Editorial: ROC Centenary vs. Year of Jubilee
2011 is indeed a year worth celebrating. Not only is 2011 the 60th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan General Assembly, it’s also the 40th anniversary of “Statement on our National Fate by PCT” and the 20th anniversary of “Public Statement on the Sovereignty of Taiwan by PCT”.
In retrospect, PCT has always strived to do its best whether in obeying the “Great Commandment” or answering Jesus’ “Great Commission”. We have accomplished these two primarily through identifying with the people of this land and their desire to build a new and independent country, as well as through building churches in every city and town of this country.
In contrast, the Executive Yuan, despite much protest from opposition parties and completely ignoring Taiwan’s history of colonization and oppression, has set aside NTD$2 billion (about USD$68.5 million) in funds to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ROC in an attempt to re-establish an already severed and irrelevant link that Taiwan had with China – if ever such a link even existed in the first place.
When Sun Yat-sen founded the ROC in 1911, Taiwan was not part of it as it had been ceded in perpetuity to Japan. Taiwan only came into the picture after KMT’s defeat in China and its retreat to Taiwan. Hence, the truth about Taiwan’s or ROC’s history would be vastly different than what is being promoted by our governments today if we asked our ancestors about it today.
Yet, some Taiwanese people seem to have developed Stockholm Syndrome – including some Taiwanese churches. It seems as though no one wants to be the courageous child who pointed out that the emperor is naked.
If we were to join in the celebration as a church or as Christians, and use this occasion to promote evangelism or prayer or revival and use these to transform our country, celebrating this centenary would have to be done the way God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Year of Jubilee, as listed in Leviticus 25:8-11, for it to have real purpose and meaning for us.
In other words, celebrating this centenary as if it were a Year of Jubilee means that this year would have to be an occasion where we can celebrate about debts forgiven, lands renewed or restored, inheritances returned, slaves set free, and a time when people finally turn their hearts back to God and worship God.
So, whether we are celebrating ROC’s centenary (Double Jubilee) or preparing for PCT’s 150th anniversary in 2015 (Triple Jubilee), let’s do some introspection and ask ourselves whether we are doing what God has commanded us to do during “Jubilee Years”.
