thought, emotion, will.

Three types of Christian dualism:
Human - Body versus Soul (Two opposing substances, one is “important/redeemable” and the other “useless/lost.” But man is a cohesive whole. The whole man was created good, and the whole man is being redeemed.)

Reality - Heaven versus World (Escape this hopelessly lost physical world for an otherworldly, disembodied existence. Heaven and earth shall be renewed.)

Faith - Sacred versus Secular (Prayer and religious meditation is more valuable than manual labor. All of life is sacred.)

Biblical Thinking Tools

Creation: The physical world God made was GOOD! Nature is a showcase of His glory. Humanity is made in God’s own image for relationship, different from the rest of creation. Life is sacred. Work is meaningful in a rhythm of rest and labor.

Fall: We have pushed God out from our thinking and living. In disobedience, we have made physical and mental substitutes (idols) to tell us right from wrong. Sin has corrupted nature, fractured social relationships, alienation, resulted in toilsome work directed by selfishness. But even sinners still bear God’s Image and capable of genuine knowledge by God’s common grace.

Redemption: Christ has freed us from power of sin, reconciled us with God and restored us to be fully, truly human. Our work shares in His redemptive purpose to reverse the effects of sin. We join Christ in ushering His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Saved to do good in THIS world, not an otherworldly escapism.

How Shall We Live?

Abraham Kuyper, journalist/theologian/politician/educator says: “There is not a square inch in the universe that Christ does not claim, “This is mine!” The Lordship of Christ embraces all of life. Do all things for the glory of God. If all life is the Lord’s, reflect about your area of study, interest, vocation and leisure. For example:

•Science – What’s Its Method and Limits? How Shall We Consider Macroevolution?
•Medical Fields – How shall I view mercy killing, abortion, cloning, stem cell research?
•Business/Economics – How should wealth be distributed? By merits or social status? Do corporations have moral duty or only profit?
•Law –How does the church relate to the state? What is justice? Should we legislate morality?
•Psychology – Certain brain functions and emotions are co-related, is there a soul distinct from the brain? Is moral behavior like homosexuality determined by biological factors?
•Media/Journalism – What are ethical issues and virtues relevant to my vocation?
•Literature – Should we seek the author’s intent of writing? Does meaning reside in the reader?
•Movies – Was it honest or artfully done well? What does the story say about what’s right, true or beautiful? Who’s the good guy?

D'Nous Academy 2007

Would appreciate your prayers as I'd be sharing on "Worldview" at the D'Nous Academy 2007 this Friday and Saturday that the message be clear, thought-provoking and transforming. Hopefully the interaction would be lively and fun too. Thanks much!

What is Worldview? (Sophie’s World)
Everyone has a view of the world, a mental map for everything or vision for life or lens through which we look at life, our own selves, the world and what is ultimately real.

Where do we come from? (Origin – There is an infinite-personal God who has created the universe out of nothing)
Who are we? (Identity – In God’s image, humans are endowed dignity, creativity and ethics)
Why am I here? (Purpose - Love, glorify and serve God as a community)
Where are we going? (Destiny – History leads to the fulfillment of God’s redeemed and renewed creation)

  Worldview-Introduction DNA 2010 by Dave

For example, Naturalism – We are highly evolved biological machine. Science is the ultimate provider both for knowledge and morals. There is no ultimate purpose or freedom of choice. In the long run, all of us are dead. Eastern spirituality – All of us have a spark of divinity, souls trapped in a material world of illusions and desires that result in suffering. Solution is to escape shamsara by getting rid of desires. The goal is nirvana (emptiness), escape from cycle of rebirths.

Why is Worldview important?

Martin Marty: Every religion or faith serves two functions: a message of personal salvation and a lens for interpreting the world. Walsh and Middleton: "A world view provides a model of the world which guides its adherents in the world."

Discipleship - Love the Lord with all our mind, soul and strength. Be transformed by the renewal (not removal) of our minds. Develop a biblically informed perspective on all reality.

Life As Human Being - Split mentality, spiritual schizophrenia, separation of our fragmented lives into "sacred" and "secular" realms has negatively affected how we work, view culture and read the Bible. Worship as all of life.

Mission In A Pluralistic Society: “The problem is not only to win souls but to save minds. If you win the whole world and lose the mind of the world, you will soon discover you have not won the world.” Charles Malik.

Be informed (knowledge), winsome (character) and wisdom (artful method) ambassadors for Christ in everyday life, through action (life demonstration) and words (verbal proclamation).

Conclusion:

This is not just an intellectual exercise, though I hope it is thought provoking. Developing a Christian worldview is part of loving God with our mind, with practical implications on how we live or waste our lives and how the church redeems cultures and persons in Malaysia. It is not easy, but requires devotion and dedication to use our talents and gifts for the glory of God and for the good of His people. Laypeople in every facet of life – media, politics, business, education and others – should be enabled to challenge the prevailing assumptions of society in light of the gospel. Theology should not be reserved for pastors and scholars only! (Lesslie Newbigin) May we be an ordained doctor, businesswoman, teacher or whatever calling we received as “full time ministry”.