St James' Church

I will be in Hanoi this weekend, accompanied by Freddie Chua. It is always a joy to catch up with the Lims and observe their work there. Distance, communication difficulties (they do not have home internet) and the busyness of life does not allow us to be in touch regularly and so, going there in person helps to make up for it. I will also be sharing the Word and breaking bread with them on Sunday.

I will be missing LT Jeyachandran’s ministry with us this weekend. Christian apologetics has always been a subject which is close to my heart, ministry and reading. Along with that is an interest in ‘public square’ issues, where our faith interacts with our secular society, which is dominated by various ideas and philosophical assumptions. As we are a part of this society, there is a need to critically examine our own values and basis for our message so that we do not lose our ‘salt and light’ influence. It is not enough to say we do not do this or that, or avoid this film (e.g. Golden Compass) or support the penal code on the criminalisation of homosexuality practices. We need to be able to both reason out why and explain it.

Take for example the prevailing issue of homosexuality. Based on some remarks made in our papers and what the majority seem to be conditioned to believe, there is a widespread thinking that homosexual persons are genetically conditioned to be so and that ‘scientific studies’ have proved it. Really? Not if you bother to read or research a bit deeper. The issue is too complex to discuss here but I am using this as an example to say that we do need to go behind the issues which confront us so that we don’t drift along mindlessly. Life is too busy for us to personally examine each issue carefully but a habit of inquiring, observation, reading and discussions can lead to a lifelong growth in our understanding of the world and life issues. If we are only concerned with existential spiritual experiences and moral behaviour, and neglect on a reasoned biblical and philosophical undergirding, our faith will be impoverished and we will fail to make a long term witness impact in our urbanised city. And some of our youths and students will not be equipped to face the intellectual challenges as they progress to higher education. When you lose the battle for the mind, you will eventually lose everything. 

The parish is not a ghetto where these issues are conveniently avoided. The parish should be the very place where such issues are biblically and intellectually examined. While not everyone of us need to read or think deeply on every issue, even the simplest question asked by the man on the street deserves a rational answer (e.g. on suffering, evolution). At the very least, every Christian can learn to think about their faith.