Taiwan Church News
3335 Edition
Jan 25 – 31, 2016
Editorial
What’s Next Is Our Business
The election of the President and legislators on 16 January 2016 gives Taiwan an opportunity to fulfill her third party alternation. Therefore, when Ma administration proposes the majority party to form a cabinet, it causes a hot debate of a reform about current constitution system. For Taiwan’s democratic development, we believe the third party alternation is a positive message. But, we should not forget there are still lots of problems waiting for Tsai Ing-wen and the new legislators to solve them together. Be it the issue, like power transfer, transformational justice, economic policy, environmental protection, the management of the recycled energy, land justice and adequate housing justice, the people eagerly expect the new regime will deliver a new outlook from the old Ma administration.
And this would be a genuine test for the Democratic Progressive Party(DPP) who secures an absolute control on the President, congress and local governments. From the point of faith, it is indeed an encouraging victory that DPP receives a complete entrust from the people. But, in order to walk a different path from the way shadowed under a big China culture, we still expect DPP could hear closer to the cryings of Taiwanese people and understand more about their sufferings. This is why PCT 60th General Assembly Executive Committee delivers a statement, May Taiwan become a country blessed by God, expecting Tsai Ing-wen to be aware that power is not only committed by the people, but also granted from God. In her future administration, if the policies of DPP are compatible with the Christian ideals of “justice, peace and love”, PCT would bless such regime; otherwise, if the sufferings of the people are overlooked or the Christian values are breached, we would condemn and protest for sure.
As Romans 13:1 is quoted in the above PCT statement for the new government, it causes a lot of discussions on the internet. Indeed, this verse in Romans were used by many Christians to stress that the church must obey “the state”. But, an authentic Christian faith is never fond of “blind loyalty”, instead whether the authority conforms to the Christian values is a criteria advised to weigh carefully. If the authority could not comply with Taiwan’s core values, then we Christians are responsible to stand up and “speak the truth in love” or even put “love and non-violence” into action to warn our government. The premise of obedience to the authority is to manifest God’s love and justice; otherwise, we are entitled and obligated to criticize and protest.
Before his self-immolation, Mr Cheng Nan-jung left his last words to his friends and families: “What’s next is your business!” These words appear to have more significance today, as those political parties whose political beliefs come close to PCT are going to open a new chapter of history in Taiwan. In addition to our jubilant celebrations of the election result, we believe our responsibilities to Taiwan will be much more heavy in the coming future. This is because we are called to stand firm and reflective as a Christian in Taiwan, not only we must find some “new and independent” stuff and spirits enabling such new Taiwan culture to part away from the cultural shadows under a big China, but also act as a guardian checking what the government has done, hearing the voices of the marginalized, standing by the suffered and helping kinds of reforms in public sector, in order to facilitate justice and peace to arrive in Taiwan society and among different peoples. We have to remind ourselves incessantly: on the one hand, we should become the light and join to build “the new country” together; on the other hand, we should do our duty as salt, preventing our government fallen into incompetence and corruption!
