Hill Road Journal

Religious Commitment in a Pluralistic Society: An Old Testament Perspective

WONG Fook Kong

This essay begins with Brueggemann's observation about the “amazing pluralism” both within and without the Church. I agree with this statement with the qualification that this has been the experience of Asian churches all along. Pluralism both within and without its ranks is not new to Asian churches. When we look at the Old Testament against the background of the ancient Near East, it is evident that ancient Israel also lived in a pluralistic society. Different gods competed for loyalty among the nations. Within Israel too there were different views about YHWH . It is against these competing ideologies that the authors of the Bible affirmed their commitment to worship YHWH as the one and only God. Thus pluralism should not be a reason for abandoning one's commitment to worship YHWH as the one and only God. Rather, it is exactly in face of alternatives and competing claims that one needs to make a firm commitment to worship YHWH.

The Challenge of Religious Pluralism: The Book of Acts as a Test Case

Poling J. Sun

Since the 80s of the last century the issue of plural religiousism has become a challenge to Christian communities. Granted the highly developed connections among nations in this electronic age resulting in conversations and mutual influences, a plurality of cultural and religious phenomena seems inevitable. This is similar to the situation in which the early Christian communities found themselves, addressing and being addressed by a world characterized by cultural inter-penetration. With this in view, this article offers a study of several passages in the Book of Acts, attempting to explore how the early Christian communities encountered their surrounding culture in the course of finding their identity and appropriating their mission.

The Church and Pluralism in the Patristic Period: A Reconsideration of the Progress of Christianization of the Roman Empire during the Time of Constantine

Nathan K. Ng

The reason for the conversion of Constantine has long been a matter of scholarly debate. Traditionally, the emperor is believed to have been converted religiously by the power of Christ. Modern scholarship, however, tends to attribute the conversion to political reason. This article intends to reevaluate the controversial conversion through a reexamination of the progress of christianization of the Roman Empire.

The first section tries to show that the political stature of paganism was actually at that time much higher than the church. It would be very difficult to explain why Constantine chose to become a Christian if, as many modern scholars suggest, political stability was his sole concern. On this foundation, the second section argues that the emperor's bias towards Christianity was at least partially religious. Putting all evidences into consideration, a proposal of the spiritual journey of Constantine is tentatively reconstructed at the end of the discussion.

In 1951, the forefathers of the Baptist Church received their calling and established the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary during a difficult time. Protected by the Lord, the Baptist Theological Seminary has grown continuously through transformation over the past 75 years, striving to fulfill its mission of theological education and research in Hong Kong. It diligently cultivates servant leaders with theological wisdom, spiritual character, and practical service abilities, nurturing generation after generation of pastors, missionaries, and believer leaders. Together with brothers and sisters, it builds up the church, expands God's Kingdom, and exerts influence in society, serving as salt and light, and witnessing to the Gospel of Christ and peace.

To commemorate the Lord's profound grace and love, our institution held a series of anniversary events under the theme "Standing in Christ, Facing the Future." In a world of chaos and constant change, only by standing firmly on the solid cornerstone of Jesus Christ can we navigate the turbulent currents of the world and face the unpredictable future, putting the true word of Christ into practice in this era. Among the most important anniversary events were the "75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Worship and Musical Concert" and the "75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Dinner." This issue of the institution's newsletter features photos from these two gatherings, allowing readers to relive moments from them.

Thanksgiving Worship and Musical Praise Meeting

On the afternoon of April 19th this year, our college held its 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Worship and Musical Praise Meeting at the Kowloon City Baptist Church. The college choir, alumni choir, and choir members from nineteen Baptist churches formed a large joint choir of over 250 people, offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord together with brothers and sisters in Christ, becoming a beautiful mark of unity in serving God during this historic moment of "Baptism of God."

When we look back over the years from 1951 to 2011, we lost count of the many steps HKBTS has moved over these sixty years. We can declare with certainty that each step was made possible by God's grace. The Seminary continues to move forward with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

This year, there will be a series of diamond jubilee celebration activities using the theme “Soaring High in God's Faith, Hope and Love.” These activities are not meant to display our achievement. Rather, they are intended to illustrate several truths: how God's great power is made perfect in man's weakness; how God's glory is displayed to God's workmen called to serve Him from generation to generation; to inspire us to go forth now as we count on God's blessings and soar high in His faith, hope and love in an effort to nurture a group of excellent, humble workmen who are capable of shouldering the mission for God's kingdom.

In this issue, we feature pictures of the “Thanksgiving Worship Service,” the “Thanksgiving Banquet” and the “Fundraising Walkathon.” Then in his column, President Cho talks about the Seminary's outlook as he shares on the two past “Thanksgiving” occasions. Also this issue includes summaries of the sermons preached in the Spiritual Revival Bible Study Conference. We also introduce to our readers the Diamond Jubilee Concert of Praise to be held in mid-May.

HKBTS's Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service was held on the afternoon of February 20 followed by the Thanksgiving Banquet at Jade Garden. That day, guests included pastors and ministers from both Baptist and other denominations, good friends from other seminaries, leaders of Christian organizations, members of the Seminary's President's Council, a large number of our alumni, guests from afar as well as brothers and sisters who have concerned and supported HKBTS. We want to take this opportunity to express our warmest gratitude to all these Christian brothers and sisters who brought us blessings from all quarters as we testified together to God's grace and guidance.

Highlights of Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service

"Please... grant us to encounter You in music and truth!"

Pastor Tang Rongmin, a member of the board of directors of the seminary, led the congregation in prayer for the seminary's educational ministry and for the day's gathering.

He Remembers His Covenant

“"He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Praise ye the Lord." Mrs. Yip Ng Ching-lan, member of our Board of Trustees, led the congregation in reading the Responsive Scriptures.

"...together we will witness God's profound grace and love, and the historic moment of 'Baptism by God'."

Reverend Chung Chi-kwong, Chairman of the Board of Directors, welcomed all the friends who came to worship with us and gave a brief introduction to the college's recent situation and future prospects.

Heartfelt Thanks for Support and Watch-keeping from the Christian Circle

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Timothy Lau, extended a warm welcome on behalf of HKBTS to all brothers and sisters from all quarters as they brought us their blessings and worshiped with us, offering up thanksgiving to God.

"The Lord Jesus Christ, the cornerstone!..."

A large choir of over 250 people sang "Christ, Cornerstone!" Their voices, melodious and powerful, resonated throughout the venue, deeply moving everyone present.

Wait for the Lord's Word

Dr. George Wilson, Jr., the fourth President of the Seminary, spoke on the topic, "The Waiting on the Lord for His Word." He exhorted the congregation to respond to God's call to be workmen proclaiming the Word of God. He also encouraged the whole Seminary community to march forward trusting in God's grace.

"This is our story of gratitude."

The college choir performed three stories of students on their faith journey in the form of mime: "Seeing the Lord's grace on the path of raising children", "Being a blessing to family members on the path of faith", and "Being loved by God on the path of theological study".

Debut Singing of the Seminary's Board of Trustees

“In cheerful sounds, all voices raised and filled the world with loudest praise …” On this day when everyone sang heartily, the Board of Trustees Choir gave their debut performance as they sang out their joyful song.

"I offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving."

Our board member, Evangelist Yang Baohua, led the congregation in reciting the Response Text.

Soaring High in God's Faith, Hope, and Love

“"When the Seminary becomes a disciple community, we will then experience the power of the resurrection of Christ and become an excellent seminary. With God's grace, we will develop greatly in many areas…" President Cho shared his vision of the Seminary's future direction and development.

"Jesus himself approached them and walked with them..."

Reverend Chen Zhiqiang, Vice Chairman of the Board, read aloud from the Word of God, Luke 24:13-35, concerning the story on the road to Emmaus.

Duet: Pray for Yahweh's Guidance

The duet of the Faculty Choir and the Male Student's Choir sang out the thirst of their souls in forceful voices as they sang "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah."“

"May you...hold hope in your hearts...stand in Christ, face the present together, and embrace the future."

"May you...hold hope in your hearts...stand in Christ, face the present together, and embrace the future."
Dean Tsao Wei-tung, in his speech entitled "Standing in Christ, Facing the Future: Hope on the Road to Emmaus," encouraged us to always have hope: to wait patiently, to believe that Jesus Christ is our salvation in times of trouble; to believe that the Bible is the source of hope; and to believe that practical theology, which takes the Bible as the source of hope, can appropriately respond to the challenges of the present.

Four Levels of Prayer: In the Bond of Love

Representatives from the Alumni, the Board of Trustees, the faculty and the student body prayed in succession. They prayed that the Lord who keeps building up HKBTS and preparing workers for the churches would help the four parties to be bonded closely together within the Seminary, and watch over one another.

Thanksgiving Dinner

That evening, our institute hosted its 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Dinner at the London Grand Restaurant. Board members, faculty, students, staff, and friends from all walks of life gathered to reflect on God's blessings, exchange ideas, encourage one another, and enjoy a joyful time of fellowship. Guests included pastors and staff from Baptist and other denominations, friends from the theological community, leaders of Christian organizations, members of the Institute's Council, the president, general secretary, and standing committee members of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, alumni, guests from afar, and brothers and sisters who care about "Baptismal God." We sincerely thank all members for their blessings and support!

Highlights of Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Banquet

"I rejoice, and thank God in my heart..."

As the banquet began, teachers, students, alumni, and guests gathered together to sing "Joy" in thanksgiving to God.

HKBTS and Churches Are Bonded Together

The President of the Baptist Convention of Hong Kong, Rev. Tong Wing-mun, gave the congratulatory speech, pointing out that HKBTS is the arsenal of Christ's crack troops and that the churches and HKBTS are all bonded together as allies and they should constantly be concerned about the Seminary and give support to it.

"Tonight, we are surrounded by distinguished guests... Christ family members sharing and exchanging blessings."

On behalf of the hospital, Chairman of the Board, Pastor Zhong Zhiguang, welcomed all the friends who came to offer their congratulations and express their gratitude with us. He also hoped that everyone would continue to walk with "Baptismal God" and work together to cultivate more servant leaders for God's Kingdom.

Presidents Witnessing God's Amazing Grace and Passing the Torch

Dr. George Wilson and President Joshua Cho sang together “Amazing Grace.” They testified to God's amazing grace that has accompanied HKBTS over the last 60 years.

"May there be no shortage of soldiers, no retreat from the truth, and no slumber of the church."

Reverend Tong Wing-man, President of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, congratulated the church on behalf of the convention and called on everyone and all churches to be partners with "Baptist God" and fight together for God's kingdom.

Training God's Servants Expanding God's Kingdom

Ms. Lau Nin-fung, Chairperson of the Alumni Association, presents a gift to the alma mater.

"Through seventy-five years of vicissitudes, we have tasted the Lord's grace; planting peaches and nurturing plums, the city is filled with fragrance."

Rooted in Christ, looking towards the future; tomorrow's spiritual palace, today's school.

Reverend Chung Kin-kai (left), Chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union, presented the church with a seven-character quatrain and a memorial seat on behalf of his union, wishing that God would continue to use "Baptismal God" to stand on the rock of Christ, nurturing more worthy workers, igniting the light of truth for the churches in Hong Kong, mainland China and the world, and glorifying the Father.

To Stride Proudly Ahead with No Fear of Obstacles

Eight LTED staff members counted God's blessings and recounted HKBTS's history. "Members of the Board of Trustees and Staff together celebrate the occasion by proclaiming countless numbers of thanksgiving items, together striding proudly ahead with no fear of obstacles and soaring high in God's faith, hope and love."“

"The shepherd is the messenger of hope."

Dean Cao Weitong began by sharing short videos from three alumni, pointing out that one of the characteristics of "Baptismal Theology" theological education is to cultivate students' spiritual qualities of "faith, hope and love," and in recent years, it has focused on deepening the element of "hope," hoping that students will become pastors who convey hope.

Teachers' Names Are Used to Congratulate HKBTS

Teachers congratulate HKBTS, using their own names. They went on to put their names together to form a couplet: Baptists Spurs on, Introduce and Describe the Feat of the Kingdom of Heaven; God's Grace Begins, Triumphantly Praise the True Light of Christ”

"Continue to lead the seminary on the path ahead, and glorify Your name."

Reverend Lee Kwok-hung, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, led everyone in a prayer of thanksgiving and offered thanks for the 75 years of "Baptist God" nurturing countless workers of the Kingdom of Heaven, and prayed that the Lord would establish the college to continue to be faithful to its mission of theological education.

Passing on the Torch and Declaring Our Determination Will Never Weaken

“We teachers and students sing praise to God and resolve to work hard all our lives…” Alumni matched new lyrics to a familiar melody and sang out the unfailing resolution to pass on the torch and serve the Lord side by side with one heart.

Embark on the 7.5-second challenge!

The guests enthusiastically participated in the games, nervously pressing the timer. The three who came closest to 7.5 seconds received gifts, creating a joyful atmosphere.

Participants Came from Far and Wide

Participants gathered together at Ma On Shan Park to take attendance and receive some souvenirs.

"I am truly grateful to God... I have not forgotten the nurturing I received from Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, which has made me a worker who is not ashamed and who rightly divides the word of truth."

The oldest alumnus that evening, 81-year-old Reverend Liang Deshun, has faithfully served the Lord around the world for many years. A year ago, upon learning of his alma mater's anniversary celebration, he planned to return from the United States specifically to attend and express his gratitude to God.

The Commencing Ceremony

Seven high-spirited officiating guests conducted the ribbon-cutting ceremony to declare the commencement of the Fundraising Walkathon.

"Keep going, Baptismal God!"

Among the guests born in the same year the college was founded (1951) were alumni, former staff members, and church members, who offered sincere blessings to "Baptism God".

Feeling Excited upon Finishing

Walking in the company of their friends and the family, participants finished the walk and accomplished their fundraising mission. What a great joy!

"May 'Baptismal Spirit' continue to steadfastly fulfill the mission God has given us..."

Alumnus Reverend Chen Keping (right) has been a strong supporter of theological education ministry of "Baptismal God" for many years. He wishes the college to continue to steadfastly fulfill the mission God has given us and to continue to cultivate more workers of God.

Feeling Excited upon Finishing

Walking in the company of their friends and the family, participants finished the walk and accomplished their fundraising mission. What a great joy!

I have something to say about baptism...

Each colorful greeting card, filled with heartfelt messages, carried the guests' blessings and gratitude to the college, filling the venue with warmth and laughter as they celebrated the college's 75th anniversary.

Feeling Excited upon Finishing

Walking in the company of their friends and the family, participants finished the walk and accomplished their fundraising mission. What a great joy!

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The Political Intention of the “Oracles against the Nations” in the Book of Isaiah

CHEUNG Ming Kwong

This article explores the formation process and purpose of the section “Oracles against the Nations” (Isaiah 13-23). The section occupied a strategic position as one of the few places in the book that references Babylon. This article argues that this series of oracles constitutes two earlier collections, each serving a distinct political function in its respective period during pre-exilic time. These collections later function rhetorically to support the Babylonian oracle, which was added during the exilic or post-exilic time.

Within the Babylonian oracle, the mythic Helel, son of Dawn (Is 14:12), whose image is used to portray Babylon, is examined. The analysis suggests that the oracle seeks to subvert Babylonian imperial propaganda by mocking of this image. The genre of “Oracles against the Nations” survives after the fall of Judah and assumes a new political function in exilic and post-exilic contexts.

Preaching “the Baptism of Repentance”: The Spiritual Formation and Renewal of Emerging Adults through the Service of the Word

Kit-ying LAW

The post-pandemic crisis of worship attendance and baptismal formation in Hong Kong Chinese churches reflects a profound liturgical-theological challenge concerning how the baptized are gathered and renewed by the Word, rather than a mere institutional decline or communication breakdown. Focusing on emerging adults aged 18-29, whose lives are marked by transition, fragmentation, vocational uncertainty, digital mediation, and fluid forms of belonging, this article argues that the Service of the Word provides a critical locus for spiritual formation and ecclesiastical formation reorientation. Drawing upon William H. Willimon's account of “peculiar speech” and preaching to the baptized, the argument contends that Christian proclamation must recover its baptismal grammar—namely repentance, death, and resurrection with Christ, the renunciation of false powers, incorporation into the church, and a renewed participation in God's mission.

This proposal is situated within the theological tensions generated by the New Homiletics since the 1970s. While acknowledging the pastoral value of inductive, narrative, and listener-sensitive preaching, a critique is offered against homiletical approaches that over-accommodate proclamation to human experience, therapeutic expectations, or consumer culture. In contrast, preaching baptismal repentance functions as an inherently ecclesiastical act within worship rather than a generic religious address to a secular audience. It speaks directly to a community already regenerated by water and the Word, thereby summoning believers repeatedly into the identity first conferred in baptism. Such preaching does not abandon pastoral sensitivity; rather, it relocates pastoral care within the church's primary act of hearing the Word of the Lord.

This argument is further developed through the resources of the liturgical movement, the lectionary tradition, and the recovery of the Psalms in worship. Within this framework, Taizé worship is understood not merely as a contemporary musical style, but also as a liturgical pattern of repetitive psalmic chant, silence, and contemplative listening that serves to support Lectio Divina and to deepen the congregation's participation in the Service of the Word. For retreatants at Taizé, the weekly rhythm from Friday to Sunday functions as a communal mini-Triduum, moving from Christ's passion and death to renewed participation in resurrection joy.

In conversation with Walter Brueggemann's movement from orientation through disorientation to new orientation, the Psalms provide emerging adults with a disciplined liturgical speech that enables them to inhabit instability without surrendering to despair. Taizé-style prayer, responsorial psalmody, intentional silence, and communal intercession serve as concrete practices that extend the Service of the Word into the ordinary rhythms of κοινωνία.

Finally, contemporary preaching is interpreted within a metamodern context, where hearers oscillate between suspicion and longing, irony and sincerity, critique and renewed participation. Samuel Wells's account of faithful improvisation within the drama of God's salvation offers a constructive ecclesiastical imagination for communities seeking to navigate the tension between baptismal identity and eschatological fulfillment. Ultimately, preaching "the baptism of repentance" restores the embodied and formative power of the Word, forming adults as emerging adults servants of God's Word through Scripture, fellowship, and sacramental memory.

The Construction of Chinese Rhetoric and the Legitimacy of Chinese Homiletics: A Preliminary Study Using the Concept of “Persuasion” as an Example

Ken KS LUI

Western homiletics has been shaped since Augustine by a paradigm integrating classical Greco-Roman rhetoric with Christian preaching. This article asks whether Chinese churches should follow this paradigm to construct a distinctively “Chinese Homiletics”. It first establishes Chinese rhetoric as a legitimate academic discipline, independent of Western traditions, and then focuses on a comparative analysis of the concept of “persuasion” in Chinese and Western rhetoric. Western rhetoric, typified by Aristotle, is traditionally speaker-centered, emphasizing the technical means of persuasion—logos, ethos, and pathos. The Chinese rhetorical tradition, by contrast, centers on the concept of fu (service, “compliance/conviction”), privileging xinfu (心felt conviction) as the ideal rhetorical outcome, governed by the principle xiuci li qi cheng (rhetoric grounded in virtue and truth) and yi de fu ren ("winning hearts through virtue"). This article concludes that Chinese Homiletics should be grounded in the preacher's morality and spirituality rather than rhetorical technique.

“"Story Is Argument": The Use of Life Stories in William H. Willimon's Preaching

WONG Shun Shing

This article examines William H. Willimon's homiletical theology, which posits that narrative—especially life stories—serves not as mere illustration but as the primary argumentative structure in Christian preaching.

Amid contemporary challenges of entertainment-oriented, consumerist, and attractional preaching that often reduce the gospel to therapeutic advice, moral guidelines, or marketable spiritual products, Willimon advocates a theocentric model. Preaching, in his view, constitutes a divine theological event wherein God speaks disruptively through the peculiar and alien qualities of biblical and ecclesiastical narratives.

Drawing on narrative theology influenced by Karl Barth, Willimon maintains that Christian faith is fundamentally narrative, witnessing to God's historical acts culminating in Christ's incarnation, death, and resurrection. Preaching thus performs and re-presents God's story in the present, inviting hearers into its drama. Stories function generatively and performatively: they enact theological truth and create a new reality rather than passively reflecting or decorating pre-existing propositions.

This study contrasts Willimon's approach with conventional narrative practices, which typically familiarize the gospel, emphasize individual inspiration, address felt needs, instrumentally prove abstract truths, or depend on the preacher's charisma. Willimon instead employs estrangement to underscore the gospel's scandalous strangeness, prioritizes communal formation, embodies truth narratively, and relies on the Holy Spirit rather than human technique.

Central to his method are life stories—personal, congregational, and historical testimonies—that form the core of argumentation. These function as existential witnesses, embedding individual experiences within God's redemptive narrative, countering modern individualism, and cultivating the church's identity as a peculiar people shaped by divine initiative.

Applying this framework to the Chinese church context, the article critiques prevalent tendencies toward prosperity theology, pragmatic applications, and commodified personal testimonies that domesticate the gospel's cruciform oddity. It advocates defamiliarizing, Spirit-reliant, community-focused storytelling that honors failure, unresolved tension, and waiting as loci of grace.

In conclusion, Willimon reclaims preaching as a relational divine–human encounter rather than an attractive performance. By treating story as an argument, preachers participate in God's reality-creating speech, entrusting their vulnerable words to the Holy Spirit for disciple formation and immersion in the ongoing drama of salvation.

The Threefold Forms of the Word of God: Karl Barth's Shortcomings and Critical Revisions in Recent Barthian Theology

TSENG Shao Kai

This paper examines the shortcomings of Karl Barth's doctrine of Scripture in his formulation of the “threefold forms of the Word of God” and explores recent Barthian revisions to Barth's model. Barth borrowed this concept from the classical Reformed notion of the “triplex Logos,” yet he replaced the traditional verbum Dei essentiale or Logos hypostatikos with the “Word of God revealed.” Barth's emphasis is thereby shifted to the narrative dimension of the verbum Dei scriptum whilst downplaying its propositional dimension. This opened an avenue to deconstructionist exegesis and inspired the so-called “postmodern” school of Barthianism. Barth himself would not have accepted this hermeneutic, and postliberal theologians like Hans Frei and George Lindbeck began to draw upon the organic connections between Barth's notions of the Word written and the Word proclaimed to provide doctrinal-propositional norms for biblical interpretation. More recently, the postliberal Barthian theologian George Hunsinger, inspired by Frei and Lindbeck, further proposed the theory of “ecclesiastical hermeneutics,” using Barth's notion of the “Word of God proclaimed” to supplement the shortcomings in Barth's understanding of Scripture. Hunsinger's ecclesiological hermeneutics is distinctively Protestant in that it presupposes a mutually reinforcing relationship between the formation of the biblical canon and the Church's creedal orthodoxy, treating the Word proclaimed as norma normata and the written Word as the norma normans et non normata.

Reality, Interpretation, and Proclamation: The Task of Christian Semiotics according to Augustine's De Doctrina Christiana

Andrew Cheuk Kei WONG

Attention to homiletics is usually limited to the biblical exegetical task and sermon design. For Christian preaching to be true to its task, it requires, however, a lot more than this. This article investigates Augustine of Hippo's understanding of preaching by focusing on De doctrina christiana (doctr. chr.), and proposes that ancient semiotics provides an excellent starting point for elucidating his conception of a preacher's task. After demonstrating the rhetorical context of doctr. chr. and emphasizing the implicative relation between signs and things in ancient semiotics, the article presents Augustine's understanding of the task of Christian semiotics—that preaching is the overall purpose of a process composed of the three interrelated stages of Christian theology, Christian hermeneutics, and Christian rhetoric. In each of these stages, the theme of love and the use of signs, together with the utility of adopting secular learnings for Christian purpose, recurs.

The article begins with the discussion that the task of Christian theology is to speak of the ineffable God through human words, made possible by the Incarnation of the Word. hermeneutics. Centered on the interpretation of the ecclesiastically established set of signs that is known as the Bible, the key semiotic observation lies in the inherent ambiguity of words. Due to fluidities in the meaning of signs and the propensity of language to be elevated in religious contexts, understanding biblical signs requires the application of not only literal but also figurative interpretation, governed by the dominical commandment of the love of God and the neighbor. This semiotic analysis of doctr. chr. is completed by investigating briefly the subject of Christian rhetoric. Semiotics is related to rhetoric, in that efficacious communication depends on the listeners' patience to comprehend the signs, their patience to remain listening, as well as their willingness to act upon what have been heard. Aided by the learning of ancient rhetoric, Augustine maintains the need of eloquence to be in the service of wisdom for Christian preaching to testify to the truth and to respond to the commandment of love. This is done by the appropriate use of rhetoric techniques to influence the listeners' affections, so as to facilitate transformations of life.

This article argues that proclamation itself presupposes theological reflection, just as theology is the result of correct interpretation and effective preaching of the Bible. It concludes by proposing the advantages of bringing to the fore the distinction between signs and signified realities. Focusing on signified realities presupposes the listeners' prior knowledge of God before they can comprehend the biblical words, while attention to verbal signs deepens our understanding of the characteristics of the verbal medium. The final analysis suggests that given Augustine's insistence of prior knowledge of God has been matched by recent works of theology while contemporary theological investigations of the verbal medium in terms of semiotics appear to remain, by and large, in short supply, it testifies to the continued relevance of patristic theology and the great promises of semiotic investigations in contemporary theological tasks.

Preaching the Strange and Inconceivable Word of God

CHIU Shung-ming

Many Christians complain that church sermons sound clichéd, lack novelty, and fail to address real-life situations and specific cultural contexts. The author of this article agrees that preaching should be practical and relevant (“down-to-earth”); however, preachers must be cautious, for making sermons too “down-to-earth” not only demonstrates our attempt to shape God according to our felt needs but also risks making preaching human-centered.

Regarding this issue, the author argues that the secularization of the church significantly influences how audiences perceive preaching. Over time, preaching may become a tool to cater to human ideas or needs. As a result, audiences may misunderstand the purpose of preaching as serving people rather than serving the Word of God.

To address this problem, the author draws on the theological insights of Karl Barth and William H. Willimon to reflect on the theology of preaching. Barth and Willimon emphasize the transcendence of God. God is the Wholly Other, and there exists an infinite ontological distinction between God and humanity. Therefore, as finite beings, we cannot rely solely on our reason and sensory experience to know or speak about God. the starting point for understanding the Divine Being must be God's self-revelation in Christ, accompanied by the Holy Spirit, who comes to us from beyond ourselves and dwells within us, and by our aided reason in faith through which we seek to understand Christ, the Word of God. Consequently, for us, this Word must be the strange and inconceivable Word from above, and what preachers proclaim can only be the strange and inconceivable Word of God. This article aims to provide theological reflection on this very point.

In 1951, the forefathers of the Baptist Church received their calling and established the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary during a difficult time. Protected by the Lord, the Baptist Theological Seminary has grown continuously through transformation over the past 75 years, striving to fulfill its mission of theological education and research in Hong Kong. It diligently cultivates servant leaders with theological wisdom, spiritual character, and practical service abilities, nurturing generation after generation of pastors, missionaries, and believer leaders. Together with brothers and sisters, it builds up the church, expands God's Kingdom, and exerts influence in society, serving as salt and light, and witnessing to the Gospel of Christ and peace.

To commemorate the Lord's profound grace and love, our institution held a series of anniversary events under the theme "Standing in Christ, Facing the Future." In a world of chaos and constant change, only by standing firmly on the solid cornerstone of Jesus Christ can we navigate the turbulent currents of the world and face the unpredictable future, putting the true word of Christ into practice in this era. Among the most important anniversary events were the "75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Worship and Musical Concert" and the "75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Dinner." This issue of the institution's newsletter features photos from these two gatherings, allowing readers to relive moments from them.

Thanksgiving Worship and Musical Praise Meeting

On the afternoon of April 19th this year, our college held its 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Worship and Musical Praise Meeting at the Kowloon City Baptist Church. The college choir, alumni choir, and choir members from nineteen Baptist churches formed a large joint choir of over 250 people, offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord together with brothers and sisters in Christ, becoming a beautiful mark of unity in serving God during this historic moment of "Baptism of God."

When we look back over the years from 1951 to 2011, we lost count of the many steps HKBTS has moved over these sixty years. We can declare with certainty that each step was made possible by God's grace. The Seminary continues to move forward with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

This year, there will be a series of diamond jubilee celebration activities using the theme “Soaring High in God's Faith, Hope and Love.” These activities are not meant to display our achievement. Rather, they are intended to illustrate several truths: how God's great power is made perfect in man's weakness; how God's glory is displayed to God's workmen called to serve Him from generation to generation; to inspire us to go forth now as we count on God's blessings and soar high in His faith, hope and love in an effort to nurture a group of excellent, humble workmen who are capable of shouldering the mission for God's kingdom.

In this issue, we feature pictures of the “Thanksgiving Worship Service,” the “Thanksgiving Banquet” and the “Fundraising Walkathon.” Then in his column, President Cho talks about the Seminary's outlook as he shares on the two past “Thanksgiving” occasions. Also this issue includes summaries of the sermons preached in the Spiritual Revival Bible Study Conference. We also introduce to our readers the Diamond Jubilee Concert of Praise to be held in mid-May.

HKBTS's Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service was held on the afternoon of February 20 followed by the Thanksgiving Banquet at Jade Garden. That day, guests included pastors and ministers from both Baptist and other denominations, good friends from other seminaries, leaders of Christian organizations, members of the Seminary's President's Council, a large number of our alumni, guests from afar as well as brothers and sisters who have concerned and supported HKBTS. We want to take this opportunity to express our warmest gratitude to all these Christian brothers and sisters who brought us blessings from all quarters as we testified together to God's grace and guidance.

Highlights of Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service

"Please... grant us to encounter You in music and truth!"

Pastor Tang Rongmin, a member of the board of directors of the seminary, led the congregation in prayer for the seminary's educational ministry and for the day's gathering.

He Remembers His Covenant

“"He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Praise ye the Lord." Mrs. Yip Ng Ching-lan, member of our Board of Trustees, led the congregation in reading the Responsive Scriptures.

"...together we will witness God's profound grace and love, and the historic moment of 'Baptism by God'."

Reverend Chung Chi-kwong, Chairman of the Board of Directors, welcomed all the friends who came to worship with us and gave a brief introduction to the college's recent situation and future prospects.

Heartfelt Thanks for Support and Watch-keeping from the Christian Circle

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Timothy Lau, extended a warm welcome on behalf of HKBTS to all brothers and sisters from all quarters as they brought us their blessings and worshiped with us, offering up thanksgiving to God.

"The Lord Jesus Christ, the cornerstone!..."

A large choir of over 250 people sang "Christ, Cornerstone!" Their voices, melodious and powerful, resonated throughout the venue, deeply moving everyone present.

Wait for the Lord's Word

Dr. George Wilson, Jr., the fourth President of the Seminary, spoke on the topic, "The Waiting on the Lord for His Word." He exhorted the congregation to respond to God's call to be workmen proclaiming the Word of God. He also encouraged the whole Seminary community to march forward trusting in God's grace.

"This is our story of gratitude."

The college choir performed three stories of students on their faith journey in the form of mime: "Seeing the Lord's grace on the path of raising children", "Being a blessing to family members on the path of faith", and "Being loved by God on the path of theological study".

Debut Singing of the Seminary's Board of Trustees

“In cheerful sounds, all voices raised and filled the world with loudest praise …” On this day when everyone sang heartily, the Board of Trustees Choir gave their debut performance as they sang out their joyful song.

"I offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving."

Our board member, Evangelist Yang Baohua, led the congregation in reciting the Response Text.

Soaring High in God's Faith, Hope, and Love

“"When the Seminary becomes a disciple community, we will then experience the power of the resurrection of Christ and become an excellent seminary. With God's grace, we will develop greatly in many areas…" President Cho shared his vision of the Seminary's future direction and development.

"Jesus himself approached them and walked with them..."

Reverend Chen Zhiqiang, Vice Chairman of the Board, read aloud from the Word of God, Luke 24:13-35, concerning the story on the road to Emmaus.

Duet: Pray for Yahweh's Guidance

The duet of the Faculty Choir and the Male Student's Choir sang out the thirst of their souls in forceful voices as they sang "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah."“

"May you...hold hope in your hearts...stand in Christ, face the present together, and embrace the future."

"May you...hold hope in your hearts...stand in Christ, face the present together, and embrace the future."
Dean Tsao Wei-tung, in his speech entitled "Standing in Christ, Facing the Future: Hope on the Road to Emmaus," encouraged us to always have hope: to wait patiently, to believe that Jesus Christ is our salvation in times of trouble; to believe that the Bible is the source of hope; and to believe that practical theology, which takes the Bible as the source of hope, can appropriately respond to the challenges of the present.

Four Levels of Prayer: In the Bond of Love

Representatives from the Alumni, the Board of Trustees, the faculty and the student body prayed in succession. They prayed that the Lord who keeps building up HKBTS and preparing workers for the churches would help the four parties to be bonded closely together within the Seminary, and watch over one another.

Thanksgiving Dinner

That evening, our institute hosted its 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Dinner at the London Grand Restaurant. Board members, faculty, students, staff, and friends from all walks of life gathered to reflect on God's blessings, exchange ideas, encourage one another, and enjoy a joyful time of fellowship. Guests included pastors and staff from Baptist and other denominations, friends from the theological community, leaders of Christian organizations, members of the Institute's Council, the president, general secretary, and standing committee members of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, alumni, guests from afar, and brothers and sisters who care about "Baptismal God." We sincerely thank all members for their blessings and support!

Highlights of Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Banquet

"I rejoice, and thank God in my heart..."

As the banquet began, teachers, students, alumni, and guests gathered together to sing "Joy" in thanksgiving to God.

HKBTS and Churches Are Bonded Together

The President of the Baptist Convention of Hong Kong, Rev. Tong Wing-mun, gave the congratulatory speech, pointing out that HKBTS is the arsenal of Christ's crack troops and that the churches and HKBTS are all bonded together as allies and they should constantly be concerned about the Seminary and give support to it.

"Tonight, we are surrounded by distinguished guests... Christ family members sharing and exchanging blessings."

On behalf of the hospital, Chairman of the Board, Pastor Zhong Zhiguang, welcomed all the friends who came to offer their congratulations and express their gratitude with us. He also hoped that everyone would continue to walk with "Baptismal God" and work together to cultivate more servant leaders for God's Kingdom.

Presidents Witnessing God's Amazing Grace and Passing the Torch

Dr. George Wilson and President Joshua Cho sang together “Amazing Grace.” They testified to God's amazing grace that has accompanied HKBTS over the last 60 years.

"May there be no shortage of soldiers, no retreat from the truth, and no slumber of the church."

Reverend Tong Wing-man, President of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, congratulated the church on behalf of the convention and called on everyone and all churches to be partners with "Baptist God" and fight together for God's kingdom.

Training God's Servants Expanding God's Kingdom

Ms. Lau Nin-fung, Chairperson of the Alumni Association, presents a gift to the alma mater.

"Through seventy-five years of vicissitudes, we have tasted the Lord's grace; planting peaches and nurturing plums, the city is filled with fragrance."

Rooted in Christ, looking towards the future; tomorrow's spiritual palace, today's school.

Reverend Chung Kin-kai (left), Chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union, presented the church with a seven-character quatrain and a memorial seat on behalf of his union, wishing that God would continue to use "Baptismal God" to stand on the rock of Christ, nurturing more worthy workers, igniting the light of truth for the churches in Hong Kong, mainland China and the world, and glorifying the Father.

To Stride Proudly Ahead with No Fear of Obstacles

Eight LTED staff members counted God's blessings and recounted HKBTS's history. "Members of the Board of Trustees and Staff together celebrate the occasion by proclaiming countless numbers of thanksgiving items, together striding proudly ahead with no fear of obstacles and soaring high in God's faith, hope and love."“

"The shepherd is the messenger of hope."

Dean Cao Weitong began by sharing short videos from three alumni, pointing out that one of the characteristics of "Baptismal Theology" theological education is to cultivate students' spiritual qualities of "faith, hope and love," and in recent years, it has focused on deepening the element of "hope," hoping that students will become pastors who convey hope.

Teachers' Names Are Used to Congratulate HKBTS

Teachers congratulate HKBTS, using their own names. They went on to put their names together to form a couplet: Baptists Spurs on, Introduce and Describe the Feat of the Kingdom of Heaven; God's Grace Begins, Triumphantly Praise the True Light of Christ”

"Continue to lead the seminary on the path ahead, and glorify Your name."

Reverend Lee Kwok-hung, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, led everyone in a prayer of thanksgiving and offered thanks for the 75 years of "Baptist God" nurturing countless workers of the Kingdom of Heaven, and prayed that the Lord would establish the college to continue to be faithful to its mission of theological education.

Passing on the Torch and Declaring Our Determination Will Never Weaken

“We teachers and students sing praise to God and resolve to work hard all our lives…” Alumni matched new lyrics to a familiar melody and sang out the unfailing resolution to pass on the torch and serve the Lord side by side with one heart.

Embark on the 7.5-second challenge!

The guests enthusiastically participated in the games, nervously pressing the timer. The three who came closest to 7.5 seconds received gifts, creating a joyful atmosphere.

Participants Came from Far and Wide

Participants gathered together at Ma On Shan Park to take attendance and receive some souvenirs.

"I am truly grateful to God... I have not forgotten the nurturing I received from Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, which has made me a worker who is not ashamed and who rightly divides the word of truth."

The oldest alumnus that evening, 81-year-old Reverend Liang Deshun, has faithfully served the Lord around the world for many years. A year ago, upon learning of his alma mater's anniversary celebration, he planned to return from the United States specifically to attend and express his gratitude to God.

The Commencing Ceremony

Seven high-spirited officiating guests conducted the ribbon-cutting ceremony to declare the commencement of the Fundraising Walkathon.

"Keep going, Baptismal God!"

Among the guests born in the same year the college was founded (1951) were alumni, former staff members, and church members, who offered sincere blessings to "Baptism God".

Feeling Excited upon Finishing

Walking in the company of their friends and the family, participants finished the walk and accomplished their fundraising mission. What a great joy!

"May 'Baptismal Spirit' continue to steadfastly fulfill the mission God has given us..."

Alumnus Reverend Chen Keping (right) has been a strong supporter of theological education ministry of "Baptismal God" for many years. He wishes the college to continue to steadfastly fulfill the mission God has given us and to continue to cultivate more workers of God.

Feeling Excited upon Finishing

Walking in the company of their friends and the family, participants finished the walk and accomplished their fundraising mission. What a great joy!

I have something to say about baptism...

Each colorful greeting card, filled with heartfelt messages, carried the guests' blessings and gratitude to the college, filling the venue with warmth and laughter as they celebrated the college's 75th anniversary.

Feeling Excited upon Finishing

Walking in the company of their friends and the family, participants finished the walk and accomplished their fundraising mission. What a great joy!

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The Political Intention of the “Oracles against the Nations” in the Book of Isaiah

CHEUNG Ming Kwong

This article explores the formation process and purpose of the section “Oracles against the Nations” (Isaiah 13-23). The section occupied a strategic position as one of the few places in the book that references Babylon. This article argues that this series of oracles constitutes two earlier collections, each serving a distinct political function in its respective period during pre-exilic time. These collections later function rhetorically to support the Babylonian oracle, which was added during the exilic or post-exilic time.

Within the Babylonian oracle, the mythic Helel, son of Dawn (Is 14:12), whose image is used to portray Babylon, is examined. The analysis suggests that the oracle seeks to subvert Babylonian imperial propaganda by mocking of this image. The genre of “Oracles against the Nations” survives after the fall of Judah and assumes a new political function in exilic and post-exilic contexts.

Preaching “the Baptism of Repentance”: The Spiritual Formation and Renewal of Emerging Adults through the Service of the Word

Kit-ying LAW

The post-pandemic crisis of worship attendance and baptismal formation in Hong Kong Chinese churches reflects a profound liturgical-theological challenge concerning how the baptized are gathered and renewed by the Word, rather than a mere institutional decline or communication breakdown. Focusing on emerging adults aged 18-29, whose lives are marked by transition, fragmentation, vocational uncertainty, digital mediation, and fluid forms of belonging, this article argues that the Service of the Word provides a critical locus for spiritual formation and ecclesiastical formation reorientation. Drawing upon William H. Willimon's account of “peculiar speech” and preaching to the baptized, the argument contends that Christian proclamation must recover its baptismal grammar—namely repentance, death, and resurrection with Christ, the renunciation of false powers, incorporation into the church, and a renewed participation in God's mission.

This proposal is situated within the theological tensions generated by the New Homiletics since the 1970s. While acknowledging the pastoral value of inductive, narrative, and listener-sensitive preaching, a critique is offered against homiletical approaches that over-accommodate proclamation to human experience, therapeutic expectations, or consumer culture. In contrast, preaching baptismal repentance functions as an inherently ecclesiastical act within worship rather than a generic religious address to a secular audience. It speaks directly to a community already regenerated by water and the Word, thereby summoning believers repeatedly into the identity first conferred in baptism. Such preaching does not abandon pastoral sensitivity; rather, it relocates pastoral care within the church's primary act of hearing the Word of the Lord.

This argument is further developed through the resources of the liturgical movement, the lectionary tradition, and the recovery of the Psalms in worship. Within this framework, Taizé worship is understood not merely as a contemporary musical style, but also as a liturgical pattern of repetitive psalmic chant, silence, and contemplative listening that serves to support Lectio Divina and to deepen the congregation's participation in the Service of the Word. For retreatants at Taizé, the weekly rhythm from Friday to Sunday functions as a communal mini-Triduum, moving from Christ's passion and death to renewed participation in resurrection joy.

In conversation with Walter Brueggemann's movement from orientation through disorientation to new orientation, the Psalms provide emerging adults with a disciplined liturgical speech that enables them to inhabit instability without surrendering to despair. Taizé-style prayer, responsorial psalmody, intentional silence, and communal intercession serve as concrete practices that extend the Service of the Word into the ordinary rhythms of κοινωνία.

Finally, contemporary preaching is interpreted within a metamodern context, where hearers oscillate between suspicion and longing, irony and sincerity, critique and renewed participation. Samuel Wells's account of faithful improvisation within the drama of God's salvation offers a constructive ecclesiastical imagination for communities seeking to navigate the tension between baptismal identity and eschatological fulfillment. Ultimately, preaching "the baptism of repentance" restores the embodied and formative power of the Word, forming adults as emerging adults servants of God's Word through Scripture, fellowship, and sacramental memory.

The Construction of Chinese Rhetoric and the Legitimacy of Chinese Homiletics: A Preliminary Study Using the Concept of “Persuasion” as an Example

Ken KS LUI

Western homiletics has been shaped since Augustine by a paradigm integrating classical Greco-Roman rhetoric with Christian preaching. This article asks whether Chinese churches should follow this paradigm to construct a distinctively “Chinese Homiletics”. It first establishes Chinese rhetoric as a legitimate academic discipline, independent of Western traditions, and then focuses on a comparative analysis of the concept of “persuasion” in Chinese and Western rhetoric. Western rhetoric, typified by Aristotle, is traditionally speaker-centered, emphasizing the technical means of persuasion—logos, ethos, and pathos. The Chinese rhetorical tradition, by contrast, centers on the concept of fu (service, “compliance/conviction”), privileging xinfu (心felt conviction) as the ideal rhetorical outcome, governed by the principle xiuci li qi cheng (rhetoric grounded in virtue and truth) and yi de fu ren ("winning hearts through virtue"). This article concludes that Chinese Homiletics should be grounded in the preacher's morality and spirituality rather than rhetorical technique.

“"Story Is Argument": The Use of Life Stories in William H. Willimon's Preaching

WONG Shun Shing

This article examines William H. Willimon's homiletical theology, which posits that narrative—especially life stories—serves not as mere illustration but as the primary argumentative structure in Christian preaching.

Amid contemporary challenges of entertainment-oriented, consumerist, and attractional preaching that often reduce the gospel to therapeutic advice, moral guidelines, or marketable spiritual products, Willimon advocates a theocentric model. Preaching, in his view, constitutes a divine theological event wherein God speaks disruptively through the peculiar and alien qualities of biblical and ecclesiastical narratives.

Drawing on narrative theology influenced by Karl Barth, Willimon maintains that Christian faith is fundamentally narrative, witnessing to God's historical acts culminating in Christ's incarnation, death, and resurrection. Preaching thus performs and re-presents God's story in the present, inviting hearers into its drama. Stories function generatively and performatively: they enact theological truth and create a new reality rather than passively reflecting or decorating pre-existing propositions.

This study contrasts Willimon's approach with conventional narrative practices, which typically familiarize the gospel, emphasize individual inspiration, address felt needs, instrumentally prove abstract truths, or depend on the preacher's charisma. Willimon instead employs estrangement to underscore the gospel's scandalous strangeness, prioritizes communal formation, embodies truth narratively, and relies on the Holy Spirit rather than human technique.

Central to his method are life stories—personal, congregational, and historical testimonies—that form the core of argumentation. These function as existential witnesses, embedding individual experiences within God's redemptive narrative, countering modern individualism, and cultivating the church's identity as a peculiar people shaped by divine initiative.

Applying this framework to the Chinese church context, the article critiques prevalent tendencies toward prosperity theology, pragmatic applications, and commodified personal testimonies that domesticate the gospel's cruciform oddity. It advocates defamiliarizing, Spirit-reliant, community-focused storytelling that honors failure, unresolved tension, and waiting as loci of grace.

In conclusion, Willimon reclaims preaching as a relational divine–human encounter rather than an attractive performance. By treating story as an argument, preachers participate in God's reality-creating speech, entrusting their vulnerable words to the Holy Spirit for disciple formation and immersion in the ongoing drama of salvation.

The Threefold Forms of the Word of God: Karl Barth's Shortcomings and Critical Revisions in Recent Barthian Theology

TSENG Shao Kai

This paper examines the shortcomings of Karl Barth's doctrine of Scripture in his formulation of the “threefold forms of the Word of God” and explores recent Barthian revisions to Barth's model. Barth borrowed this concept from the classical Reformed notion of the “triplex Logos,” yet he replaced the traditional verbum Dei essentiale or Logos hypostatikos with the “Word of God revealed.” Barth's emphasis is thereby shifted to the narrative dimension of the verbum Dei scriptum whilst downplaying its propositional dimension. This opened an avenue to deconstructionist exegesis and inspired the so-called “postmodern” school of Barthianism. Barth himself would not have accepted this hermeneutic, and postliberal theologians like Hans Frei and George Lindbeck began to draw upon the organic connections between Barth's notions of the Word written and the Word proclaimed to provide doctrinal-propositional norms for biblical interpretation. More recently, the postliberal Barthian theologian George Hunsinger, inspired by Frei and Lindbeck, further proposed the theory of “ecclesiastical hermeneutics,” using Barth's notion of the “Word of God proclaimed” to supplement the shortcomings in Barth's understanding of Scripture. Hunsinger's ecclesiological hermeneutics is distinctively Protestant in that it presupposes a mutually reinforcing relationship between the formation of the biblical canon and the Church's creedal orthodoxy, treating the Word proclaimed as norma normata and the written Word as the norma normans et non normata.

Reality, Interpretation, and Proclamation: The Task of Christian Semiotics according to Augustine's De Doctrina Christiana

Andrew Cheuk Kei WONG

Attention to homiletics is usually limited to the biblical exegetical task and sermon design. For Christian preaching to be true to its task, it requires, however, a lot more than this. This article investigates Augustine of Hippo's understanding of preaching by focusing on De doctrina christiana (doctr. chr.), and proposes that ancient semiotics provides an excellent starting point for elucidating his conception of a preacher's task. After demonstrating the rhetorical context of doctr. chr. and emphasizing the implicative relation between signs and things in ancient semiotics, the article presents Augustine's understanding of the task of Christian semiotics—that preaching is the overall purpose of a process composed of the three interrelated stages of Christian theology, Christian hermeneutics, and Christian rhetoric. In each of these stages, the theme of love and the use of signs, together with the utility of adopting secular learnings for Christian purpose, recurs.

The article begins with the discussion that the task of Christian theology is to speak of the ineffable God through human words, made possible by the Incarnation of the Word. hermeneutics. Centered on the interpretation of the ecclesiastically established set of signs that is known as the Bible, the key semiotic observation lies in the inherent ambiguity of words. Due to fluidities in the meaning of signs and the propensity of language to be elevated in religious contexts, understanding biblical signs requires the application of not only literal but also figurative interpretation, governed by the dominical commandment of the love of God and the neighbor. This semiotic analysis of doctr. chr. is completed by investigating briefly the subject of Christian rhetoric. Semiotics is related to rhetoric, in that efficacious communication depends on the listeners' patience to comprehend the signs, their patience to remain listening, as well as their willingness to act upon what have been heard. Aided by the learning of ancient rhetoric, Augustine maintains the need of eloquence to be in the service of wisdom for Christian preaching to testify to the truth and to respond to the commandment of love. This is done by the appropriate use of rhetoric techniques to influence the listeners' affections, so as to facilitate transformations of life.

This article argues that proclamation itself presupposes theological reflection, just as theology is the result of correct interpretation and effective preaching of the Bible. It concludes by proposing the advantages of bringing to the fore the distinction between signs and signified realities. Focusing on signified realities presupposes the listeners' prior knowledge of God before they can comprehend the biblical words, while attention to verbal signs deepens our understanding of the characteristics of the verbal medium. The final analysis suggests that given Augustine's insistence of prior knowledge of God has been matched by recent works of theology while contemporary theological investigations of the verbal medium in terms of semiotics appear to remain, by and large, in short supply, it testifies to the continued relevance of patristic theology and the great promises of semiotic investigations in contemporary theological tasks.

Preaching the Strange and Inconceivable Word of God

CHIU Shung-ming

Many Christians complain that church sermons sound clichéd, lack novelty, and fail to address real-life situations and specific cultural contexts. The author of this article agrees that preaching should be practical and relevant (“down-to-earth”); however, preachers must be cautious, for making sermons too “down-to-earth” not only demonstrates our attempt to shape God according to our felt needs but also risks making preaching human-centered.

Regarding this issue, the author argues that the secularization of the church significantly influences how audiences perceive preaching. Over time, preaching may become a tool to cater to human ideas or needs. As a result, audiences may misunderstand the purpose of preaching as serving people rather than serving the Word of God.

To address this problem, the author draws on the theological insights of Karl Barth and William H. Willimon to reflect on the theology of preaching. Barth and Willimon emphasize the transcendence of God. God is the Wholly Other, and there exists an infinite ontological distinction between God and humanity. Therefore, as finite beings, we cannot rely solely on our reason and sensory experience to know or speak about God. the starting point for understanding the Divine Being must be God's self-revelation in Christ, accompanied by the Holy Spirit, who comes to us from beyond ourselves and dwells within us, and by our aided reason in faith through which we seek to understand Christ, the Word of God. Consequently, for us, this Word must be the strange and inconceivable Word from above, and what preachers proclaim can only be the strange and inconceivable Word of God. This article aims to provide theological reflection on this very point.