Daniel Lam, Assistant Professor of New Testament, Rethinks Pneuma in Paul's Writings: What did the Apostle Paul mean when he wrote the Greek word πνεῦμα (transliterated as pneuma)? For most modern readers, the answer seems very simple: the human spirit or the Holy Spirit, the latter being the third person of the Triune God, a powerful and persuasive divine agent who gives comfort and conviction. We naturally recall this theological interpretation, as if it were the obvious answer; readers and translators almost instinctively understand it this way. But in recent years, some have questioned whether πνεῦμα should be translated as "spirit." This article aims to explore these objections and the possibility of translating the word πνεῦμα in other ways. ...

Chi-yeung Lam, Assistant Professor of Christian Education: What Did Martha and Mary Need from a God Beyond "Presuppositions"? John chapter 11 records the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection. The text states that when Jesus and his disciples arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been buried for four days, and relatives and friends from all over came to offer their condolences. Martha, hearing that Jesus was coming, rushed out of the village to meet him; when Mary saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and wept, saying, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." This statement echoes Martha's earlier words, expressing regret for Jesus' "late" arrival. ...

Curie Qu, Assistant Professor of Christian Thought, points out three types of suffering: Whenever major global disasters occur, theodicy often resurfaces in faith communities for repeated discussions. Due to the impact of the disaster, these discussions are often tinged with strong emotions, making it difficult to remain calm and rational. In today's world, information flows exceptionally quickly, and even the slightest carelessness in a believer's expression can trigger sensitive emotions among disaster victims and the general public. Therefore, when reflecting on and discussing these issues, we should first pray, asking God to grant us a compassionate heart, a wise mind, and a careful tongue. ...

Nathan Ng, Vice President (Academic Affairs) and Professor of Christian Thought (Church History), stated that Christianity faced various forms of oppression and calamity from its inception. After the Roman Emperor Nero (37-68 AD) set fire to the city and blamed the Christians, the Church became an illegal organization suppressed by the Roman Empire. Simply adhering to the belief in Christ was enough to warrant a death sentence. In the early second century, Governor Pliny the Younger...

Bernard Leung, Associate Professor of New Testament, discusses two common reactions to suffering. When we see others suffering, we typically react in two ways: First, like most people, we feel compassion, grieve for their misfortune, and thus care about their well-being; second, some of us can understand the suffering victim's perspective and empathize with their feelings. When the media widely reports on disasters, we naturally have the first reaction towards the victims. This compassion motivates us to care for, comfort, or provide assistance (such as donations) to the suffering victims, hoping to alleviate their suffering. However, does what we do truly help them? This is a question worth exploring. Excessive comfort may put pressure on the suffering victims; repeatedly discussing the disaster may also cause secondary harm. In these compassionate actions, we often play the role of giver, standing behind a safety boundary to extend a helping hand to the recipient, but our perspectives and positions may differ. When media coverage decreases, we gradually lose understanding of the suffering victims' demands and situations, and our attention and compassion for them gradually diminish, perhaps even leading us to judge their feelings by our own standards. ...

Fook-kong Wong, Vice-President (Research) Professor of Old Testament: Why Does Disaster Strike? When misfortune strikes, many people ask, "Why?" In fact, many times, the direct cause of the event is something we already know. According to data from the World Health Organization, as of January 25, 2026, a total of 7,110,188 people have died from COVID-19. 1...

In an age marked by turmoil and frequent disasters, how should Christians respond? What advice or comfort can the Bible or theology offer? We invited several teachers to explore these questions from different perspectives.