Soundings
The genesis of Anglicanism
16TH CENTURY REFORMS “From its genesis, the Anglican Communion has embraced the reforms introduced by the 16th century Reformers like Martin Luther.” THE ENGLISH REFORMATION had an unlikely beginning when England’s King Henry VIII declared unilaterally the Church in England to be under his control, and not that of Pope Clement VII. Henry VIII made […]
Soundings
Christians engaged in the public square must be humble and civil
How should Christians engage in the public square? AS SOCIETY BECOMES increasingly secular, religion is slowly edged towards the periphery of public life and reduced to a private experience without any social implications. The Christian faith is intrinsically opposed to the privatisation of religion because of its claim that the God it worships and professes […]
Soundings
The origin of Christian denominations
We begin a new series on Christian denominations entitled, “So What’s the Difference?” This series, which alternates with “Now That’s A Good Question!”, will discuss the history, theology and practices of the main Protestant denominations. In the first instalment, we look briefly at the origin of Christian denominations CHRISTIANITY today is divided into many different […]
Soundings
Of human freedom and the sovereignty of God
How would you evaluate the basic tenets of Open Theism? THEOLOGIANS throughout the centuries have wrestled with the question concerning the sovereignty of God and the free will of human beings. Profound theological tomes have been written on the subject in conversation with Scripture and the doctrinal tradition of the Church. Most theologians would maintain […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Soundings
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 […]
