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What Kind of Time Are We Living in? A Meditation amidst the Pandemic
Professor Deng Shaoguang, Christian Thought (Theology and Culture) What kind of generation is this? The political movement that lasted for more than half a year had not completely subsided before the novel coronavirus epidemic emerged. What kind of generation does Hong Kong society live in? Regardless of natural disasters or man-made disasters, they are not what we want to see. Who likes to be in panic? Who wants to live in panic and fear? However, do humans have no responsibility at all for the situation we find ourselves in today? Or, we have to admit that whether it is a natural disaster or a man-made disaster, it is only because people themselves did not treat human society and the natural world well, which led to today's results, and ultimately they bear it. This is the judgment of “leaving it to corruption” spoken of in the Bible. God does not need to take the initiative to punish us. He only needs to hide His face for a moment, limit His protection, and do not prevent us from doing evil, so that we can suffer the consequences and fall into panic and confusion all day long. ...
In the Time of COVID-19 Outbreak, What Do We Care About?
Kwong Chun-wa, Associate Professor of Practical Theology (World Religions) Self-protection and Love of Neighbors When an epidemic occurs, people’s instinctive reaction is to protect themselves from infection. This is understandable and can even be regarded as a civic responsibility, because if one less person is infected, Hong Kong will be better. Reducing some of the pressure on the medical system will help control the epidemic. But when the epidemic spreads, people only care about self-preservation, which may evolve into a self-centered lifestyle. The Bible does not tell us to live a life of self-preservation, but to care for our neighbors around us. ...
The Essence of Worship: Worship Service Primacy?
Professor Wu Guojie of Christian Thought (Church History) The recent outbreak of the new coronavirus has forced the cancellation of many mass gatherings. Although many local churches have suspended various gatherings such as fellowship, Sunday school, special lectures, etc., they still insist that "only Sunday worship cannot be stopped"; even if physical worship may be suspended due to the seriousness of the epidemic, they will try to change it as much as possible Conducted online. The reason is that worship gatherings are a sacred moment for believers to worship God and are the core activities of the church. In addition, the Chinese churches in Hong Kong are paying more and more attention to worship, and there are more and more teachings and discussions on worship. In the early days of the craze for worship and praise, hymn leading training almost became a must-have service equipment for the younger generation of the church. As pastoral leaders criticize modern poetry for its lack of content, traditional hymns and worship services are showing signs of regaining importance. In the current trend of paying attention to worship gatherings, many scholars have tried to reflect on music, liturgy, theology, pastoral care, etc., hoping to build a more practical foundation for public worship and set a more accurate direction. What is the true meaning of worship throughout the ages? The author would like to point out here that the modern church’s understanding of public worship deviates to a considerable extent from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the historical traditions of the church. ...