1

cont’d

MICA (P)087/02/2012 APR 2012

1

hy do Christians worship on Sunday morning? There might be many reasons: out of habit, as a prelude to Sunday brunch with friends, or to receive religious instruction. For some of us, Sunday worship is so ingrained that we never ask ourselves why we do it. So let us now consider the reasons why Christians worship.

First, we worship because it is the right thing to do. The holiness and power of God naturally lead us to “bow down” before him in praise, adoration and confession. We worship God because we recognize One who is worthy of the highest forms of honour that we can give.

Second, we worship to meet God. Worship is not just about God; worship is a meeting with God! Indeed, God is present in worship to bless us through the Word and the Lord’s Supper. God’s Word proclaimed in the reading of the Scriptures and preaching creates faith and inspires holy living (cf. Romans 10:17, 2 Timothy 3:16). The Lord’s Supper is a true communion with Christ who offers forgiveness and his very self through the bread and cup. Both Word and Supper are means for initiating and sustaining a saving relationship with Christ.

That worship is full of the saving and sanctifying power of God in Jesus Christ implies two things:

cont’d

Jeffrey Truscott

W

2

cont’d from p1

2

Rev Dr Jeffrey Truscott Lecturer in Liturgy and Worship

Chaplain of Trinity Theological College

First, Christians should avoid being overly-scrupulous about their own participation in worship. People sometimes question whether the worship assembly is simply “going through the motions” in worship, especially when making standard liturgical responses, e.g. saying “Thanks be to God” after the scripture reading. Do we make this response automatically and without sincerity, such that we invite God’s judgement?

While it is true that God desires the sincere worship of people who live in full obedience to him (cf. Psalm 24:3-4), we dare not think that, in this life, we will worship with perfect sincerity. Rather than focusing on our own sincerity, we should focus on what God is saying to us in worship! It is, after all, God’s Word that will perfect our faith. Indeed, we do not come to worship because we have a perfect faith; rather we worship that we might obtain a more perfect faith.

Also, built into worship is the assumption that we Christians are a pilgrim people making our way toward the goal of greater perfection and holiness in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18) ; if we were already perfect in Christ, our worship would not include things like a confession and pardon, and a meal that proclaims and offers God’s forgiveness. Nor would the scriptures and preaching encourage us to live holy lives! Furthermore, the assumption that Christians will meet together regularly for worship (cf. Hebrews 10:25) further implies that we are all “works in progress” when it comes to sanctification.

Over time, then, we can hope that participation in worship will enable us to grow in faith and sincerity. The roughness of any “insincerity” will be worn smooth by the Word and presence of Christ himself.

Second, worship leaders must focus on the central things of worship – Word and Meal – so that God might speak to us for our perfection. Many worship

leaders today, whether of “traditional” or “contemporary” worship, seem preoccupied with making worshippers feel good or with entertaining them, especially through music. It would be better if leaders sought to ensure that the content of prayers and songs expressed the deepest truths about God (e.g. God’s triune being). Only theologi-cally sound, biblical worship will make for biblically-grounded worshippers who lead holy lives.

Additionally, worship leaders must celebrate the Lord’s Supper with care and reverence. Especially in services that devote most of the time to congre-gational singing and preaching, leaders might be tempted to rush through the Lord’s Supper. Yet worshippers need time to reflect on their need for the Supper, as well as on the immense gift of forgiveness that it signifies and offers. Worship leaders might adjust the time allotted to singing and preaching when Holy Communion is included, as well as seek prayer resources that enhance the Supper’s connection to the Bible, e.g. those in the Worship Sourcebook (Calvin Institute, Grand Rapids, USA).

As we reflect on worship in light of biblical teach-ing, we realize that worship is more than a lecture – it is an encounter. Accordingly, we do well as worshippers to focus on opening ourselves to this encounter, rather than dwelling obsessively on our sincerity and worthiness for it. Leaders are advised to let Word and Meal stand central and strong so that God’s sanctifying and perfecting work might touch the heart of each worshipper.

May God help us to do these things.

“ That Christians will meet together regularly for worship further implies that we are all ‘works in progress’ when it comes to sanctification ”

cont’d from p1

“ As we reflect on worship in light of biblical teaching, we realize that

worship is more than a lecture – it is an encounter ”

3

33

A Word from the Principal On Preaching and Listening

he angel said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2: 10). Ever Since that first

announcement to the shepherds in the fields, the tidings of Christmas joy has travelled the world over. In our modern era, the message has been retold, enhanced by sophisticated high-tech equipment and media presentations.

But preaching continues to be the most effective means of sharing the good news. Homiletics (or preaching) is now a core subject for those preparing for full time ministry. Yet, it is said that teachers of the subject still wonder if it can really be taught, although those with the gift of public speaking will find it less of a challenge.

In our Protestant tradition, there seems to be an over-emphasis on sermons as the high point for a worship service. Rightly or wrongly, worshippers look towards the Sunday sermon as the main item of worship, while other aspects of the service are considered ‘preliminaries’. Hence they wait in anticipation for an inspiring message but are sometimes disappointed when the sermon lacks the ‘punch’.

A lecturer of preaching at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, in an article “Why sermons bore us” (Thomas Long), reminds us that it’s a perennial complaint and centuries of church goers have carped about boring sermons. He says that Search Commit-tees for pastors often have a wish list and at the top of that list is “good preacher”. Unfortunately, these com-mittees would report back that the searches “lead them through dry and waterless places”! If “good preachers” are hard to find, could it also be true that good listening is not being cultivated in our churches?

In the Roman Catholic tradition, a homily would usually be about 10 minutes’ duration. Denomina-tional churches are used to sermons lasting of about 30 minutes. However, in some independent churches, it is not uncommon for teaching-oriented messages to be as long as an hour. Some have expressed that the concern for sermon length is the result of the diminish-ing attention span of our generation.

Fred Craddock in his classic book titled “Preaching” says that most congregations are not looking for oratorical skills but for some insight. People welcome a message that helps them look closer at their lives, their marriages, their studies, their jobs, their world through the lens of Scripture and theology, so that a fresh perspective can be found. Eloquence helps but people are looking for a meaningful message which encourages reflection.

Craddock adds that a sermon does not in itself make an impact for the reason that “most parishioners hear a sermon as it is filtered through many sermons” and therefore every preacher builds on the work of his predecessors. In other words we who preach cannot really take full credit if our sermon appears to have touched listeners in a special way. Indeed there are many reference points for the listener of a sermon, pointing to the memory of the church as a treasury, thus making us all the richer.

So is it fair to say that some sermons can be boring? If so, whose fault is it? Thomas Long observes that sermons often seem more boring than they really are. He is quite convinced that it is actually rare to find a sermon completely devoid of inspiration or creativity. Regardless of that, we know that congregations will still vote with their feet if sermons are both boring and long winded.

Thus, the call to preach requires one to devote much time in prayerful reflection so as to bring contextual relevance to the scripture text. For the fact is that any sermon that is communicated with conviction and passion will usually hold the attention of listeners.

“ Homiletics … it is said that teachers of the subject still wonder if it can really

be taught although those with the gift of public speaking will find it

less of a challenge. ”

“ … any sermon that is communicated with conviction and passion will usually

hold the attention of listeners ”

T

TTC Trumpet-Dec2011.indd 3 11/30/11 9:46 AM

The Trumpet is published in both English and Chinese To view the digital version, please visit the TTC website: www.ttc.edu.sg

Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian Principal

A Word from the Principal The Handheld Device – a Tool or Master?

hile having lunch at a restaurant recently, I noticed a couple taking their seats nearby. Soon after placing their orders they each took out their

ipads and though seated facing each other, they were engrossed with their personal electronic device. Comic strips have for some time poked fun at the digital revolu-tion which has brought connectivity to our world but not necessarily improved communication between individuals. In fact it was only about 20 years ago that the mobile phone first broke into the consumer market and within such a short space of time, the hand phone has become nearly everyone’s inseparable companion.

Technology is no doubt a boon to modern living and as long as it remains servant of those who use it, its future for humanity is rather promising. According to The Futurist (Jan – Feb 2012), in the year 2025, advanced countries will deploy ‘social robots’ to solve labour shortage and to do work which its citizens are not willing to perform. Perhaps this could be true for Singapore as well, with social robots doing menial tasks such as sweeping the streets, clearing our garbage and doing household chores.

The magazine also projects that by then, your mobile phone will be ‘the remote control of your life’. It will be so advanced that it can warn you if your food is contaminated, or whether the surgeon you consult has an unblemished record. In 2025, “you check everything on the spot with your wizard mobile and manage your finances and keep your secrets in your own personal dashboard”. Some have already suggested that in the future, there will be no need to carry a passport as your mobile device will confirm your identity.

The hand phone has become so indispensable in daily life, that even Christians run the danger of being enslaved to its multiple functions and applications. The younger generation, also known as the Game Generation cannot part with it and one wonders how all this will impact faith in God as we understand it? Will dependence on God’s providential care be redefined, and how shall we teach young Christians about the presence of the Holy Spirit as personal counsellor and guide (John 16: 7)?

Indeed, we shall be challenged to find meaningful rele-vance of our faith amidst life in a super high-tech society. The digital revolution is here to stay and if there is a sacred space that has been encroached upon, it has to be our worship service.

At Sunday worship it is not uncommon to hear the announcement reminding the congregation to either turn off their mobile phones or switch to silent mode. Still, the ‘companion’ in every pocket and handbag often interrupts a silent prayer or the reading of scripture, including the sermon. Of course there are worshippers whose employ-ment require that they remain in communication 24/7 but many now feel it unthinkable to be out of reach even for a couple of hours. Yet the fourth commandment (Ex 20: 8 – 11) exhorts us to keep the Sabbath and that means not allowing our handheld device to interfere with the worship of our Lord.

TTC lecturer, Dr Roland Chia, in ‘Laws of the Heart’ explains that the Lord’s Day is primarily a time for rest and worship. Consecrated for holy rest, it must represent an interruption of our daily routine and activities, a deliberate temporary pause on the things that occupy us and drive us during the hectic week. He elaborates that the “loss of Sabbath time in the modern world may be an ominous sign”, for the essentials of life such as “stillness, thoughtfulness, gentleness and patience are lost in the world of multitasking, instant results and bottom lines”. When we learn to deliberately cease from work while at worship, we acknowledge that it is God, and not us, who sustains the world.

Thankfully, the tool need not be a master. For instance, the mobile phone allows us to carry the electronic version of God’s Word, and as many versions we may wish to download onto our device. This has tremendous potential for personal devotion and meditation anywhere in the world, and also to share the faith with Bible in hand.

So just as it was true in previous generations, it is still true today, that the world offers us many useful devices for the advancement of civilisation. We should make use of them as God’s gift to humanity, as long as we do not allow them to turn our eyes away from the One who first loved us and continues to sustain the world and all creation.

“ The younger generation, also known as the Game Generation cannot part with it and

one wonders how all this will impact faith in God as we understand it? ”

“ The mobile phone allows us to carry the electronic version of God’s Word …

has tremendous potential for personal devotion and meditation anywhere in the world, and also to share the faith with Bible in hand ”

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44

ver the years, members of the TTC community have, in connection with the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS), been engaged

with leaders of the Islamic community in Singapore on various issues in society that are of common concern to the two faith communities.

In the spirit of fostering greater interfaith exchange, a delegation from MUIS (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura), the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore – which included the leadership of MUIS Academy and the Harmony Centre – paid a friendly visit to TTC on 9 February 2012. The Principal and some faculty members were on hand to welcome and host a luncheon for our visitors.

The purpose of the visit, according to Mr Zainul Abidin Ibrahim, MUIS’s Deputy Director for Strategic Engagement and leader of the delegation, was not only to build on the relationship already established but also to facilitate exchange of ideas between the two religious bodies in the interest of promoting the common good.

After presentations that introduced the work of the two organizations to each other, the parties involved got off to a fruitful time of interaction. Of special interest to our guests was the process of training that pastors of Protestant churches have to undergo before ordination, as well as matters pertaining to curriculum planning and academic training.

O

Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) Leaders Welcomed At TTC

Our guests were given an overview of the various programmes offered by TTC, while they in turn shared candidly about the challenges they faced in developing religious leaders. Despite the substantive and important issues discussed, it must be said that the exchanges throughout the morning visit were invariably warm, enlightening and gracious, with a fair bit of humour thrown in as well. This good visit no doubt contributed positively to enhancing the relationship between TTC and MUIS.

n 3 Feb 2012 at the MUIS Academy at the Singapore Islamic Hub, a representative each from MUIS and TTC (representing NCCS) presented

papers describing the status of tradition and authority in Islam and Christianity respectively. This first engagement session was followed by a very lively discussion, as the core representatives from both sides responded to these papers, and the other invited participants raised their questions and comments.

Such energetic interaction showed that there was genuine interest on both sides to understand and learn from the other faith tradition, especially on the thorny issue of how we can grapple with the common problem of the undermining of our respective traditions as a source of authority in our present age. But the session was more than just an occasion to understand each oth-er on an intellectual level. It also gave us the opportunity

to meet members of the other faith tradition face-to-face. This has enabled us to establish personal relationships, which promise to endure beyond the holding of these formal seminars.

This is another step towards the fostering of inter-religious harmony in Singapore. NCCS (National Coun-cil of Churches of Singapore) responded to an invitation by MUIS (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) to par-ticipate in a collaborative “Building Bridges” programme. This seeks to promote deeper inter-religious understand-ing between Muslims and Christians, with the aim of strengthening the social cohesion of our small nation-state.

It will involve the holding of three engagement sessions, where representatives of both faith traditions will present papers on different aspects of the topic “Religious

The delegation from MUIS including Mr Zainul Abidin Ibrahim (1st row, 4th from right) and Mr Ustaz Hj Mohamed Ali Bin Hj Atan

(1st row, 2nd from right) with TTC faculty members

BUILDING BRIDGES Fostering of inter-religious harmony in Singapore

O Leow Theng Huat

cont’d cont’d

Mark L. Y. Chan

5

Tradition and Authority in the Postmodern World”. These sessions will culminate in a “Building Bridges Seminar”, where the fruits of these engagement sessions will be pre-sented to a wider audience.

TTC works closely with NCCS, towards building of lasting bridges between the two faith communities. The three core representatives appointed by NCCS, who have been tasked to offer the Christian perspective on the chosen topic, are TTC faculty members, Rev Dr Andrew Peh and Dr Leow Theng Huat, and TTC guest lecturer, Rev Malcolm Tan, who is also pastor-in-charge of Barker Road Methodist Church.

5

Turning the Hearts of Fathers: A FaithSOC Forum

he health of a nation is dependent in great measure on strong and stable families, which in turn are the result of parents being committed to each other and to their children.

Yet, as Mr Jason Wong, Senior Director at MCYS (Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports) with responsi-bility for abused children and youths at risk in Singapore, points out, pivotal to the whole process is the involvement of fathers. Any attempt at addressing the many social problems facing our nation must entail getting fathers to be more engaged with their families. This, in essence, was the thrust of Wong’s message delivered at a FaithSOC (Faith and Society) Forum at TTC on March 29, 2012 on the topic: “The Impact of Fathers on Families and Society.” Using the words of the prophet Malachi as a springboard, Wong maintained that “turning the hearts of fathers to their children” (Malachi 4:6) is critical to restoring broken lives and safeguarding the welfare of society.

Mark L. Y. Chan This scriptural principle is borne out by ample research findings. Fathers do indeed make a difference. For this reason, Wong is spearheading the national “Dads for Life” movement that seeks “to inspire, mobilise and involve fathers to become good influencers in their children’s lives…for life.” A committed Christian himself, the former Deputy Director and Chief of Staff of the Singapore Prisons Service and CEO of SCORE (Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises), is no stranger to the dysfunctional side of society. Rehabilitating prisoners must involve reconnecting them back to their families and providing opportuni-ties for them to start afresh. It was with this in mind that the Yellow Ribbon project was started in 2004 under Wong’s watch, a community-based project that seeks to provide a second chance at life and support ex-offenders and their families. Wong’s passion in calling fathers to become more involved with their children stood out at the forum, as well as the non-dichotomous way in which his Christian faith and his social involvement are held in tandem.

T Mr Jason Wong

cont’d from p 4 cont’d from p4

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cont’d6

Glorious Worship Part 1: Worshipping in Truth

et us worship the Lord in spirit and in truth”—this exhortation is frequently heard in many a modern church service.

For some a lively, spirited service is proof that the worship is “in the Spirit” but what about truth? Leaving aside for the time being the question of ‘spirit’ in worship, let us consider the question of truth in worship. I would like to begin with a simple proposition: True worship is possible only if we know who God is.

Christianity is a religion of revelation. Our knowledge of God does not come from human ingenuity. We know who God is because he reveals himself. The whole Bible is the story of God’s revelation. We know God as our creator from the story of His creation in Gen 1, 2. His holiness is revealed in his judgment on a sinful world (the story of Noah, Gen. 6). His love is seen in his reaching out to a sinful world in much of the rest of the Bible. God does not give up on humani-ty, but in order to fulfill his purpose for humanity, he reveals himself to one man, Abraham, calling him out of his own country and giving him the promise: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing” (Gen 12:2). The story of Abraham is a story of God’s faithful-ness to his promise. God kept his promise over many centuries, so that eventually Abraham became the father of a great nation, the nation of Israel. But this is not the end of the story. God also says that through Abraham, all the nations of the earth will be blessed (Gen 12:3). This promise, too, was fulfilled when Jesus Christ came into the world to reconcile all humanity to God through his life, death on the cross, resurrection, ascension,

and sending of the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus Christ, all people who believe become the children of Abraham. The coming of Jesus Christ added something new to the Old Testament conception of God. In the Old Testament God is seen more like an individual person, but when Jesus came into the world we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning…. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1, 2, 14a). Jesus who is the Word made flesh is “with God” and also God. How could that be? To further com-plicate the matter, towards the end of his ministry on earth, Jesus spoke of another person who will take his place among his disciples after his ascen-sion to heaven. This person is the Holy Spirit who is also called the Paraclete or Comforter (John 14-16). This truth concerning Jesus and the Holy Spirit was to lead eventually to the church’s formu-lation of the doctrine of the Trinity. This doctrine says that God is one, yet he is in some mysterious sense also three: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus the Trinity could be said to constitute the full revelation of God.

The revelation of God as the Trinity at the same time shows us God’s true character. It is out of love for humanity that the Father sent his Son (John 3:16) and the Spirit. The sending of the Holy Spirit shows that God is continually and intimately present among us (John 14:16, 17). Furthermore, God sends the Holy Spirit to live in us so that we are enabled to call God as our “Father” (Gal 4:6).

cont’d

“ Christianity is a religion of revelation. Our knowledge of God does not come from human ingenuity. ”

“L

In this issue of Trumpet, we commence a new series of articles on “Glorious Worship”. Dr Simon Chan, lecturer in theology, will address the subject in three parts: 1) Worshipping in Truth; 2) Worshipping in Spirit; 3) Giving God the Glory.

“ Our worship must be governed by God’s revelation of himself as

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. ”

7

cont’d from p6

cont’d

7

Rev Dr Simon Chan Earnest Lau Professor of

Systematic Theology

cont’d from p 6

In other words, our ability to worship the triune God is itself a gift from God through the indwelling Spirit. Ultimately, true worship is not a human invention. In fact, all humanly-contrived worship ends in idolatry: the worshipping of a god created after man’s image! Our worship must be governed by God’s revelation of himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The church throughout its history has sought to be faithful to this truth in her liturgy by constantly affirming the Trinitarian faith. She sings the Doxology which is a Trinitarian hymn. She baptises the faithful with the Trinitarian formula: in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. She recites the Apostles’ or Nicene Creed which is a Trinitarian confession. If God reveals himself to us in this way that is the way we need to respond in worship. True worship must be Trinitarian centred and Trinitarian in content. In other words, it cannot be about a generic God or about Jesus or the Spirit only. If our worship is not grounded in the true

knowledge of God as Trinity it becomes lop-sided and distorted. We would not be worshipping “in spirit and in truth.” In God as Trinity, his character is also most fully shown. Both his goodness and holiness are seen in the mission of his Son which culminates at the Cross. Christ’s death is not only an act of sacrificial love but also an act of divine justice (Rom 3:25, 26). The Cross is where God embraces the sinner in love and judges sin in holiness. These two divine characteristics are highlighted throughout the Christian liturgy. They form a dominant theme that will be taken up in the next issue.

Pastors, Teachers and Mentors @ TTC

Seated (from left): Ms Eunice Low, (Presbyterian); Rev Dr Yu Chin Cheak, (Methodist); Dr Tan Kim Huat, Chen Su Lan Professor of New Testament, Academic Dean, (Baptist); Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, Principal, (Methodist); Rev Dr Lim Teck Peng, Associate Dean, (Baptist); Ms Yap Seok Chin, (Presbyterian); Rev Dr Maggie Low, (Presbyterian) Standing (from left): Dr Leow Theng Huat, (Methodist); Rev Dr Pan Chou Wee, (Anglican); Rev Canon Dr Michael Poon, Director CSCA, (Anglican); Rev Dr Mark Chan, (Independent); Rev Dr Simon Chan, Earnest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology, (Assemblies of God); Dr Roland Chia, Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine, (Methodist); Rev Dr Andrew Peh, Dean of Students, (Methodist); Dr Liew Yoo Kiang, Director CDCM (C), (Presbyterian); Mr Chan Yew Ming, Registrar, (Methodist); Rev Dr Jeffrey A Truscott, Chaplain, (Lutheran); Dr Tony Siew, (Evangelical Church of Borneo); Mr Michael Mukunthan, Librarian, (Roman Catholic); Rev Dr Daniel Koh Kah Soon, Director CDCM (E), (Methodist); Rev Dr Gordon C I Wong, Bishop William F Oldham Professor of Old Testament, (Methodist); Rev Dr Wilfred Ho Wai Tat, (Methodist)

Faculty Academic credentials may be viewed at website: www.ttc.edu.sg

1010

he Rev. Dr Cao Shengjie, one of the most respected and

senior church leaders in China, has accepted the College's invitation to give this year's CSCA Annual Lectures, to take place in the week of 3 to 7 Septem-ber 2012. Dr Cao will speak on the life and witness of the Chinese Christian church, with particular reference to its contribution toward building a harmonious social and world order at the beginning of the third millennium.

The experience and struggle of the Chinese church, especially since the founding of the People's Republic of China, offers important lessons for the future of Christianity. This year's lectures give a valuable opportunity for Southeast Asian church leaders to engage with an influential leader of the Chinese church for the past 60 years.

Dr Cao graduated from Nanjing Union Theological Seminary in 1953. She was conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Theology, University of Helsinki in 2005.

Dr Cao was the secretary of Dr Y. T. Wu, founder of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement from 1962 to 1966. She has served in China Christian Council since it was founded in 1980: as Associate General Secretary (1980-1991), Vice President (1991-2002), and then its first female President (2002-2007). She has played a leading role in the drafting of the Church Order, and many Chinese church delega-tions overseas. Since her retirement, among her many present responsibilities, she is the director of the CCC/TSPM Advisory Committee, executive Vice-President of the national YWCA of China, and an honorary pastor in Grace Church, Shanghai.

Dr Cao last visited Trinity Theological College in August 2005 as a keynote speaker in the "Seek the Welfare of the City" conference. Her coming visit this September, the first official overseas trip since retirement, underscores the long-term friendship between the College and the Chinese church. She will also serve as senior mentor to a workshop on "Nurturing a New Generation of Asian Women Theologians," to take place in the same week.

The Annual Lectures is a much anticipated event in CSCA's calendar. Every September, CSCA invites a renowned scholar in Asia to present a series of lectures on a contemporary concern in the life and witness of the Church in Asia. Past lecturers included Dr Ng Kam Weng (Malaysia), Dr Vinoth Ramachandra (Sri Lanka), Dr Vishal Mangalwadi (India), Dr Takamitsu Muraoka (Japan), Dr Carver Yu (Hong Kong), Dr Roger Hedlund (India), and Bishop Dr Robert Solomon (Singapore).

CSCA's main task, as a research arm of Trinity Theological College, is to build up locally based Asian Christian scholarship. In technical terms, the aim is to develop the study of Southeast Asian Christianity to be a credible and 'thick' academic discipline. CSCA does this mainly through an inten-tional and multi-prong publication programme.

At present, there are 7 publication series: the Church and Society in Asia Today Journal that is published three times a year; CSCA Annual Lectures Series; CSCA Christianity in Southeast Asia Series; CSCA Historical Reprints; CSCA Monographs; CSCA Occasional Papers; and the recently launched CSCA Chinese Monographs.

CSCA publications offer a much needed platform for local scholars and church leaders to reflect, collabo-rate, write, and share their research findings in Asia. CSCA also aims to publish at the highest academic level, to equip Asian churches to think long-term and to see life as a whole amid secular movements of thought in today's world.

Recent and forthcoming publications include Bishop Robert Solomon's Understanding Christian Revivals; Loh I-to's In Search for Asian Sounds and Symbols in Worship; Secular Gods and Sacred Politics: Conflict and Civility, co-authored by Mark Chan, Roland Chia, Vinoth Ramachandra and Ng Kam Weng, and the revised edition of The Clock Tower Story: The Beginnings of the Charismatic Renewals in Singapore, edited by Michael Poon and Malcolm Tan.

CSCA publications can be ordered through the TTC website, Saint Andrew's Cathedral Welcome Centre, and in leading Christian bookshops in Singapore.

T

CSCA Annual Lectures 2012 Michael Poon

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Workshop on Nurturing a New Generation of Asian Women Theologians will take place at TTC from 3 to 6 September this year. The idea for this Work-

shop originated when CSCA Director, Dr Michael Poon, interacted with some American and Asian women schol-ars while he was on his sabbatical in Princeton Theologi-cal Seminary last year and became aware that women theologians in Asia often have had little opportunities to develop their scholarship.

New faculty are often encumbered with administrative duties that hinder them from pursuing their calling to become solid theologians and teachers, and to contribute to the long-term intellectual needs of the churches in Asia. Ingrained caste and patriarchic outlooks in Asia may also lure aspiring young theologians to seek better oppor-tunities in the West.

Upon returning from his sabbatical, Dr Poon shared some ideas with his colleague, Rev. Dr Maggie Low, who agreed to take the lead in convening a three-day Work-shop. Each participant will present a paper on an aspect of the theme: “The Role of Women in the Asian Church: Perspectives from a New Generation of Asian Women Theologians”, which will be edited and published under the CSCA Christianity in Southeast Asia Series.

We are delighted that ten women have agreed to partici-pate in the Workshop. In particular, we are grateful that Rev Dr Cao Shengjie, former president of China Christian Council can join us as a senior mentor. The second senior mentor is Rev Dr Henriette Hutabarat Lebang, a distinguished Indonesian church leader, theological edu-cator and former vice president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

Participants have already submitted stimulating ideas of their papers:

• Rev. Dr Septemmy Lakawa (STT Jakarta Theo-logical Seminary, Indonesia) will examine the ways in which women theologians shape theological development in Indonesia.

• Rev. Dr Gloria Mapangdol (St Andrew's Theo-logical Seminary, Philippines) plans to conduct a study of women seminary graduates in the Philippines.

• Dr Kwa Kiem Kiok (East Asia School of Theology, Singapore) is writing on women’s involvement in public theology.

• Ms Renny Khoo (Sabah Theological Seminary, Malaysia) will explore the role of women in national issues.

• Dr Meri Kolimon (Artha Wacana Christian University, Kupang) is presenting a paper on Christian women in West Timor in absentia.

• Dr Shi Wenhua, based in Dublin, Ireland, comes as an observer and will be comparing structural issues regarding theological education in the East and West.

• Rev Dr Maggie Low (TTC, Singapore) is writing on gender and preaching in the Singapore context.

We are also expecting a couple of colleagues from China to join us.

We also look forward to having TTC colleagues and other invited guests join our conversations. Finally, we wish to express our appreciation to Dr H. S. Wilson and the Foundation for Theological Education and to Trinity Theo-logical College for their financial support that makes this Workshop possible.

SCA and the Methodist School of Music will jointly organise an Asian Composers Forum (ACF) from 28 May to 1 June this year on

campus. The ACF is a follow up of a successful Conference on Church Music in South East Asia, organised last June by CSCA. The participants saw a clear need for Christian composers in Asia to develop a continuing forum for longer-term tasks, and to use such a forum to nurture a next generation of musicians for the churches in Asia.

Professor Loh I-to (CSCA Honorary Fellow) and Ms Judith Mosomos (Lecturer in Church Music, MSM) will co-chair this event. About 15 accomplished com-posers from India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia,

the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan and Australia will attend this first ACF. They will be joined by budding composers from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. A concrete task of this inaugural forum is to begin work on compiling a supplement to the Sound the Bamboo, a hymnal that Professor Loh I-to edited some 10 years ago.

Dr Loh will give a public lecture "Can't Something Good come out of Asia?" on Thursday, 31 May, 8 pm in the Multi-purpose Hall. A Hymn Festival "Come and See" will take place in the Chapel on Friday, 1 June at 7:30 pm. All are welcome to these two public events.

Workshop on Nurturing a New Generation of Asian Women Theologians

Maggie Low

Asian Composers Forum

C

A

Michael Poon

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Punctuations.In.Time

Condolences To

Rev Malcolm Tan (BD 1984), who is also a TTC guest lecturer, on the demise of his beloved father, the late Mr Tan Hui Pheng, on 12 December 2011.

Rev Michael Wong Chee Wun (BTh 1965) on the passing away of his beloved wife, Mrs Janet Wong on 2 January 2012. Rev Wong is a retired pastor of the Methodist Church in Singapore.

Rev Ming Feong Ching (BD 2007) whose mother, Mdm Lee Hung Lan passed away on 5 January 2012.

Student Hsueh Shu Chen (BD 2) on the passing away of her beloved father on 14 February 2012.

We Congratulate Padipat Suntiphada (Ong) (MTS 2011) on his marriage to Piyanuch Nuchin on 10 December 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Rev Steven Asirvatham (BD 2011) on his appointment as Vicar of Christ Church with effect from 1 January 2012.

Rev Lawrence A Visuvasam (BTh 2007) on his appoint-ment as Vicar of Church of the Epiphany with effect from 1 January 2012.

Rev Anthony (MDiv 2009) and Mrs Valerie Lee on their new-born baby boy (lst child), Joash Lee on 22 January 2012.

Dr Scott W. Sunquist who has been appointed Dean of the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr Sunquist taught Church History at TTC from 1987 to 1995. We wish him God’s blessings as he assumes this new leadership responsibilities.

Updates on Alumni and Faculty News on Alumni are updated on a monthly basis on our website. The TTC website also updates Faculty speaking engagements at churches, seminars, international conferences and their publications. For more information on alumni and faculty members, please visit our website at www.ttc.edu.sg

Archbishop Installed We congratulate the

Rt Rev Datuk Bolly Anak Lapok who was elected the 4th Archbishop

of the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia.

He was installed as Archbishop at

St Thomas’ Cathedral in Kuching, Sarawak on 12 February 2012.

TTC Alumni in China We congratulate the following alumni on their recent leadership appointments in the Church in China:

Rev Lu Shao Bin (MMin 2002) elected as President of Heilongjiang Christian Council.

Rev Hu Jun Jie (MTh 1999) elected as President of Henan Christian Council and Vice-Principal of Henan Bible School.

Mr Zhu Qingchun (MMin 2003) elected as Secretary General and Office Director of Henan Chinese Christian Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the China Christian Council.

Dr Pan Chou Wee was invited to share expertise with 25 Old Testament teachers of Seminaries and Bible Schools from different parts of China at the inaugural Nanjing Union Theological Seminary Bible Seminar in February 2012.

For a fuller report, please refer to Trumpet (Chinese version, p10) or visit TTC’s Chinese website at www.ttc.edu.sg

Thank You Your prayers and financial gifts have

greatly encouraged us and have enabled our College to continue equipping people for ministry.

May we invite you to this partnership of financial support for our ministry.

You may contribute by:

• Cheque payable to ‘Trinity Theological College’

Mail the cheque to: Trinity Theological College 490 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Singapore 678093

• Bank or ATM transfer to our bank account (please email info@ttc.edu.sg for bank details)

Thank you for blessing us with your support.

Ordination We congratulate the following alumni on their ordination

Koh Peck Hoon (BD 2007) and Siau Choon Fui (MDiv 2008) on their ordination as church pastors of Renewal Christian Church on 22 October 2011.

Ian Jew Yun Shern (MDiv 2004) and Ivan Liew Weng Cheung (MDiv 2004) who were ordained on 8 January 2012 at Woodlands Evangelical Free Church.

Wong Shyun Jye (BD 2007) on his ordination and installation as Associate Minister of Bethel Presbyterian Church by the Chinese Presbytery of The Presbyterian Church in Singapore on 25 February 2012.

13

esus teaches that the picture of a leader is a picture of a servant (Matt 20:25-28) - one of humility, does menial work and follows the instructions of his

master. Oftentimes, the bible shows God using unexpected people or those who are emptied of notions of their own capabilities to carry out His purposes.

- When Moses tried to be the deliverer of the Israel-ites, God did not use him. Forty years later while tending flock, no longer having grandiose ideas about himself, God called him.

- King David was an adulterer, schemer and murderer, an example of how throughout history, God has used flawed people to serve him.

- Samuel was still a young boy in the temple when God called him, showing that the young and inexperi-enced are very much candidates for God’s purposes. All that God required was a heart that said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

There are many more examples - the “unschooled, ordi-nary” disciples, Simon Peter after his self-confidence was shaken in denying Jesus and the menace Saul, after being “knocked down” on the Damascus road. Subse-

quently, Paul considered his pedigree and glorious achievements as rubbish (Phil 3:7-8).

Please do not misunderstand. God has similarly used kings, scholars, prominent men and women in history and continues to do so. However, God seems to love to use the flawed, the broken and the unexpected, those contra-ry to what society looks for, to serve Him. Christian thinker, Henri Nouwen, wrote of his own experience of irrelevance (being unable to use his skills and show what he could do) and vulnerability ministering in L’Arche com-munities for mentally handicapped people. He says,

“…I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God’s love. The great message that we have to carry,…is that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God has created and redeemed us in love and has chosen us to proclaim that love as the true source of all human life .”

Dare we be irrelevant and vulnerable in our service to Him?

13

Leadership and Servanthood Eeli Pua

1st Row (left to right): Karene Ng Hoong Meng, Esther Chew Su Li, Chew Li Geok, Syrena Mae Womack, Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian (Principal), Eeli Pua Beng Koon (President), Zhu Peijin (Vice-President), Rev Dr Andrew Peh (Dean of Students), Lai Wei Yen, Yuanita Sulayman, Lam Yin Yin, Katherine Ho Wei Fung, Chew Soon Kong 2nd Row (left to right): Lou Wa Kit, Jeremy-Joe Tan Wei Horng, Tommy Wijaya, Francisco Sanchez, Jeremy Wang Jing-Qi Ong, Geoffrey Steven Hill, Sundaraj s/o Ramalingam, Yap Chee Han, Choo Xianjie, Jonathan Choy Weng Yew, Simon Cheo Hsun Shen, John Sihoe Yeen Joong, Adrian Chong Kum Cheong, Yu Reng Ping, Chua Lip Kai, Daniel Tan Chi Min, Phang Seh Bin, Benjamin Fong Guo Wei Others not present: Pai Yuh Rong, Joseph Lebani, Zhou Yongjiang, Calvin Tan Jin Kiat

Student Council 2012

J

14

TTC Lecturers’ Contributions to Christian Scholarship

13

Since 1975, TTC has been actively providing lay training courses as part of its continuing education programme. In 1997, the Centre for the Development of Christian Ministry (CDCM) was formed to focus primarily on lay training. Over the years, thousands of lay people have benefited from TTC’s courses for the laity.

1) “Why Is The Church Like That? Thinking Intentionally About What It Means To Be The Church Today”

Date : 11 Jul - 29 Aug (Wed, 7:30pm - 9:30pm) Venue : St Andrew’s Cathedral, Prayer Hall Instructor : Rev Bernard Chao

More Courses to Deepen your Faith We continue to offer evening courses to build up the faith of God’s people. CDCM courses are organised around four focus areas. They are The Bible, Christian Doctrine, Contemporary Issues and Christian Ministry. They are offered throughout the year in English (8 modules) and Chinese (4 modules). We invite you to join us for these two modules (English) for 2012.

2) “Preaching by the Book”

Date : 5 Jul - 30 Aug (Thu, 7:30pm - 9:30pm) Venue : Trinity Theological College, LR 2, Level 3 Instructor : Dr Tony Chi

For more information on registration and fees, please visit our website: www.ttc.edu.sg or email: cdcm@ttc.edu.sg

he theological concerns of interspecies engineering, the age old problem of evil in rela-tion to the benevolence

of God, and the need for biblical exegesis that meets the preaching and teaching needs of Asian congrega-tions. Three faculty mem-bers of the College have produced new publications that can assist in our desire to be better informed in these specific areas.

The first book, “Hybrids, Cybrids and Chimeras: The Ethics of Interspecies Research” by Professor Roland Chia deals with growing research interest on the genetics of inter-species engineering. Written as an explication on the position of the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) as well as a response to the Bioethics Advisory Committee’s report in 2010 on ‘Human-Animal Combination in Stem Cell Research’, this book looks on how the church, while appreciating the medical benefits, should nonetheless perceive the deeper ethical implications involved and respond cogently with sound theological thought.

The second publication is by Dr. Leow Theng Huat entitled “The Theodicy of Peter Taylor Forsyth: A ‘Crucial’ Justification of the Ways of God to Man”. Here, the author not only offers an introduction into the life of the Scottish Congregationalist theologian Peter Forsyth (1848-1921), but also engages his theological vision as a valued contribution to debates on the theological dilemma of theodicy that thoughtful Christians must face.

Professor Tan Kim Huat is the author of the third book, a commentary on “The Gospel According to Mark”. Published as part of the Asia Bible Commen-

tary Series, this book is well designed for pastors, teachers and lay leaders of Asian churches as an enabling and contextual resource for their scriptural study and reflection.

In summary, these three publications are valuable resource materials suitable for continuing education and faith formation in churches. They are also useful for Christians who wish to grow as better informed and engaged disciples committed to living out their stewardship within their different spheres of responsibility.

Michael Mukunthan

T

15

TTC Lecturers’ Contributions to Christian Scholarship

13

Since 1975, TTC has been actively providing lay training courses as part of its continuing education programme. In 1997, the Centre for the Development of Christian Ministry (CDCM) was formed to focus primarily on lay training. Over the years, thousands of lay people have benefited from TTC’s courses for the laity.

1) “Why Is The Church Like That? Thinking Intentionally About What It Means To Be The Church Today”

Date : 11 Jul - 29 Aug (Wed, 7:30pm - 9:30pm) Venue : St Andrew’s Cathedral, Prayer Hall Instructor : Rev Bernard Chao

More Courses to Deepen your Faith We continue to offer evening courses to build up the faith of God’s people. CDCM courses are organised around four focus areas. They are The Bible, Christian Doctrine, Contemporary Issues and Christian Ministry. They are offered throughout the year in English (8 modules) and Chinese (4 modules). We invite you to join us for these two modules (English) for 2012.

2) “Preaching by the Book”

Date : 5 Jul - 30 Aug (Thu, 7:30pm - 9:30pm) Venue : Trinity Theological College, LR 2, Level 3 Instructor : Dr Tony Chi

For more information on registration and fees, please visit our website: www.ttc.edu.sg or email: cdcm@ttc.edu.sg

he theological concerns of interspecies engineering, the age old problem of evil in rela-tion to the benevolence

of God, and the need for biblical exegesis that meets the preaching and teaching needs of Asian congrega-tions. Three faculty mem-bers of the College have produced new publications that can assist in our desire to be better informed in these specific areas.

The first book, “Hybrids, Cybrids and Chimeras: The Ethics of Interspecies Research” by Professor Roland Chia deals with growing research interest on the genetics of inter-species engineering. Written as an explication on the position of the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) as well as a response to the Bioethics Advisory Committee’s report in 2010 on ‘Human-Animal Combination in Stem Cell Research’, this book looks on how the church, while appreciating the medical benefits, should nonetheless perceive the deeper ethical implications involved and respond cogently with sound theological thought.

The second publication is by Dr. Leow Theng Huat entitled “The Theodicy of Peter Taylor Forsyth: A ‘Crucial’ Justification of the Ways of God to Man”. Here, the author not only offers an introduction into the life of the Scottish Congregationalist theologian Peter Forsyth (1848-1921), but also engages his theological vision as a valued contribution to debates on the theological dilemma of theodicy that thoughtful Christians must face.

Professor Tan Kim Huat is the author of the third book, a commentary on “The Gospel According to Mark”. Published as part of the Asia Bible Commen-

tary Series, this book is well designed for pastors, teachers and lay leaders of Asian churches as an enabling and contextual resource for their scriptural study and reflection.

In summary, these three publications are valuable resource materials suitable for continuing education and faith formation in churches. They are also useful for Christians who wish to grow as better informed and engaged disciples committed to living out their stewardship within their different spheres of responsibility.

Michael Mukunthan

T

15

much more should racism be confronted in societies like India and China and Brazil where dark skin is iden-tified pervasively with inferiority. Is their space in churches for such “inferior” people to express their righteous indignation? Listening to the cries of men and women who are wronged is where Christian social action begins.

The anger of Jesus is well-worth studying. Both in his teaching and his lifestyle he is controversial, disturbing and dangerous. Hypocrisy and hard-heartedness on the part of “religious professionals” are what mostly elicited the anger of Jesus. “White-washed tomb-stones” is what he called the Pharisees who were the “Bible-believing” Jews of his day. They venerated dead prophets but couldn’t recognize the prophet in their midst. To those who were sure that their seats were booked in heaven, he warned that they would be in for a shock at the Final Judgment.

This Jesus would not be welcome in many churches today. He would be a social embarrassment. He would upset the big donors, the money would dry up. His “tone” would be considered “unchristian”: too provoca-tive, crude and unpolished. He would be withering in

his scorn for the personality-cults that build up around popular preachers. He would be angry at the church divisions and competition that we take for granted. He would denounce the individualisation and privatization of the Gospel. He would ask uncomfortable questions: are mono-ethnic churches simply religious clubs? why is an incompetent man preferred as a preacher or leader to a gifted and godly woman? how come there are so many SUVs in the church parking lot? what pro-portion of the church’s budget is spent on buildings and music equipment compared to what is spent on serving the poor? And so on.

It is salutary to remember that, as Karl Barth put it, “It was the Church, not the world, which crucified Christ.”

cont’d from p 16 “Word on World”

Dr Vinoth Ramachandra Secretary for Dialogue & Social

Engagement with the IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical

Students), is also an Honorary Fellow of CSCA, Trinity Theological College

e are thrilled to break the news that the inaugural Trinity Lectures, which were delivered

by Professor Hugh Williamson in July 2011, are now published by Lutterworth Press. It is apt that these distinguished lectures are published by a publishing house that has two centuries of distin-guished Christian publishing.

The lectures address the important question of whether the Old Testament can provide relevant principles for modern concepts of social justice. This is so pressing in our day, because citing our human rights is used as recourse for anything and everything. Excessive use has corrupted this high ideal, and has transmuted what was meant to pro-tect all of us into something that desta-bilizes society, resulting ultimately in harm for all.

To address this Professor Williamson writes an engag-ing and highly articulate book. Focusing on the frequently occurring word-pair ‘justice and righteous-ness’, he expounds the relevance of the Old Testament

He Has Shown You What is Good Old Testament Justice Then and Now

Inaugural Trinity Lectures Published Tan Kim Huat

as a blueprint for a way of life and a mode of living that developed in accord-ance with the existence of the ancient Israelite. The ideal maintained a form – derived from natural law – that was applicable to all creeds and ranks. Its relevance for us today is immense.

Table of Contents

Preface 1. The Task in Hand 2. Divine Justice and Natural Justice 3. The Individual and Social Justice 4. Prophetic Justice 5. Messianic Justice 6. He Has Shown You What is Good Bibliography

The Author

H.G.M. Williamson is Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford University, on the faculty of The Oriental Institute and a Fellow of the British Academy. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on the Old Testament, including commentaries on 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, and Isaiah.

W

cont’d from p16

y God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?” (Psalm 22:1-2)

“Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor... Rise up, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; Do not forget the oppressed.” (Psalm 10: 1,2,12) “My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly, I cannot keep silent; For I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.” (Jer.4:19)

These prayers of lament (or protest) express pain, confusion and a longing for divine justice. They are the sincere outpouring of men and women wrestling with the contradiction between what God has revealed of his character and will and the realities that they actually experience. These are clearly very far from the “jolly songs”, “positive thinking” and sentimental, sanitized language that passes for “worship” in many Christian circles today.

Laments stem, not from unbelief, but from faith in a God of absolute love and justice. That is why the seemingly unending evil in the world causes so much pain. Lament goes beyond the experience of pain to voicing it, either of the one who laments or of those around him. He does not trivialise the anguish or deny it outright. By naming and also owning suffering, we make it part of the narrative of our lives. And, in addressing that cry of loss (whether the loss of freedom or life or meaning) to God, we demand from God his intervention in the world to put things right. “Your Kingdom Come”! We want God to be truly God.

Tears and Anger

Behind the protest, indeed rage, against innocent suf-fering lies the conviction that the Creator intends for all his human creatures a life of flourishing (shalom) on this earth. Everything that detracts from that cannot be God’s will. Something has gone terribly wrong with God’s world so that human persons die before their full flourishing has been attained, whether through illness, violence, hunger, accident, or natural disasters. It may sound pious to say things like “Let’s thank God for this suffering” or “God has ordained everything that happens”, or even “Accept God’s will without question-ing”. Pious, maybe, but biblical faith? Definitely not. Biblical faith learns to argue with God, to wrestle with the “Why?” and “How long?” of rampant evil and mean-ingless suffering. The closer we reflect God’s outrage at evil, the more we learn to live with the questions and not console people with glib, trite answers.

Not only did Jesus weep over Jerusalem’s impending judgment (Luke 19:41) and at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), he was powerfully aroused in the face of death and bereavement (John 11:33). Sadly, there is a long Western Christian tradition that sees tears as ‘worldliness’- unless they are shed over sins. Augustine struggled to restrain his tears at his mother’s death (Confessions, Book IV). He thought that grief was a sign that our love, eros, was directed not towards the immutable and indestructible God but towards frail and transitory creatures. In this he was more Platonist or Buddhist than Christian.

Tears and anger also need to be expressed when Christians come together. There are many hurting people in our churches, hurt by oppressive economic, social or political structures within which they live. There are also those hurt by oppressive church struc-tures and “religious professionals”. But they are often told that they must stifle their pain, not give voice to it.

For instance, African-American friends of mine are generally good-humoured, gentle and tolerant. But whenever, say in a Christian conference, they express anger at the continuing institutional racism in American society, the response of well-to-do whites is to complain at the “unchristian tone” of their language. This then becomes an excuse to ignore altogether the substance of what they say and the reasons for their anger. How

Vinoth Ramachandra

TRUMPET EDITORIAL: Mr Patrick Lee, Dr Liew Yoo Kiang, Ms Yap Seok Chin, Ms Eunice Low, Rev. Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian (Editor) The Trumpet is published in both English and Chinese. To view the Chinese edition, please visit the TTC website: www.ttc.edu.sg

TRINITY THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE Address: 490 Upper Bukit Timah Road Singapore 678093 Email: info@ttc.edu.sg Website: www.ttc.edu.sg Tel: (65)6767 6677 Fax: (65)6767 6477

Printed by C.O.S. Printers Pte Ltd

“ Behind the protest, indeed rage, against innocent suffering lies the conviction

that the Creator intends for all his human creatures a life of flourishing

(shalom) on this earth. ”

Word on World

“M

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cont’d on p15