Adent 1: God's presence in his coming

The movie, 2012, is about the overwhelming natural disaster. One of the shots of the movie is that the Italian Prime Minister joined with the people prayed in Vatican instead of boarding, but there was no miracle. Ironically, St. Peter Cathedral was collapsed and the attendants were killed. Since 2012 is not a Christian movie, we should not expect that there is a shot that God finally manifests and saves.

Regarding the emergence of natural disasters, Christians normally have two kind of responses. Firstly, they are inclined to correlate natural disasters to the Parouisa (the second coming of Jesus). There is nothing wrong of this inclination, because this is what Jesus’ words have implied. He said,

Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see or yourselves
and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you
know that the kingdom of God is near. (Lk 21:29-30)

As a result, with reference to the frequency of natural disasters, they conclude that Jesus will come back soon. In this mentality, they are eager to preach the gospel and to be alert. Secondly, some Christians are inclined to provide theological explanations of natural disasters in order to show that the natural disaster does not come at its own, but under God’s control. This has happened in the outbreak of SARs in 2003, and tsunami in 2004. Religious reason is always very appealing and welcome during the time of natural disasters, for our normal rationality is suspending, and we need reason to go on. Are we satisfied with either of these explanations?

I prefer to neither of them. The message of today’s scripture (Lk 21:25-36) is not about the prediction of the coming of Jesus, for Jesus has said clearly that ‘about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.’ (Mk 13:32) Hence, the core message of the passage is simply that God would not leave us alone. Catastrophe can kill, but this is not the last word, for God would save. But is this our experience? For example, does God save our people in the Sichuan earthquake in 2008? One may argue that if God did not stop it, the degree of catastrophe would be more serious. Some even may argue that the earthquake is not far from worldwide, and therefore, Jesus has not returned yet. I have no interest to explain the reason behind the disasters, for the attempts to explain the unexplainable is simply an attempt to control. To believe is learn to accept the unexplainable in lives.

Today scripture not only tells us, but also comfort us that we should not be afraid of what is and will be happening, because in the midst of catastrophe, we will not only see the glory of God, but God’s glory means that God will save (v.27-28). How can we see the people killed in the earthquake without fear? How can we see the people suffered in the time of flooding or drought without fear? In fact, fear is the natural instinct of humankinds in order to prepare ourselves for the worst. There is nothing wrong to fear, but if afraid of something has made you lose the courage to challenge and the hope to fight on, we have submitted to fear more than that fear helps us to prepare. Thus, the promise of God’s salvation has two senses. Firstly, it is about the final salvation. God would not leave us alone. Secondly, in the interim, the promise of God’s salvation strengthens our hearts so that we would not be defeated.

To be honest, the church has no exemption from the destruction of natural disasters, if any. In the movie, 2012, the Vatican is demolished, and the people who pray are killed. I do not think that this is an intention of the director to show that there is no God. On the contrary, I appreciate it very much, because the people of God share the same destiny of the people. Bishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated in El Salvador said, ‘I am pleased to know that my priests are also killed, because we share the fate of my people (they are killed by the military).’ The scripture reminds us to see the fig tree and all the trees to know when God’s kingdom is near. We, Christians, may be comforted by this message. But what does this message mean to non-Christians who are in suffering? I think they need a message of God’s presence instead of a message of waiting for the realization of God’s kingdom. Has God’s kingdom arrived or is God’s kingdom coming soon?

It is both, because the incarnation of Jesus is the concrete realization of God’s kingdom, and his Parousia is the complete realization of God’s kingdom which is coming soon. Thus, it is our responsibility to show to non-Christians (the world) the concrete realization of God’s kingdom instead of the completer realization of God’s kingdom, for waiting for God’s kingdom, for them, is simply the absence of God. Matt 25: 31-46 tells us that the presence of God’s kingdom is revealed not in words, but in deed.

In church calendar, the advent is a time to remind us that we should not be afraid, for Jesus is coming. How can we proclaim the message of comfort to our society that does not believe in Jesus' coming? Do we turn our Christian message of comfort to be a message of an absent God?

Conference on church and mission

Next year Jan 27-29, a conference on church and mission will be hold in Aarhus, Denmark. Speakers like Stanley Hauerwas, John Drane and Andrews Walls will deliver speeches. Details of the conference can be read from http://www.teo.au.dk/churchandmission

I was in Aarhus this August to attend a conference on Reformation Theology, and I will be there again in next January to attend the conference on church and mission. Fortunately, I have a good friend staying in Aarhus, and therefore, I can save up some money for accommodation. The paper that I am going to present is Religion as Non-material Cultural Heritage: A Case Study of Ecclesiology in China.

In order to make the trip more economy, I have added a value on it by making side trips. My itineary is as follow:

Jan 23 take the KLM and fly to Edinburgh
Jan 23 Edinburgh, Glasgow
Jan 24 St Andrews
Jan 25 Lake District
Jan 26 York, Cambridge
Jan 27 Fly to Aarhus, and attend the conference
Jan 28 Conference
Jan 29 Conference
Jan 30 Copenhegan
Jan 31 Copenhegan and fly back to Hong Kong
Feb 1 Arrive Hong Kong in afternoon.

教會有未來嗎?

出席了一個教會咨詢會後，心中很不舒服，甚至很痛，因為某些參加者的質素令我為教會很擔心。例如，在一個討論家庭事工的工作坊，有參加者說，「這小組是有關家庭事工的討論，所以，我們不需要回應社會文化，經濟對家庭的影響。」我的反應是「天呀！」這種以教會為核心的宣教觀將教會從社會中切割，但這思維竟被高舉，而參加者興高采烈分享家庭祭壇如何推動、夫妻關係如何深化和建立家庭典範等等。相對地，他們對最低工資、工作時間、醫療政策、教育政策、房屋政策等等如何影響家庭不但沒有興趣，更不認為教會的家庭事工是關乎對在社會裡的家庭。他們不明白甚麼是世界是教會的牧區。面對這些教牧同工，我看不見教會的未來。

究竟我們的神學訓練出現甚麼問題，培養出如此封閉的教牧？是否神學訓練太受教會的意識形態影響，以致對教會狹隘的視野失去批判精神？小圈子的教會生活與人民鴉片無異。每年一度神學生日的主題設計令我對教會的未來更擔心，因為主題從沒有社會向度。若所謂以祈禱和傳道為事（徒六4) 就變得如此狹隘、封閉和落伍時，教會還有甚麼內容可以向社會說。

我對教會的擔心，因為很多牧者缺乏基本常理 (common sense) 。他們以為只懂聖經（實際卻不懂）就足以牧會。結果，他們跟猶太人基要主義者沒有分別，因為他們活在一個二千年前生活形態的社會 (前前現代社會)。或許，教會的悲哀不是沒有聖經，而是只有聖經，一本對神聖物化後的聖經。

教會有未來嗎？或未來是否需要教會？甚麼動力使我相信我所做（神學教育）的仍有價值？我沒有迷惑，只有心痛。

作文機器

學者是否作文能手? 當然, 作文不必然是 '吹水'. 12月中, 小弟有機會跟兩大智者, 釋衍空法師與關俊棠神父討論靈修與教育. 查實, 我不是最佳人選, 因小弟對靈修的經驗很有限. 或許, 我的優點是 yes-man, 和甚麼都很試. 所以, 我也答應參加這次研討. 小弟提交的文章是

神聖的體驗──以泰澤（Taize）的經驗探討宗教空間對青少年人靈性培育之啟發

摘要：靈性的培育不純是一種對身體和心靈操練，更牽涉與宗教社群空間的關係。事實上，宗教社群具體在地方出現本身已含意一種神聖空間的臨在，以致不屬於這宗教社群的參與者也可以從參與其中體會神聖的臨在。本文以本人在泰澤的經驗為基礎，指出宗教空間對靈性培育的重要性，而其重要性可適用於青少年人。

A furious response to a rude attack

There is nothing stimulating in the conference, but coming to the end of the conference, I had a word of fight with another keynot speaker. He was a professor of finance, and he commented on me, 'Religion is too timid. It shoud have confidence and courage to criticize the fault of economists. Don't see your contribution as fragments (this is the word I use). It is too timid.' My immediate response is:

I welcome your encouragement, but I am surprised that the economists do not have any self-critical spirit and just wait for the help from religions. How can it be possible that an academic is just waiting the salvation from religion? Religion can't save one who does not consider self-critical important.'

What is his response to me? Well, he simply annoyed me. Perhaps, he never expected that he would be challenged openly and unreservedly.

being away from blog for some time

Since I have returned from my trip, I am very very busy. I do not have time to get money from the bank, no time to buy a birthday gift for my youngest daughter, no time to go to cemetery on Chung Yeung Festival and others. It is hardly to be imagined, but it is a fact. Anyway, I am free now, for I have just finished a paper on 'The Management of the Public Household: Insights from Christian Involvement in the Issue of International Debt'. This paper will be delievered on Friday, and academics from economics, religion and business will comment on it. I hope I can survive. I will take a break tonight, anyway.

回憶－寫在重陽節

人生到了某時候，就比較傾向回憶。回憶不是因為將來不屬於他（例如，他已趕不上急速步伐或時日無多），而是因為他發現這多年來的生命原來是這樣破碎、零亂或遺漏。破碎，是因為人生中實在有很多遺憾和失望。例如，年少時，我曾自豪地對父親說，「當長大後，我會駕車接你。｣然而，當我懂得駕車和有自己一輛車時，他已經不在人間了。零亂，是因為我們每日都被生活拉著走，卻沒有自己的生活。例如，我們不斷要滿足工作的要求，也每月努力為一層答應我們帶來安舒的房子供款，但卻忘記了自己的嚮往和夢想。遺漏，因為人生不可以再來一次，過去就是過去，沒有補救的可能。縱使因過去就是過去，以致人有將來時，但那不可重回的過去使我們對生命中的遺漏只有歎息。

所以，回憶不是懷舊，而是人生的整理。透過重述，希望零亂的人生找回秩序；透過重覆，希望遺漏的片刻可以填補。因此，每有機會到官塘，我總會繞月華街和功樂道一圈，因為這是我成長的地方。當中，我可以找回我的故事。同樣，我會選擇到蘇格蘭去，因為這留下我留學的片段。當中，我嘗試填補我人生的遺漏。回憶是一種向後的活動，但實際上，回憶是讓人生可以向前，即讓人生重整後，可以再聚焦。

相對地，年青人少對昔日嚮往，不是因為他們屬於將來，而是因為他們沒有能力去整理。相反，中年或以上人士多對回憶嚮往，不是因為他們已裝不入新事物，而是因為他們發現人生原來從整理開始。當將回憶放在如此重要地位時，我們卻至少面對兩個困難。第一，不是一切回憶都會帶來解放，因為它也可以是一種負面的吸納力量。負面，因為昔日跑到當下，並主導當下，使人看不見將來，甚至將來變成為昔日的重覆。吸納不一定因為被昔日的痛苦所困，也可以因昔日的快樂所致，以致流連在昔日中，不願意回到現在。一位朋友，他的妻子已離世六年了，但到今日，他還要服抗抑鬱藥。或許，昔日的快樂使他接受不了當下的孤獨。他也接受不了人生原來可以很荒謬。時間的熬練讓我學會了一件事，就是縱使昔日是曾在，但曾在已是一種存在了，而存在是不能被否定的。又縱使這曾在的存在不可能以當下的存在出現，但因任何存在都是獨特，我們就不需要將它重覆。重覆只會使他失去其獨特。回憶肯定他的存在，並他以其獨特向我存在。

第二，回憶不只是個人的活動，而是雙向性的。就此，我想起兩個場景。第一個場景，你對我的回憶不等於這也是我對你的回憶。當我認為我對你的回憶是如此寶貴時，但這不一定是你的想法。那麼，回憶就可能帶來痛苦了。老年癡呆症帶出第二個場景。一方面，患上老年癡呆症者逐漸發現自己記憶的衰退，而可能感到氣餒。事實上，這情境不一定只發生在老年癡呆症者身上。十一歲的女兒在三年前曾寫了一封信給已離世六年的母親：

「媽媽，我已很久沒有見你了。我真的很渴望能見你一面，只是一面，不是在相片中見你。我差不多已忘掉你的聲音，我也害怕終有一日也忘記你的樣貌。」

另一方面，就是如何對待一個對我已沒有回憶，但我對他仍充滿回憶的人。失去回憶，不能回憶和沒有對回憶有回應等等都使人陷於痛苦中。此刻，我慢慢體會回憶的重要在於我知道我是屬於誰。這是對回憶者來說，對被回憶者也是如此。所以，一個老年癡呆症者沒有因失去回憶而失去自己，因為他沒有被他所愛的遺忘。同樣，我的回憶使我知道我不是孤獨的，因為回憶使我存在。

基督教的上帝就是那位對我們說，祂從沒有忘記我們，並對我們說，「正像我創造的新天新地永遠長存，你們的子孫和你們的名也要長久流傳。」（以賽亞書六十六22）生命的破碎、零亂或遺漏, 也因著名字被長久流傳而得到救贖。