Taiwan Church News
3585 Edition
Nov 9 – 15, 2020
Ministry News
CJCU Holds Seminar on ‘Empire and Kingdom of God’
Reported by Chang Yuan-chin
A theological conference, entitled as “Empire and Kingdom of God”, was held at the School of Theology of Chang-Jung Christian University(CJCU) on November 11. Many theologians, pastors and scholars were invited to address on this compelling issue for Taiwan society and church.
Rev Hsu Hsin-der, Vice Moderator of the PCT General Assembly, appealed to prophet Micah’s calling in the scripture, “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”(Micah 6:8), as the ideal for the Kingdom of God.
Rev Hsu pointed out that many modern countries delivered from the colonization after WWII are still gravely strained and suffered in their domestic issues, like gender, class, ethnicity, environment, and alienation issues incurred among human, ecological surrounding and God. Even the religions preaching the virtues of justice kept silent on the brutal exploiting of the countries with the mind-set of empire, Rev Hsu lamented.
The only way out of these evils brought by the empire is to wake up the people and urge them to fight against injustice on every front, Rev Hsu said, adding that Jesus’s command as “Love God with your utmost and love your neighbor” might be a new action guideline to march toward the Kingdom of God on earth!
Rev Chhoa Lam-sing, Acting General Secretary of the PCT General Assembly, also reported to the audience about PCT’s ecumenical efforts in establishing an international platform as “Taiwan Ecumenical Forum(TEF)”, which was initiated by Rev Lyim Hong-tiong(PCT) in November 2018 and coordinated since with Rev Dr Colin Cowan(CWM)and Rev Dr Christopher Ferguson(WCRC), with a vision not only to proclaim God’s justice and peace from Taiwan’s special status but to work together with domestic denominations, like the Catholic, Anglican, Baptist and many others worshiped in the name of our Lord God, showcasing our unity and strength to help eradicate the exploitation and oppression from the ruthless Chinese communist regime.
Translated by Peter Wolfe
