What Kind of Time Are We Living in? A Meditation amidst the Pandemic

Andres Tang Professor of Christian Thought (Theology and Culture) What kind of generation is this? The political movement that lasted for more than half a year had not yet completely subsided when the new coronavirus epidemic broke out. What kind of era is Hong Kong society living in? Whether it is a natural disaster or a man-made disaster, it is not what we want to see. Who likes to be in a state of panic? Who wants to live in panic and fear? However, are humans themselves completely without responsibility for the situation we find ourselves in today? Or, we have to admit that whether it is a natural disaster or a man-made disaster, it is only because people themselves have not treated human society and the natural world well that they have caused today's consequences and ultimately have to bear the consequences themselves. This is the judgment of "being left to perish" mentioned in the Bible. God does not have to deliberately punish us. He only needs to turn a blind eye to us, limit His protection, and not stop us from doing evil, so that we can suffer the consequences and fall into panic all day long. ...
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The Arts of Losing

Sarah Shea Assistant Professor of Christian Education We, a group of people who have always been able to move around, have been stopped in our tracks by the epidemic since the beginning of the Lunar New Year: we have lost our previous daily routines, some areas of activity, most social opportunities, face-to-face classroom learning, and even the opportunity to attend church gatherings. Perhaps, at this time, we can learn a life skill from our disabled friends, called "the art of losing" (the...
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Perspectives on Suffering and Pastoral Care

Jonathan Lo Assistant Professor of New Testament Last year, due to social unrest caused by different political views, Christians and other members of the community in Hong Kong experienced various difficulties and their lives were greatly affected. Now, the outbreak of the new coronavirus seems to further prolong these uncertain and fearful days. Perhaps now is a good time to reflect on what the Bible says about suffering, so that when we do minister to those who are suffering, our words can be both inspiring and theological—so that those we minister to can be comforted and come to know more about who and what God is like, and therefore trust Him. ...
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Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Helping of Jeremiah 29 for COVID-19

Wong Fook-kong Professor of Old Testament Two Natural Reactions When faced with danger, humans always tend to fight or flee. This phenomenon is also relevant to our current situation. Panic buying and protests against neighborhood sites becoming quarantine camps are examples of “combat” responses. The more positive side of this "combat" mode is that medical staff are willing to take on dangerous work and care for infected patients. Evading quarantine orders or simply fleeing to another place is considered "escape" mode. There is nothing wrong with these reactions in themselves. However, it would be wrong if, for example, the action endangered others or harmed the general welfare. ...
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The Essence of Worship: Worship Service Primacy?

Nathan Ng Professor of Christian Thought (Church History) The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus has forced the cancellation of many mass gatherings. Although many local churches have suspended fellowships, Sunday schools, special lectures and other types of gatherings, they still insist that "only Sunday worship cannot be stopped"; even if physical worship is suspended due to the severe epidemic, it will be carried out online as much as possible. The reason for this is that worship gatherings are considered to be a sacred time for believers to worship God as a group and are the most core activities of the church. In addition, the Chinese churches in Hong Kong are attaching more and more importance to worship, and there are more and more teachings and discussions on worship. During the early years of the worship and praise craze, hymn-leading training almost became a necessary ministry equipment for the younger generation of the church. As pastoral leaders criticize the poor content of modern hymns, traditional hymns and worship rituals are showing signs of regaining importance. In the trend of the times that focuses on worship gatherings, many scholars have tried to reflect from different angles such as music, liturgy, theology, and pastoral care, hoping to build a more solid foundation for public worship and set a more accurate direction. What is the true meaning of worship throughout the ages? The author would like to point out here that the modern church’s understanding of public worship deviates to a considerable extent from the Old Testament, the New Testament and the historical tradition of the church. ...
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