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- Issue 42 (Dec 2018)
Hill Road Journal
Issue 42 (Dec 2018)
| Contents: | Marriage and Sex There are 6 thematic articles, 1 miscellaneous articles and 4 book reviews |
| No. of Pages: | 192 |
| Price: | HK$100 |
| Thematic Articles | ||
| Andres Tang | The Practice of Marriage from the Perspective of Discipleship: A Preliminary Investigation | Abstract |
| PAN Yi Jung | Union Experience in Spirituality and Sexuality | Abstract |
| Joyce Wai-Lan SUN | New Testament Teachings on Divorce and Remarriage: A Reflection on Contemporary Application and Improvisation | Abstract |
| Fook-kong Wong | A Biblical Theology Discussion on Same Sex Sexual Behavior | Abstract |
| Nathan Ng | The Patristic Understanding of Scriptural Teachings on Homosexuality: Re-evaluation of the Viewpoints of John Boswell | Abstract |
| Kai-man KWAN | The Possibility and Legitimacy of Sexual Orientation Change —Scientific and Ethical Explorations | Abstract |
| Discussion Article(s) | ||
| Sarah Shea | Dilemma of Inclusive Churches and the Way Forward | Abstract |
The Practice of Marriage from the Perspective of Discipleship: A Preliminary Investigation
Andres S. TANG
This paper aims to investigate the practice of marriage in Western church history after the New Testament period in the view of discipleship. After setting the tone of the paper as a study of ecclesiastical ethics in the introduction, part two employs John Witte Jr's From Sacrament to Contract: Marriage, Religion, and Law in the Western Tradition to bring out the change of the marriage models which finally arrives at the stage of marriage as contract. Then part three of this paper introduces Bent Waters' The Family in Christian Social and Political Thought in order to display the individualistic understanding of marriage as contract in the contexts of the early and late liberalism. Against this background David Matzko McCarthy's studies analyze such kind of marriage in terms of romantic love. His book Sex and Love in the Home: A Theology of the Household and his article “Becoming One Flesh: Marriage, Remarriage, and Sex” about the logic of romantic love as individual choice in the market without commitment are discussed in part four. Finally, part five consists of two sub-divisions, namely “Relativizing Marriage ” and “The Practice of Marriage from the Perspective of Discipleship”. Stephen C. Barton's Discipleship and Family Ties in Mark and Matthew gives the readers a fair examination of Jesus Christ's attitude towards marriage as being afamilialor suprafamilial rather than antifamilial. What underlying the Christian attitude towards marriage is the faith of the churches that Jesus Christ is the only Lord. As such McCarthy advocates that the imitation of Jesus Christ rather than the hierarchal order of the ancient household is the key aim of marriage.
Union Experience in Spirituality and Sexuality
PAN Yi Jung
The meaning of sex is multi-dimensional. In this paper, “sexuality” is considered as the appropriate word as we relate the broader understanding of sex to spirituality. Sexuality directs human being to seek for deeper union and desire for intimate communion with other people . In Christian spirituality, mutual indwelling articulates the mystical union and dynamic in Godhead. Triune God is the community of mutual indwelling and exists as loving communion. Human being is made in the image of God. In the relationship with God, spiritual growth of human person means a journey towards participating in God's loving communion and reaching the union with God. Therefore, sexuality is strongly interrelated with spirituality.
In this paper, by reflecting on increasing secularization in marriage and sexuality, I ask this question: “How to apply 'union with Godin love' to 'union with human being in love' from the insights of spiritual traditions in order to experience mystical and sacred dimensions in marriage and sexuality?” First, this essay examines the concept “union with God in love” from the perspective of mysticism. Furthermore, the allegorical exegesis of mystics is analyzed in describing their union progress and experience with God. Then, in order to explore the mystical and sacred dimensions in “union with human being in love,” this essay proposes to integrate typological and sacramental dimensions in constructing theological anthropology. Finally, some applications are suggested to pastoral ministries. This essay puts forwards various means for readers to enrich their understanding on transforming spirituality and to pursue authentic humanity in Jesus Christ.
New Testament Teachings on Divorce and Remarriage: A Reflection on Contemporary Application and Improvisation
Joyce Wai-Lan SUN
This essay reflects on the contemporary application of the New Testament teachings on remarriage and divorce with reference to the narrative hermeneutical model of improvisation proposed by NT Wright. It seeks to understand the five relevant texts of Mark 10:2-12, Matthew 5:31 -32, 19:3-12, Luke 16:18 and 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 against their own historical contexts and arguments that whether for Jesus, the Gospel writers or for Paul, the literal content of an existing authoritative text or tradition was not at all conclusive in their dealings with the situations at hand. When authoritative texts were being abused or did not cover current happenings, all of them were ready to improvise and to adapt existing texts and traditions to achieve results that can align with the demands of justice and mercy.
By the same token, when the Church continues to improvise and to apply Biblical texts to cases of divorce and remarriage nowadays, it should, on the one hand, uphold the same basic stance against divorce as commonly witnessed in the New Testament and, on the other hand, be open to more exceptions and acceptable grounds for victims to get away from enslaved and disastrous marriage relationships through no fault of their own, and to have the liberty to remarry.
A Biblical Theology Discussion on Same Sex Sexual Behavior
WONG Fook Kong
This article first reviews Scriptural passages most commonly used in the discussion of same sex sexual behavior (Gn 1-2; 19; Lv 18:22 and 20:13; Jgs 19; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Tm 1:10). While some texts (ie, Lv 18:22; 20:13; Rom 1:26-27) have clearer teaching against homosexual behavior than others, the issues of their meaning and application for today cannot be settled based on exegesis alone. For example, just because the death penalty is clearly legislated in the Mosaic laws for certain sins (eg, Ex 21:15, 17; Lv 20:10) it does not mean that it is applicable today for those sins . The theological relationship between the Old and New Testaments has to be taken into consideration. Moreover, transposing a teaching meant for ancient Israel into the context of the modern church requires contextualization.
The view of the author is that same sex sexual behavior is a sin according to the witness of the Christian canon. Nevertheless, since Scripture does not highlight this sin above any other sins we should not do so either. In conformity with the principle of love , both sides of the debate should take a welcoming although not affirming stance toward each other.
The Patristic Understanding of Scriptural Teachings on Homosexuality: Re-evaluation of the Viewpoints of John Boswell
Nathan K. N.G.
Homosexuality has long been a controversial issue for modern church. Does Scripture truly object to homosexual acts? Does the Church consistently reject homosexual relationship from the beginning? Concerning these questions, John Boswell's Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century published in 1980 may be said to be a classic.The author claims that his book “is specifically intended to rebut the common idea that religious belief — Christian or other — has been the cause of intolerance in regard to gay people.” Many pro-LGBT authors follow Boswell’s viewpoints and quote this book as an authority.
This article revisits the concept of proper sexual relationship in ancient Greco-Roman world and explicates the common attitude of the church fathers towards homosexuality. On this foundation, the article evaluates the arguments of Boswell one by one and points out that his interpretations of related biblical verses, including Genesis 19:1-29 (and Judges 19:14-25), Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, First Corinthians 6:9-10, First Timothy 1:10 and Romans 1:26-27, are all biased and problematic. By neglecting numerous opposite evidences, misrepresenting academic opinions, and twisting genuine meanings of Greek words, Boswell has systematically constructed a fallacious picture on biblical and patristic views. Why John Boswell, an established international scholar, has to publish such a controversial work? The weak and mistaken arguments of the book prove to the contrary that the early church was truly against homosexuality.
The Possibility and Legitimacy of Sexual Orientation Change: Scientific and Ethical Explorations
Kai-man KWAN
Many people, including some professionals, deny that sexual orientation can be changed. They even advocate the prohibition of counseling services for those who want to change their sexual orientation voluntarily. In this paper, I review recent researches and studies, and argue that change of sexual orientation is possible. In fact, researchers have debunked the myth that sexual orientation is fixed and immutable. There are good quality studies which show that sexual orientation can be changed to a significant extent, and by and large the efforts of sexual orientation change would not cause harm to the clients. Finally, I argue that sexual orientation change is a legitimate goal, and we should uphold the autonomy of the clients themselves in this area.
Dilemma of Inclusive Churches and the Way Forward
SHEA Chi Fung
The idea of inclusion was introduced to the Church by Christian scholars and the World Council of Churches in the 1980s. In Hong Kong, inclusion and equal opportunities have been the two main forces giving rise to the increasing number of protestant congregations that received people with disabilities in the past decades. However, when problems associated with various inclusive measures and attempts surfaced in the twenty-first century, the attitudes towards inclusion began to change from optimism to doubt.
This paper is an attempt to understand the dilemma of inclusive movement in Hong Kong churches and suggest the way forward. Learning from the inclusive experiences of USA churches, this paper first shows that simply providing accessible facilities is inadequate for congregations to remove the in-depth separation between people with and without disabilities. Second, the root of such impotence is explored by analyzing the notion and discourse of inclusion, which are found to be inherently weak to deliver the equality that they promised. Finally, from a theological exposition of 1 Corinthians 12, it is suggested that inclusive congregations should overcome separation between people with different abilities by recovering the relationality and gifts of the Church that is divinely determined. Becoming the Church along with persons with disabilities, rather than striving for the ideal of inclusion and equality, is the foremost task for any local inclusive congregations in future.
