Some Cats are Forever

Abba Ah Beng bought a kitten to catch the rats that were eating his loincloth. The kitten was very cute but playful. During chapel service, she would sneak quietly into the chapel and distract the young disciples of Sow Lin Monastery from their prayers and meditation. A sudden touch of warm fur and a perfect purr was enough to draw the most devout from the depths of God.

Abba Ah Beng finally solved the problem by tying the kitten with a string to a stake in front of the chapel. The disciples become used to seeing the little kitten and later a large cat tied to the stake as they enter and leave the chapel. The cat died and Abba Ah Beng bought a new cat and continued the tradition of tying his cat to the stake in front of the chapel before services. Abba Ah Beng was finally called home by the Lord and was succeeded by Abba Ah Lek. Abba Ah Lek continued the tradition of tying the cat to honor his spiritual director and mentor.

One hundred years later, a brand new gleaming mega-church auditorium stands where the Sow Lin Chapel used to be. It is large enough to sit 6,000 people comfortably. However, at the front entrance there is a stake to which a cat will be tied before each worship service. When asked about the reason, senior Pastor Joe Pan said he does not know but there has always been a cat in front of the worship hall. He postulates it may in some way draws God’s blessings on the congregation. Anyway, who is he to change a hallowed tradition.

To this day, if you visit the mega-church where the ancient Sow Lin Monastery once stood, you will see a cat tied to a stake in front of the worship auditorium. You can see the cat sitting and walking. The cat is active except when its battery runs down.

Do we need to keep all of our church traditions?

.

Between Romans 13 and Revelations 13

From NECF: (NOTE: This is an extract. The full paper 'Human Dignity and Religious Liberty' is available in the book titled Religious Liberty after 50 years of Independence)


Christians often look to Romans 13 to answer questions on the relationship between Church and State. Some appeal to the passage to argue for unqualified submission to the authorities. I find this rather troubling since such a recommendation ignores the dynamic nature of the State that can swing from being God’s servant (Romans 13) to being a demonic State demanding ultimate allegiance and worship from its subjects (Revelation 13).

But what is stated clearly in Romans 13 – that the State is merely a servant of God and thereby possesses only limited authority – is correct. Likewise, the State – being merely one created institution amongst other divinely-installed institutions (family, school, market and church) – must respect and refrain from infringing other spheres of human authority.



Primary Social Task

The primary social task of the Church is to be itself – that is, a people who have been formed by a story that provides them with the skills for negotiating the dangers of this existence, trusting in God’s promise of redemption.1

The Church must resist two temptations:

Subjecting the gospel to ‘righteous’ anger, lending itself as the instrument of political/ideological struggle. Charles West has given us a pertinent challenge,“The church must project Christ’s Lordship into the search for a proper structure of justice and peace in society, which is also the business of political authorities. It must do so holistically, not taking refuge in the false purity either of nonpolitical projects or a romanticised oppressed people. It must do so in a secular way, recognising the involvement of every religious project in the mixed motives and misused powers of human life, the need of correction, and the limits of political coercion in the establishment of true humanity. The life of the community of faith with Christ Himself should keep things in proper perspective.”2
Accepting the terms on which the State allows them an undisturbed existence so long as it (the Church) remains isolated from the concerns of society. The end result would be that the Church legitimises the status quo. To quote West again, “the Church of Jesus Christ is called to be the Church for the world, not the servant of one of the world’s powers.”3


Conditional obedience

We affirm the clarion call from Bonhoeffer when he insisted that the individual’s duty to obey the State is presumed until the State directly compels him to offend against the divine commandment, that is to say, until the State openly denies its divine commission to enforce social justice and protect the freedom and dignity of the individual and forcefully suppresses the gospel. At this point, Christians must choose to disobey the State for conscience sake and in obedience to the Great Commission.



Realistic Social Engagement

Christians must avoid a naïve political outlook and must not pretend that they are pure and immune from the temptations of power. Still, the Church cannot avoid being in the world even though it may not be of the world. The Church must engage politics in a ‘secular’ manner, that is rooted in concrete historical realities and yet, while recognising that notwithstanding its mixed motives, it will seek to project Christ’s lordship into the search for a proper structure of justice and peace in society.

The Church should acknowledge that no human form of government is perfect, and all are necessarily under constant scrutiny in terms of the processes which they have promoted and do promote, and the processes which they counter and negate.

As human rights are inter-related, and are also subject to ongoing historical processes, their fulfilment, negation or violation by any group or agencies or even churches, have to be judged in a similar manner. Structures created by human beings are in constant danger of becoming self-perpetuating and self-fulfilling, and hence of becoming idols – in a truly biblical sense.



The right balance

A Christian approach to civic responsibility balances both Kingdom Justice and the Gospel of Peace in order to distinguish responsible from irresponsible political action. Pursuing justice without peace only perpetuates social conflict. Accepting peace without justice amounts to capitulation to a hegemonic power. Politics is judged on moral terms derived from a transcendent authority (God).

Christian political analysis must be rooted in local history and social context. This requires sensitivity to the ever-changing dynamic equilibrium between the competing power groups in society. Demands for both individual rights and community rights must take into account the enduring principles that were foundational when the founding fathers of the nation agreed in a social-legal contract at Independence (1957) and formation of Malaysia (1963).

We must deal with the full reality of politics and government in the contemporary world. Public policies must be supported by public arguments that go beyond simplistic quoting of scriptures (Biblical or Quranic), naïve moralism or mindless ethnic nationalism. We cannot work for anything less than a cosmopolitan, pluralist democracy.

This calls for a hermeneutical retrieval of Christian political theory that was vigorously developed in church history. I have in mind the Christian understanding of Statecraft which is defined as the “art of careful reasoning, judging, and acting in the process of making, executing, and adjudicating public laws.” Good statecraft depends on insight into God’s creation (including human nature), which is an order unfolding through the history of countless human generations.

If the Christian community fails to pool together its intellectual resources to inform its social engagement, it will by default remain divided and confused by the conflicting political dogmas and buffeted by social currents. It will easily be intimidated by hostile political groups and passively accept a political agenda that is imposed on it and remain ineffective with its ad hoc and piecemeal participation in national politics.

The challenge to develop a Christian political perspective that is coherent, integral, and comprehensive is indeed urgent. The fruitfulness of such a project is promising. Christian witness demands nothing less than the fulfillment of a contextualised Christian political theology that can assist citizens in their defence of freedom and justice.

Mission In The Gospel Of John

CDPC camp in Cameron Highlands was themed "For Such A Time As This". There were 3 expositions on The Book Of Esther by Rev'd Ray Porter, Director of World Mission Studies at Oakhill College. He has pastored in Indonesia before and gave an insightful historical analysis of mission in Indonesia for faculty and students at malaysia Bible seminary. If you like to get a hold of the notes, email me at hedonese at yahoo dot com. But here's a exegetical paper on Mission in The Gospel Of John that I could gladly share online.

"Ray aims to see students able to communicate the scriptures into different cultures sensitively, with a passion for God and a love for people, both through the Theology and World Mission Course and in other lectures.

Ray's major ministries have been in two blocks of fourteen years with OMF: one in Indonesia where he pastored and established churches, and the other as a Regional Director in the UK where he has recruited and encouraged missionaries and mission support. Shorter slots have been as minister of a UK church and as New Testament lecturer at Belfast Bible College. He studied Mission at All Nations and has managed to accumulate eight years studying theology in Oxford. He is the only faculty member who preaches and has publications in Indonesian.

Ray is married to Janice and they live in St Neots. They have grown up twin daughters, Anne and Julia, and a son, Tom, who is at university."

Should Christians Convert Others?

Grace@Work eCOMMENTARY: Should Christians Convert Others?

It was quite jarring to walk into bookstores in Malaysia to be confronted with the cover of the June, 30th issue of TIME magazine.

The headline screamed: "Should Christians Convert Muslims?"

Fact is, there are state laws in Malaysia that penalizes anyone caught "enticing" a Muslim to leave his or her faith. Therefore the issue of how Christians should reach the Muslim community for Christ is one that is hardly discussed in public in Malaysia.

My first response to the headline was "I would frame the question differently."
The Scriptures teach quite clearly that conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit i.e. God's own Spirit (John 16:8-11). A Christian may share the truths of
the gospel, she may appeal to people to embrace the truth of the gospel, but he cannot convert anyone.

Indeed the church of Christ has often gotten into trouble when she crosses the boundary and tries to do the work of the Holy Spirit, "helping" people to
convert through the use of military or governmental powers, or enticing people to Christ through the giving of aid in times of need.

(I quickly need to qualify that Christians are called to show compassion to all in need, giving with a free hand, giving unconditionally. This indirectly reveals
the heart of Christ. But we cannot ever imply that to receive help, one must first embrace Christianity.)

No, we cannot convert anyone. Nevertheless, there are certain truths in the Scriptures that are clear. Two of them are:

1. Jesus is the only solution to the root problem of humankind - sin.
"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 NRSV

2. Followers of Jesus are called to bring this message to all races and communities.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

The irony is that Islam and Christianity share a number of things in common. One of them is a common adherence to the concept of objective and absolute truth. Standing against the post modern mood of many truths for many people, Islam and Christianity would say that if Islam or Christianity were true, then other answers to the fundamental questions of humankind --- "where did we come from", "why are we
what we are", "what is the ultimate solution for humankind's problems"---are wrong.

The temptation for Christians and Muslims alike, is to jettison our commitment to absolute truth. We are told to "play nice" and live and let live. Any position
that takes truth as absolute will lead to fanaticism and violence. After all, the modern world is a pluralistic world of many faiths. Let every faith community do their own thing but don't try to "convert" others.

This position is appealing because there many conflicts around the world that appear to be rooted in religious differences.

Unfortunately any backing away from a commitment to absolute truth undercuts the very basis of the truth of the Christian gospel. If Christianity is not true for all it is not true at all. Why should God come as man and to die on the cross if there was any other way? I am always amused when I hear people say that all religions are essentially the same. Such people betray the fact that they have not studied religions with any degree of depth.

Of course no one wants intercommunal violence. What this means for Christians is that we must take a long hard look at how we share the gospel. I am particularly partial to Leslie Newbigin's suggestion that the lives of Christians must be so different that we arouse the curiosity of those outside the faith.
(See for example his "The Gospel In A Pluralist Society.") And when they ask why we are different, then we answer with the gospel.

For example, I recall the enemies of Christ having to acknowledge "how they love one another" when they looked at the early Christian communities. I wonder if
they would say the same today.

The whole question of Christian-Muslim relationships is a big and complex one. I speak to those within the Christian community. We follow a crucified Christ and
have been specifically warned that his followers would suffer the same fate (2 Timothy 3:12). Suffering is intertwined deep in the Christian DNA. We must never
kill for Christ (Matthew 26:47-56). But we must always be ready to suffer and die for Him.

Before we even think of such heroic possibilities, we must first ask: What is the quality of our life in Christ? Do Christians and churches reflect so jarringly the love and holiness of God that people pause to look and ask questions? Or are we
qualitatively no different from those who do not follow Christ?

If there is no real difference, then there really is nothing for people to "convert" to is there?

Your brother,
Soo-Inn Tan
July 25th 2003.

Photo courtesy of FUBCNO

What About Other Faiths?

Topic 1: Ancient Israel & the Modern Church

How did the Nation of Israel become the Kingdom of God? When did the Chosen People become the Blessed Church? Ecclesiology began with the New Testament claim that the people of God (Israel) have been reconstituted as a community of both Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 3:6 and 4:4-6). Membership in the household of God is not by birth but by profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

Topic 2: The Triune God
Unlike the great monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Christianity is distinguished by the divinity of Jesus. The Trinitarian faith is drawn from both Old Testament (Deu. 6:4) and New Testament (James 2:19), not that there is one God, but that The Lord/God is One. How can one God be three persons with a common will? Can a common will be shared? The persons of the trinity intend with a common will - no agreement is required because no disagreement exists. Their eternal (rather than immortal or everlasting) status means that they never were without a common will. Understanding the Trinity teaches us to identify the common will as the universal church of God.

Topic 3: What About the Other Faiths?

Can those who believe in God outside the church be saved? Can a devout Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, or Jew be saved? More importantly, whatever your answer, why do you think so?

Tutor: Rev. Ron Choong, Executive Director of the Academy for Christian Thought
LLB (London), STM (Yale), MDiv, ThM, PhD candidate (Princeton)

Venue: Community Baptist Church, 107 & 109A, Jalan SS2/6, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Time: Friday 5th Sept (8.30- 0 p.m.) & Saturday 6th Sept (9-11 a.m.)
Registration: RM10 per person (Students – RM5)
Materials: Pre-book at RM20 per set, or RM30 at the door (limited copies). Call church office to pre-book materials. Closing date - 2 September 2008.
Email:office@cbcpj.org Tel: 603-80608639

ACT-Asia 2008 Kairos Flyer 2008 08 01 - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: ACT-Asia 2008 Kairos Flyer 2008 08 01

Adakah Keilahian Kristus berasaskan Alkitab?

Selain daripada pengumuman Yesus sendiri, pengikutnya juga menerima keilahian Kristus. Mereka berkatakata Yesus mempunyai hak untuk mengampun dosa – sesuatu yang hanya boleh dilakukan oleh Tuhan, kerana Tuhan yang diingkari oleh dosa manusia (Kisah Rasul 5:31; Kolose 3:13; bandingkan Mazmur 130:4; Yeremia 31:34).

Mengenai ilahian, Yesus dikatakan akan “menghakimi orang yang hidup dan yang mati” (2 Timotius 4:1). Thomas menyeru kepada Yesus, “Tuhanku dan Tuanku!” (Yohanes 20:28). Paulus memanggil Yesus “Tuhan yang Mahabesar dan Juruselamat kita” dan menunjukkan bahawa sebelum Yesus berinkarnasi, Yesus sudah ada dalam “rupa Tuhan” (Filipi 2:5-8). Buku Ibrani menulis mengenai Yesus bahawa "Takhta-Mu, ya Tuhan, tetap untuk seterusnya dan selamanya” (Ibrani 1:8). Yohanes kata bahawa “Pada mulanya adalah Firman; Firman itu bersama-sama dengan Tuhan dan Firman [Yesus] itu adalah Tuhan” (Yohanes 1:1).

Contoh dari ayat-ayat Kitab Injil yang mengajarkan illahiah Kristus dapat dilipatgandakan (lihat Wahyu 1:17; 2:8; 22:13; 1 Korintus 10:4; 1 Petrus 2:6-8; bandingkan Mazmur 18:2; 95:1; 1 Petrus 5:4; Ibrani 13:20), namun salah satu dari ayat-ayat ini sudah cukup untuk menunjukkan bahwa Yesus dipandang sebagai Tuhan oleh para pengikutNya.

Yesus juga diberikan gelaran yang hanya diberikan kepada Yahweh (nama Tuhan) dalam Perjanjian Lama. Gelaran “Penebus” dari Perjanjian Lama (Mazmur 130:7; Hosea 13:14) digunakan untuk Yesus dalam Perjanjian Baru (Titus 2:13; Wahyu 5:9). Yesus disebut Imanuel (“Tuhan beserta kita” dalam Matius 1).

Paulus menerangkan Yesaya 45:22-23 dengan merujuk kepada Yesus dalam Filipi 2:10-11. Lebih lanjut, nama Yesus digunakan bersama-sama dengan nama Yahweh dalam doa, “Kasih karunia menyertai kamu dan damai sejahtera dari Tuhan, Bapa kita, dan dari Tuhan Yesus Kristus” (Galatia 1:3; Efesus 1:2). Jikalau Kristus bukan Tuhan, ini adalah suatu penghinaan kepada Tuhan. Nama Yesus disandingkan kembali dengan nama Yahweh dalam perintah Yesus untuk membaptis “dalam nama [bentuk tunggal] Bapa dan Anak dan Roh Kudus” (Matius 28:19; ihat pula 2 Korintus 13:14). Dalam Wahyu Yohanes berkata bahwa segala ciptaan memuji Kristus (sang Anak Domba) – oleh itu Yesus bukanlah sebahagian daripada ciptaan tetapi Sang Pencipta (Yoh 1:3).

Perbuatan-perbuatan yang hanya dapat dilakukan oleh Tuhan juga dikerjakan oleh Yesus. Yesus bukan hanya membangkitkan orang mati (Yohanes 5:21; 11:38-44) dan mengampunkan dosa (Kisah Rasul 5:31; 13:38), Dia juga menciptakan dan memelihara alam ini (Yohanes 1:2; Kolose 1:16-17). Fakta ini bahkan menjadi lebih kuat ketika kita memperingati bahawa Yahweh mengatakan bahawa Dia kesendirian ketika menciptakan alam (Yesaya 44:24). Selanjutnya, Yesus memiliki sifat-sifat yang hanya dimiliki oleh Allah: kekekalan (Yohanes 8:58), maha hadir (Matius 18:20; 28:20); maha mengetahui (Matius 16:21), maha kuasa (Yohanes 11:38-44).

Mengaku diri sebagai Tuhan dan memperbodohkan orang ramai untuk percaya bahawa Dia benar-benar adalah Tuhan sama sekali berbeza dengan membuktikan diri bahawa Dia adalah Tuhan. Kristus membuktikan dakwaan-Nya dengan banyak mukjizat dan bahkan dengan bangkit dari maut. Beberapa daripada keajaiban Yesus antara lain: mengubah air menjadi wain (Yohanes 2:7); berjalan di atas air (Matius 14:25); melipatgandakan benda-benda fizik (Yohanes 6:11), menyembuhkan orang buta (Yohanes 9:7), orang lumpuh (Markus 2:3); dan orang yang sakit (Matius 9:35; Markus 1:40-42); bahkan membangkitkan orang mati (Yohanes 11:43-44; Lukas 7:11-15; Markus 5:35).

Lebih daripada itu, Yesus sendiri bangkit dari maut dan mengalahkan maut. Sangat berbeza dengan dongeng-dongeng mengenai mati dan bangkitnya dewa-dewa dalam agama-agama kafir, tiada berbanding dongeng-dongeng kebangkitan dalam agama-agama lain, dan tidak ada dakwaan lain yang mendapat bukti-bukti dari luar Kitab Suci (contohnya bukti sejarah) yang begitu banyaknya.

Baca seterusnya di Cahaya Nusantara

Christian Theology In Islamic Context

Dr Markus Piennisch (EUSEBIA Missions Ministries) who lectured me on Apologetics has published this article called "Christliche Theologie im islamischen Kontext: Missionarische und hermeneutische Perspektiven" at the 2007 STUTTGARTER THEOLOGISCHE THEMEN (Band II/Vol II). Look out for the Malaysian references he quoted :)

Christian theology in Islamic Context - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Christian theology in Islamic Context

Bergantung Pada Bahu Gergasi

"Salah satu teks daripada Alkitab yang saya gemari adalah Ibrani 11, bab yang hebat tentang iman. Untuk menggalakkan pengikut-pengikut Kristian awal untuk berlari dalam perlumbaan dihadapan mereka dikala cabaran-cabaran luaran dan dalaman (contohnya 10:32-39 and 5:11-6:12), penulis buku Ibrani bukan sahaja menunjukkan kekuasaan Kristus dalam segala keindahan dan kedaulatannya, tetapi juga mencabar mereka untuk terus bertahan seperti para anbiya sebelum mereka.

Dengan menamakan banyak nabi-nabi dalam Perjanjian Lama yang bukan sahaja percayakan perjanjian Tuhan yang berpusatkan Kristus, tetapi juga telah bertindak berdasarkan janji tersebut meskipun Tuhan Yesus Kristus masih belum muncul, penulis Ibrani mencabar umat Kristian untuk percayakan Firman Tuhan dan mendasarkan kehidupan mereka kepada apa yang sekarang telah dipenuhi oleh Kristus. Umat Kristian dicabar untuk terus bertahan ke akhir hayat. Dengan itu walau apa jua rintangan yang mendatang, orang-orang salih perlu memandang kepada Yesus.

Ibrani 11, dengan banyak lagi contoh-contoh dalam Alkitab menunjukkan betapa pentingnya mengikut jejak role model dalam kehidupan Kristian kita. Alkitab sentiasa mengingatkan kita bahawa tiada daripada kita berfungsi dengan bersendirian, tetapi kita berdiri atas bahu orang-orang yang telah datang sebelum kita, kita belajar daripada mereka, dalam amalan hidup mereka dan pemahaman teologi mereka.

Dengan itu, walaupun hidup kita mesti berpandukan kepada Alkitab dan direformasikan berdasarkan ajaran Alkitab – Sola Scriptura dan Semper Reformanda—“tradisi” juga mempunyai peranan yang penting, kritikal dan pembetulan kepada kita apabila kita cuba mempraktikkan ajaran Alkitab. Bak kata Nabi Sulaiman yang mengingatkan kita – “tiada yang baru di bawah matahari” and pepatah “mereka yang tidak dapat belajar daripada sejarah akan terus membuat kesilapan yang sama” – jika kita mengabaikan nenek moyang gereja kita sendiri yang rugi.

Tradisi dan pengajian teologi sejarah memerlukan pendekatan dimana amalan dan ajaran bersejarah, dikaji dengan konteks real-life dan cabaran-cabaran pada zaman berkenaan. Tujuan pengajian ini adalah untuk menghadapi isu-isu, debat-debat dan cabaran-cabaran dunia kontemporari.

Namun begitu, pada hari ini salah satu masalah dalam gereja Injili yang menunjukkan budaya masyarakat, kita tidak tahu sejarah, apatah lagi sejarah Gereja dan teologi bersejarah dengan baik. Ini terutamanya pengetahuan kita tentang era Bapa-bapa Gereja (the Patristic Era). Adalah tepat untuk menyatakan bagi kebanyakan umat Kristian Injili, kita akan lebih berkenalan dengan tokoh-tokoh utama dan idea-idea teologi mereka daripada zaman Reformation dan post-Reformation, daripada tokoh-tokoh sebelum Reformation. Untuk kehidupan dan kesihatan gereja hari ini, pengetahuan kita tentang sejarah Gereja perlulah diperbaik kerana dua sebab.

Pertama, kita yang berada di Barat dimana Injil telah mempengaruhi masyarakat dan budaya, selalu lupa bahawa betapa majmuknya gereja awal pada abad pertama. Dalam zaman kita hari ini, kita berhadapan dengan implikasi hidup dan pengkhabaran berita baik dalam masyarakat pascamoden, pasca-kristian, dan budaya pluralistik.

Tetapi kita seringkali lupa bahawa dalam usia awal gereja, apabila berita baik disebarkan daripada Yerusalem ke Yudea dan ke hujung dunia, ia diperkhabarkan dalam budaya yang sangat majmuk dari segi falsafah dan agama dalam dunia Yunani-Rom, seperti zaman kita pada hari ini. Kita tidak perlu terkejut apabila isu-isu yang kita hadapi hari ini, contohnya interaksi dengan agama-agama lain, bagaimana kita mempertahankan kebenaran Injil kepada mereka yang tidak percaya atau mereka yang datang daripad worldview (pandangan dunia) yang berlainan, ataupun bagaimana untuk mengamalkan ajaran Kristus dalam masyarkakat yang pagan dan korup.

Sejarah boleh mengajar kita apabila kita menghadapi situasi serupa. Walaupun budaya dunia Yunani-Rom adalah pra-kristian manakala budaya masa kini adalah pasca-kristian (ini membangkitkan isu-isu yang baru yang tidak dihadapi oleh gereja awal), tetapi gereja awal mempunyai banyak pengalaman yang boleh dikongsi untuk hidup dan mengkhabarkan berita baik dengan setia.

Keduanya, adalah penting juga agar kita mengingati era Bapa-bapa Gereja dalam cabaran-cabaran bidaah terhadap doktrin-doktrin utama agama Kristian, khususnya dalam ajaran tentang Trinitas dan Kristus. Perhimpunan-perhimpunan gereja awal, telah membentukkan rukun-rukun iman yang berdasarkan Alkitab tetapi jika kita mengabaikan perhimpunan-perhimpunan tersebut, kita akan rugi. Banyak daripada bidaah-bidaah awal yang telah ditentang oleh perhimpunan-perhimpunan tersebut – seperti Arianisme, Modalisme, Adoptionisme, Apollinarianisme, Gnosticisme dan sebagainya, masih lagi wujud pada hari ini.

Jika bukan kerana usaha keras, penghayatan teologi dan pengorbanan individu serta usaha berterusan bapa-bapa gereja dan ahli teologi seperti Irenaeus, Athanasius, Augustine, Jerome, Cyril dan banyak lagi, pemahaman kita tentang rukun-rukun iman tersebut akan berkurangan. Sesungguhnya, kita bergantung terhadap bahu mereka dan kita menghormati mereka dengan belajar tentang mereka, mendekati ajaran-ajaran mereja dan cuba mempraktikkan ajaran mereka berdasarkan Alkitab pada hari ini…

Pengetahuan tentang sejarah gereja bukan sahaja membolehkan kita peka terhadap perkembangan semasa yang telahpun bermula dari zaman lampau lagi, tetapi membantu kita untuk mengamalkan dan mengkhabarkan berita baik dengan setia pada hari ini, untuk kemuliaan Tuhan dan untuk faedah kita sendiri."

Diterjemah dan diadaptasi daripada Stephen J. Wellum, "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants", Southern Baptist Journal of Theology.

Hannah Meets Carol

Having fetched Carol home from church a few times, I am touched by how independent, strong and self giving she was amongst the multiracial community at Angsana flats, USJ1. Not only did she shop at Mydin on her own battery-powered wheelchair, she was also a socially conscious activist for persons with disability, teacher and writer. She was always cheerful and the children at Angsana love her. Only one lift at the apartment was in order for some time, causing inconvenience to the residents inc Carol so I'm glad that YB Hannah Yeo personally took the trouble to assist and serve the Subang community.

Read all about it here

Batman: The Dark Knight Review

The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins starts in the time frame a year after the first movie ends.
[warning: contains spoilers]

With Batman patrolling the streets at night, Captain Gordon with a new District Attorney, Harvey Dent going all out to enforce the law, the crime lords are running scared and Gotham may soon become a respectable city.

Then came Joker, a man with a dark past, a psychopath who have no moral standards who calls himself "a agent of chaos" who wants to bring "crime in Gotham up to a new level."


I watched this movie at the imax screen at a cinema in Vivo-City in Singapore. The extra large screen brings out the details, supported with an excellent audio system was truly a cinematic experience.

The movie has all the dynamic features of a fast paced adventure story, with fancy car chases, explosions and damage to buildings, fights with fists and weapons, and many of Batman's fancy gadgets. The only complaint I have is that too much is compressed into the film.


While the first film explores the reasons why a man will wear a mask and become a vigilant in Gotham, this movie explores a few themes.

The first is Batman's resolution to continue to be the Batman. I guess the initial thrill has worn off and being the Batman is taking a toll on Bruce Wayne. He begins to realise that he has to give up a normal ordinary life. He starts to look for a way out. He beginning lookig for a reason why Gotham will not need a Batman and found that in Harvey Dent, a fearless crusader for justice that the press dubbed as the 'White Knight'. In the story, he is willing to reveal his secret identity when forced to by the Joker but was prevent to by Harvey. Again I am reminded that often we charge in "where angels fear to tread' and are stuck in such situations. We have to keep in mind that this is a young and inexperience caped crusader.

Second, the criminals Batman has been battling so far are normal human beings. With success, Batman began to feel complacent. Along come the Joker with his dark personality and scars on his face. He is a liar (he gave many stories about how he got his scars and about his father), a man totally without scruples, a genius for improvising and literally is evil incarnate. Batman who trained himself to fight human criminals is totally out of his depth to deal with this type of evil; blowing up a hospital, turns innocent people into potential mass murderers in order to save their own lives, and uses hostages as cannon fodder. He is so extreme a psychopath. However, I do not think that he is insane.

Third, the Batman's code of not killing anyone saved the Joker twice in the movie. However by not killing the Joker, Batman inevitable allows the Joker to continue killing other people. Comic readers will know that Joker will go on to kill the second Robin, Jason Todd and paralyse Batgirl, Babara Gordon. The Batman's argument is that when he allows himself to start killing, he will be no better than the criminals he catches. I still have problem with the code of Batman. As Ra's Al Ghul said in the first movie, compassion is the flaw in Batman's logic.

Finally, the fall of Harvey Dent. Harvey Dent became scarred in the right side of his face and became Two Face. He obsessed with the death of his girlfriend and he starts murdering those he thinks is responsible for her death. The White Knight of Gotham has become the Dark Knight.

Then there is the cover-up. In order to keep Harvey's name clean, Batman confesses to Harvey's killing thus becoming an outlaw. Hence the Dark Knight. I like the play on words here on the movie's title.

Personal tragedy changes people. The murder of his parents make Bruce Wayne, the Batman. The murder of Rachel moved Harvey into his dark side. No one knows about the dark past of the Joker.

This movie stands out in this year's summer season blockbuster releases because it is a rare combination of good story telling and cinematic showing. A good movie, like good books, should not only entertain. It should also forces us to think.

This may not be a suitable movie for children as there is a lot of violence or what a New York Times reviewer calls "consistently violent but not bloody."

What others say:

Erik Amaya of Comic Book Resources

Christopher Nolan never meant to be a director of titanic tent-pole films, but he delivers them with grace, confidence, and power. The fights are true to Batman and the chase scenes are electric. If "The Dark Knight" were simply an action film, it would be one of the best. However, what makes the film truly amazing is how it grows beyond its basic remit as a summer action film. The story, guided by the Joker's antics, reveals a dark rumination on the Western World in the twenty-first century. It suggests the line between upstanding citizen and a homicidal clown is not very well defined. The film has a sense of relevance in a way no other superhero movie can claim to suggest. This is a truly amazing feat for any film, never mind one which features an actual building exploding.

Todd Hertz of Christianity Today Movies.com

There is hefty story material here. Can decent people walk in a land of indecency without being crushed, tainted, or turned? At what cost should good men fight evil? How do you stop a terrorist with no limits, no real motive, and no rules? If Batman Begins shows why a grown man would dress up like a bat, its sequel shows why that figure can't really be a white-hat hero—but something far darker.

Earliest Arabic Biblical Text?

From Kam Weng's blog: "...I refer readers to what is possibly the oldest biblical Arabic manuscript (Codex 151). I cite the judgment of Bruce Metzger, one of the most outstanding scholar of textual criticism of our time, “What appears to be the oldest dated copy of the Arabic Acts of the Apostles, and the Catholic Epistles, is cod. Sinai arab, 151. Written in A.D. 867 in what Atiya describes as a ‘rubricate transitional hand between Naskh and Kufic, the codex contains many annotations in the margin which provide exegetical comments on the the Scripture text. The text of Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Philippians, along with the annotations, has been edited, with an English translation, by Harvey Staal” (The Early Versions of the New Testament: Their Origin, Transmission, and Limitations Oxford University Press, USA (September 15, 1977), p. 261.

...he codex begins with the inscription “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate” (note the first line which says bismillah al rahman al rahim!!). This seems to parallel the practice of Quranic script writers. A similar form is evident at the beginning of three books of this manuscript (Acts, Romans and 2 Corinthians) which read, “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

Readers may be interested to access the following sites for more information on this ancient Arabic New Testament
http://www.arabicbible.com/bible/codex_151.htm
http://www.arabicbible.com/bible/codex151_article.htm
http://www.arabicbible.com/bible/codex151_p1.htm

More updates on the court case regarding the prohibition of the use of ‘Allah’ in non-Muslim media here

Altared Living For Altered Lives

Peter Rowan, my homiletic teacher, preached on "Worship At The Kitchen Sink: Altared Living for Altered Lives" last Sunday and here are the sermon notes:

Where Does Worship Take Place?

The radical difference between early Christianity and the surrounding religions of the first century:

No longer is religion to be a sector of life as was with the case with the elusive and empty divinity cults. Christian worship is a total consecration involving belonging, obedience, brotherly love, in short, total service and adoration of the living and true God. (R. Corriveau)

1. Mind Your Language - Old Words, Wider Meanings

- Worship patterns in redemptive history (remember John 4): OT worship pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice and the perfect high priest - Jesus and the Cross.
- In the NT, OT worship language is transformed and widened in its application.

2. Do As The Romans Do - Worship 24/7

The Build-Up to the Call of Worship:
- 1:18-3:20 - sin keeps humanity from a true knowledge of God, making true worship impossible.

- 3:21 - 11:36 - God has not abandoned His world. Through Christ's sacrificial death, God has acted to bring humankind back to Himself.
- 12:1ff - Paul's exposition of the righteousness of God and of justification by faith leads to 12:1 "Therefore, in view of God's mercies, ..."
- Romans 12 expresses a new understanding of worship based on a right response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Understanding 'understanding worship'

- This kind of worship involves the obedience of faith (1:5 & 16:26) - worked out by those whose minds are being transformed and renewed by God so that their lives in their totality are lived according to the will of God.
- The Christian's spiritual worship involves an extreme of realism - the offering of himself (R. Corriveau).

3. Worship at the Kitchen Sink: Altared Lives for Altered Living

- 12:1 "offer / present your bodies..." The presentation of ourselves to God at the beginning of our Christian lives - in terms of a deliberate, decisive, demonstrable surrender to God, is to be renewed on a regular basis.
- Our death to sin in the death of Christ, which Paul has declared earlier in Romans to be and accomplished fact, must become real in experience too (James Philip).

Altared Lives

- Not a disembodiment consecration, but the consecration of our whole lives.
- Ruth Graham had a card above her kitchen sink: "Divine worship offered here three times daily." All of life lived to the glory of God.
- OT language of sacrifice is applied now to the offering up of all our live all the time to God.

Authentic Worship Flows from an Altered Life

- The life that is fully acceptable to God is the life consecrated to Him through self-abandonment to the saving work of Jesus Christ. It is the life that seeks to serve Him in the context of everyday relationships and responsibilities, in the power of His Holy Spirit (David Peterson).

- Altared lives will result in altered living

Altered Living - The Life of Comprehensive Worship is to be lived out in the concrete relationships and circumstances of life:

a. relationship with yourself
b. relationship with other Christians
c. relationship with enemies
d. relationship to authorities
e. relationship to God's standards

- Philip Yancey talks about the kind of alternative lives we are called to live: Stalin built a village in Poland called Nowa Huta or 'new town' to demonstrate the promise of communism...

- "All too often, the church holds up a mirror reflecting back the society around it, rather than a window revealing a different way..." (What's So Amazing About Grace)

4. Real Worship: Connecting the Real World with the Real God

- (Romans 15:15-17) Paul sees his mission to the Gentiles as an expression of his worship to God.

- Evangelism has as its chief purpose the multiplication of worship, praise and thanksgiving to the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Andrew Kirk).

- Corporate worship should encourage us to engage with the world, and not escape from it.

- There can be no place for fantasy religion - worship is real only if it connects the real world with the real God (Mark Santer).

5. Our Debt Problem: The Solution to Sustaining True Worship

A Life for a Life
- a debt of gratitude
- a matter of obligation
- a matter of honesty

To see the meaning of the cross and still withhold our whole being from God is an impeachment of our sincerity and integrity (James Philip).

This is the worship God so desires and deserves:

- a comprehensive worship that flows from the totality of our lives
- worship that leads us to engage with the needs of the world
- worship sustained by the gospel of Christ

The Case For Real Jesus

Author : Lee Strobel
Publisher : Zondervan
Price : Approx RM39.95 (Available in Christian Book Stores)
Reviewed by : Henry Hock Guan Teh.

Like his other books, Strobel uses evidential methodology apologetics approach in this book to point out the errors and absurd assumptions of the liberal theorist about Jesus. Taking advantage of his journalistic forte, he intellectually wrote but carefully framing his interviews with leading scholars for narratives loving readers. The author’s main concern is that the public (including Christians) are duped by recent ill-supported assertions concerning Jesus, such as from the likes of Dan Brown (Da Vinci Code, 2003), Michael Baigent (The Jesus Papers, 2006) and James Cameron (‘The Jesus Tomb’, Discovery Channel Documentary, 2007).

Strobel also brilliantly exposed and explained away today’s cacophony of postmodernism by systematically presenting logical counter-arguments against conjectures such as:

● Jesus is portrayed in other non-canonical gospels;
● Tampering by the church had damaged Bible’s portrayal of Jesus;
● New explanations refuting Jesus’ resurrection;
● Christianity’s portrayal of Jesus drawn from pagan religions;
● Jesus failed to fulfil messianic prophecies, and
● Contemporary people should interpret their own way about Jesus.

I got this wonderful book as a Christmas gift from my wife. You can borrow it from CDPC library. I intend to keep my copy.

November Institute 2008 on Medical Ethics

November Institute 2008
Malaysia Bible Seminary

MEDICAL ETHICS: Biomedical Ethical Issues in the Contemporary Malaysian Church

November Institute
November Institute is a week-long study conference held annually one week after the MBS graduation. This conference intends to explore and engage contemporary issues that are affecting the Church and Society at large. Pastors, church workers, missionaries and laity from all denominations are invited to enrol for the conference wither for credit or audit.

Date: November 17-20, 2008 (Mon-Thur)
Venue: Malaysia Bible Seminari,
1-11, Jalan Dendang 1, Kaw.16
Berkeley Town Centre
41300 Klang, Selangor
Tel: 03-33427482
Fax: 03-33412094
Email: mbs-ed@mbs.org.my
Speaker: Dr Alex Tang

Speaker’s Profile:

Dr Alex Tang is a senior consultant paediatrician in Johor Specialist Hospital and teaches part-time in the Monash Medical School of Malaysia in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. He received his medical training in Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, and his theological training in Malaysia, Singapore and the United States. Alex has taught and written about biomedical ethics. He has contributed to numerous journals and his latest two books are; A Good Day to Die: A Christian Perspective on Mercy-Killing and Live and Let Live: A Christian Perspective of Biotechnology.

Synopsis:

Advances in medical treatment modalities, biotechnological innovations, and genetic-molecular manipulations have brought about a set of unique challenges to issues not faced by the Church before. We live in a time of tremendous rapid changes, and incredible complexity. How then, should we as a Church responds to these issues and how can we help those who are struggling to live as Christian in these difficult times?

In this seminar, we shall use a pastoral-theological approach to examine, reflect and develop responses to these difficult moral and ethical issues – test tube and designer babies, facts and fallacies of stem cell therapies, cloning, reproductive issues, abortion, mercy-killing, allocation of scarce healthcare resources, living will, gene therapy, prenatal diagnosis, aesthetic surgery, transexuality - facing the contemporary Malaysian Church. This seminar is relevant to pastors, theologians, church leaders, counsellors, seminarians, doctors, and all Christians who are committed to living ethically in these changing times.

more information and registration form

United Voice: Self Advocacy

United Voice: Self Advocacy is based on the belief that people are their own best advocates. Thus persons with learning disabilities are their own best advocates to tell others what they want. A person with mild learning disabilities self-advocates by voicing out his or her views. A person with severe learning disabilities self-advocates by his or her presence in a public meeting.

Self-Advocacy is:

1) Knowing what you want
2) Making your own choices & decisions
3) Speaking up for yourself
4) Knowing your rights and responsibilities

UV (a self-advocacy society of persons with learning disabilities started by Rev Peter Young) is organising a fundraising dinner on 17 August 08. To lend your support to them, you can do so by buying the dinner tickets, advertise in their magazine, sponsor the goodies bag or just cash donation. Contact United Voice at Tel/Fax : +603-7958 8069 or
Email : info@unitedvoice.com.my

Resurgence of Apologetics

Frm Stand To Reason blog: "It's nice to see Christianity Today recognize that god is not dead yet. Seriously, the current issue of CT has three great articles on apologetics.

Bill Craig's piece discusses the renaissance of Christian philosophy and in particular, the arguments for God's existence. He includes a contemporary and concise overview of the most prominent arguments and then issues a warning to those who would abandon apologetics as a result of ill-conceived postmodern sensibilities. Mark Mittelberg concurs, arguing this is no time to jettison logic. And Troy Andersen documents the resurgence of Christian apologetics, with a special nod to Biola University and Talbot School of Theology.

Certainly these are encouraging signs."

Why the Hulk should be Red not Green

The fictional comic book character, The Incredible Hulk was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962. The Hulk is the alter ego of mild mannered physicist Dr Bruce Banner who was accidentally irradiated by gamma radiation. Whenever he gets angry, he turned into the Hulk, a creature consisting of pure rage which is invincible and incredibly strong. The angrier the Hulk gets, the stronger and bigger he becomes. I guess he was green because of the gamma radiation. Why green and not red? The English expression of becoming angry is “seeing red.” A red Hulk will be more appropriate.

Many of us are aware of the beast within us. And of the thin veneer of civility that makes us respectable citizens. Occasionally someone will snap and the beast breaks out. Then we are all horrified at the violence done to persons and properties. Sometimes it is not a person but a mob or a nation. And in the aftermath amidst the carnage, we are again reminded of the evil that lurks the heart of human beings. In our hectic, chaotic and stressful lifestyles, anger is our constant emotional companion. While some of us are aware of it, others are not. Many try to repress their daily anger. Doing so they become impatient, irritable and aggressive. Repressing anger does not make it go away. Like energy, emotions can be converted into other forms. Repressed energy is converted into hatred, bitterness and anxiety.

“Please don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry" is a famous byline from the Hulk television series which turned up in every comic, television and movies involving the not-so jolly green man. What makes you angry? Could it be social injustice, exploitation of the poor, religious intolerance, and maybe, abuse of political privileges? My reasons for getting angry are often not so righteous. I get angry because I do not get things my own way; why people do not behave the way I expect them to, why projects do not go the way I planned it to, and why the universe do not happen the way I want it to. I get angry and then I feel guilty. I remember what Paul wrote to the Ephesians: "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold (Eph.4:26-27). Paul was referring to Psalm 4:4: In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Furthermore, I remember this old Cherokee story named “The Two Wolves”:
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed.”

I reflected upon this and drew some wisdom. The psalmist, Apostle Paul and the old Cherokee did not deny the existence of anger or being angry. In fact, they all acknowledge it. Furthermore, they taught me the only way to deal with anger is not to feed it. The only way to deal with anger is to starve it of attention and other emotions. The Hulk is pure rage, violent raw energy and red is the appropriate colour. Green reminds me of leafy meadows, peacefulness and calm. Methinks the Hulk should be red in colour. Or even better blue…


picture source

CWM: Youth Leaders Assembly 2008

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

I am attaching both the programs for the Council for World Mission East Asia Region's Inaugural Youth Leaders Regional Assembly and the I LOVE MALAYSIA Programs which will be running consecutively from August 11 to 28, 2008, for your perusal. The theme for the conference is "The Role of the Christian Youth in Nation Building".

Gereja Presbyterian Malaysia (GPM) is the main organiser for these two events and will play hosts to youth leaders from various member churches in East Asia, i.e. from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Singapore, South Korea as well as representatives from Africa, Europe and Caribbean.

On behalf of the organisers, I would like to extend an invitation to yourselves and fellow ecumenical youth leaders to participate in these 2 programs. Participants for the extended I LOVE MALAYSIA will get to experience a short term mission exposure during their stay with another Malaysian church, serving in various ministries such as mission, e.g. Orang Asli children, sunday school or migrants, or youth work, and also get to enjoy an enriching cross cultural experience from their time of fellowship and sharing with regional youth leaders on matters relating to regional affairs and development of national youth policies.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for further clarification.

--
Blessings, In Him,
Chrisanne Chin - chrisanne.chin@gmail.com
陈耀芳

Organising Coordinator
CWM EAR Youth Committee

The great lesson of our time is that no regime can survive if it acts above the heads of the ordinary citizens of the country - Nelson Mandela

CREST in Myanmar

Friends,

Shalom. Thanksgiving that our rescue team returned safely. Working in Myanmar now is likened to being caught in quicksand... the more you move, the more you sink. Work is a great challenge. Electricity is irregular and frequently interrupted. Water is a critical problem - the cyclone water has stagnated into black mud. Floating rotting corpses infested with maggots has polluted the water system.

On the positive side, another small team left yesterday morning with a cargo of medicine and dried food. The best approach at this moment is through our couriers who bring money in and distribute to our partners to start the feeding. A total of 480 families have already received basic provisions. A family pack consists of 2 kg rice, 1 kg dhall, 1 kg onion, 1 kg oil, 1/2 kg salt. It costs USD11 per pack.

All essential goods have increased exorbitantly. Cash is still best to buy essentials.

Enclosed some pictures of aid given out.

Constrained by His Love
Lana

Crisis Relief Services & Training Berhad
27 Jalan SS2/104
47300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: 03-77257299, 03-77256297
Fax: 03-77257298
www.crestmalaysia.org

** Please bank in your contribution to MBB Account No. 5141-9611-8174 and fax your bank slip to 03-77257298 stating the purpose, amount, your name and postal address for us to acknowledge receipt **

Special Tribute Service In Honor of David Boler

SPECIAL TRIBUTE SERVICE - Mr David Boler
Date: 29 June 2008 (Sunday)
Time: 8.00pm
Venue: Petaling Jaya Gospel Hall, Jln Gasing

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints"
Psalm 116:15

From NECF in 2002: "For many years, the highly-regarded 83-year-old patriarch of the Malaysian Evangelical community has been relentlessly calling Evangelicals to “forget our differences and emphasise what we have in common.”

He said unity in the Church was critical to establish “the credibility and uniqueness
of Jesus as the One sent from and by God ‘to be the Saviour of the world’ and ‘as an
atoning sacrifice for our sins.’” Unity is, therefore, the evidence that “He (God) loved us” (1 John 4:9-14).

Mr Boler urged Christians to make every effort to preserve the unity – which we already have in the Spirit – by being humble, gentle, patient and gracious with
one another according to Ephesians 4:1–16. Our effort on unity is also evidence that
we are committed to renewal in the Church.

He concluded his message with his oft-given counsel: “The important working
principle to follow is that Christians emphasise and act on what they have in
common, never on distinctives that may divide. Only then can the Malaysian Church
establish a credible witness among the multi-religious people of Malaysia.”