Soundings
Surrogacy violates the Christian understanding of marriage and family
How should Christians respond to surrogate motherhood? AMONG the various forms of artificial reproductive technologies surrogate motherhood is arguably the most controversial. A surrogate mother is a woman who carries a child for an infertile couple. There are basically two forms of surrogacy. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is inseminated by the husband’s sperm, generally because […]
Soundings
Human Rights Declaration ideals resonate with Christian tenets
How should Christians think about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? DECEMBER 10, 2008 marked the 60th anniversary of the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is debatably the most important document in the moral, cultural and political history of the world. Composed in […]
Soundings
Christians must reflect on meaning, purpose of the arts in human life
How should Christians understand and view the arts? SINCE the Reformation in the 16th century, when leaders of the church destroyed statues and other works of art to stem out and prevent idolatry, Protestant Christianity has always been suspicious of the arts. It must be clarified that the iconoclasm of the Reformers is not an […]
Think
Nevertheless, let us give thanks
R E F L E C T I O N S BY REV GABRIEL LIEW IMAGINE. It was Thanksgiving and the preacher was ready to begin. He stepped up to the pulpit, cleared his throat, “Ahem” and began. He said, “Let us give thanks, for our marvellous bodies, for legs that walk and run, for […]
Film / Book Reviews
A clear message on what faith is all about
God, Why? Author: Rev Dr Gordon Wong Publisher: Armour Publishing Pte Ltd 56 pp. $12 This book is available in major Christian and general bookshops FAITH IS … ‘Wong distills Habakkuk’s three chapters into three words – protest, perseverance and praise – and in his final chapter makes a correlation to what it means […]
Soundings
What is the relationship between the Church and Israel?
A general view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. – Methodist Message picture by PETER TEO. What is the relationship between the Church and Israel? VERY few theological issues have been so contentious and hotly debated as the relationship between the Church and Israel. Wishing to preserve the integrity and significance of historical Israel […]
Think
Lingering in our rushed world
FOR spiritual refreshment I have been reading the book, A Basket of Fragments, by Robert Murray M’Cheyne (Christian Focus Publications). M’Cheyne died when he was 29 years old. That is less than the time I have been in vocational (so-called “full-time”) ministry! But I am amazed by the spiritual depth I find in his writings […]
Soundings
Torture blasphemes God who created human beings in His own image
Should Christians ever condone torture? ACCORDING to the standard dictionary definition, torture is simply the act of deliberately inflicting pain by one person on another person. There are many ways in which this can be done: beatings, electric shocks, waterboarding, etc. But this simple dictionary definition of torture must be subjected to more detailed analysis. […]
Soundings
Inter-faith dialogue is part of Christians’ social responsibility
But we must always conduct such exchanges with integrity and respect Should Christians engage in inter-faith dialogue? FOR some Christians, inter-faith dialogue is to be discouraged and even scrupulously avoided because it smacks of compromise and syncretism. In a recent survey entitled, “Negotiating Christianity with Other Religions: The Views of Christian Clergymen in Singapore”, Dr Matthew Matthews, a […]
Soundings
Be involved in affairs of the economic life
What is the Christian understanding of the economic order? THE tumultuous events on Wall Street in recent times and their rippling events throughout the world has led some to lose confidence in the American economy and its financial system, others to debate the extent of government interventions, and still others to wonder if capitalism itself […]
Soundings
Christian Faith opposes sale of organs but supports voluntary donation
Should Christians support the legalisation of the human organ market? THE shortage of transplantable organs and the growing demand for them has made the legalisation of the organ market an attractive option. Proponents have argued that by legalising organ sales and by subjecting the market to strict regulations and protocols, not only will the supply […]
Film / Book Reviews
A Bishop’s life-changing conversation with modern Singaporeans
The Race Author: Robert M. Solomon Publisher: Armour Publishing 176 pages, $16 WHAT would the average modern and Internet-savvy Singaporean expect to hear from the Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore? Most people would think that pastors today have become like the senior members of the family, having something to say […]
Discipleship
Civil obedience part of Christian discipleship
‘Christians are commanded to submit themselves to the authority of the state that seeks to do the will of God by promoting justice and peace.’ What should be the Christian perspective on the secular State? PERHAPS the best place to begin one’s reflection on what might be called a Christian theology of the state is […]
Soundings
Christians generally maintain that human rights are universal
‘The universality of human rights is established on Christological and not anthropological grounds. Because Christ died for all human beings, all persons can claim these rights.’ What is the Christian perspective on human rights? THE modern concept of human rights is historically rooted in deism whose concept of God and human autonomy are radically at […]
