山道期刊
總第四十八期（2021年12月）
| 主題： | 疫症與災難 包括專題文章六篇、討論文章一篇及書評五篇 |
| 頁數： | 210 |
| 售價： | HK$100 |
編者的話
吳國傑
自從新冠肺炎疫症爆發，全球染疫人數已逾二億五千萬，病逝者超過五百萬，數字還未計算檢測能力薄弱、無法確定死因的第三世界窮困國家。因著疫情，世界各地人民的生活、經濟、出行皆受到不同程度的影響；例如外出要戴口罩，保持社交距離，聚會人數受限，入境須檢疫隔離，旅遊往來大減，相關行業裁員，失業率因而攀升等等。在這環境下，教會聚會也在相當程度上受到影響，疫情嚴重、聚會受限期間，教會實體聚會暫停，網上直播、視像對話成為必須的替代模式；即使疫情緩和，實體聚會重開，網上同步也變成新常態。面對這被稱為「世紀疫症」的災難，究竟基督信仰有何資源可幫助教會作出回應，將危機化為轉機？今期《山道期刊》以「疫症與災難」為主題，集合了不同的學者從兩約聖經、教義神學、實踐神學等角度進行探討，期望能啟迪現代的基督徒如何應對這個時代挑戰。
聖經研究方面，今期有兩篇專文，分別為何溢信的〈大衛數點人數帶來三日瘟疫的難題〉及何善斌的〈天災人禍與基督社群身分的塑造：析讀馬可福音十一及十三章的敍事〉。何溢信首先比較撒母耳記下第二十四章和歷代志上第二十一章，從而指出後者實為前者的來源；並且，運用互文批判（inter-textual criticism），指出「大衛數點人數帶來三日瘟疫」這敍事，實與那些曾描畫以色列歷史裏的重要人物的敍事文本有豐富的互文關係，這些重要人物包括亞伯拉罕、雅各、摩西和約伯；並由此推斷，歷代志的經文敍事是要讓人認識神所揀選的大衛是個優秀君王，他知罪必回轉，聽從上帝，並且愛惜子民。至於何善斌的文章，他論證馬可福音是在聖殿被毀後不久才寫成的，並在這個前提下，嘗試展示馬可福音第十一及十三章的敍事，如何回應此時期發生的地震、瘟疫、饑荒、聖殿被毀等連串天災人禍，並如何藉此塑造初代基督徒的身分。文章展示經文中隱藏許多惹人發出疑問的地方，從而指出馬可敍事的真正意思，是重申福音要進入普天下不同族群當中，如此主耶穌那「萬國同來敬拜上主」的遠象才能實現；因此昔日的門徒，以及今日的基督徒，都當以饒恕的態度，在迫害者面前見證福音，好叫萬民歸主。
教義神學方面，有兩篇專文。趙崇明的〈瘟疫的隱喻〉一方面討論桑塔格（Susan Sontag）對「疾病的隱喻」的批判，藉此提醒讀者將疾病、瘟疫污名化對患者所帶來的負面影響；另一方面，又引據聖經中的隱喻表述，以及神學家麥菲（Sallie McFague）和根頓（Colin E. Gunton）的研究，肯定隱喻在信仰思考上的角色和功用；藉此提醒讀者要妥善運用隱喻，特別要留意其可變性和開放性。文章最末談論瘟疫電影《盲流感》和瘟疫小說《黑死病》的劇情，從人類面對瘟疫時的困境和出路，探討其中隱喻的含意。另一篇專文是賀志勇的〈疫症中的回應：侯活士教會觀給香港教會的啟迪〉。文章引據侯活士（Stanley Hauerwas）的見解，指出正確應對苦難的方法，不是嘗試尋求種種解釋，而是勇於面對。由於教會是培育基督徒品格、以致能忠心向世界見證上帝的群體，因此面對苦難不是個別基督徒的問題，而是涉及整個教會的挑戰。教會應透過共同參與苦難、擁抱苦難，來見證上帝的同在，學習如何忠心跟隨基督，藉此參與祂的拯救計劃。
實踐神學方面，今期也有兩篇專文，分別從道德倫理和基督教教育角度作出反思。葉敬德的〈2019冠狀病毒病肆虐下的道德抉擇：一個基督信仰的反省〉強調，不論從神創造時交付人類的管家職分，從主耶穌在世時留下的榜樣，或是從終末神國完全降臨時的角度，基督徒都應該竭力對抗疫症（包括2019冠狀病毒病）。基督徒應當在平衡個人權利和社群利益的倫理下，支持非藥物性和藥物性的抗疫措施，並鼓勵醫療資源的公平分配。至於林德平的〈疫情中神學教育的數碼化：契機或威脅？〉，則針對疫症下急促發展的網絡文化，特別是神學教育數碼化的實況，作出反思。文章指出，在網絡化個人主義的時代，基督徒的網上信仰學習存在著自主性趨顯而地方性趨隱的特性。然而，若神學教育的目的──正如法利（Edward Farley）所說的──是培育神學智慧，那就必然包含地方性的向度；如此就需要將互聯網構想成「多地方性」而非「無地方」的舞台。
此外，今期還有討論文章一篇，就是洪子雲的〈查爾斯‧泰勒論世俗化與基督教價值〉。文章探討查爾斯‧泰勒（Charles Taylor）怎樣回顧及分析世俗人文主義興起的歷史，從而批判羅爾斯（John Rawls）、哈伯馬斯（Jürgen Habermas）等人認為宗教人士要在公共領域避免使用宗教理由和語言的主張。泰勒強調現代許多公共價值如自由、平等，其實都源於基督教的價值。現代所謂的公共理性，其實也有特定的道德架構，並非中立。社會實在沒有充分理由將宗教理性排除於公共討論之外。一如既往，本期還有多篇書評，評閱書籍涉及舊新兩約聖經、神學思想、牧養實踐等各方面。
期望今期文章能給疫症肆虐下的廣大讀者帶來亮光及安慰，並引導信眾群體轉眼仰望耶穌，從祂得著力量，在困境中繼續活出信仰，為主作美好的見證，榮神益人！
| 編者的話 | 點擊查閱 | |
| 專題文章 | ||
| 何溢信 | 大衛數點人數帶來三日瘟疫的難題 | Abstract |
| 何善斌 | 天災人禍與基督社群身分的塑造：析讀馬可福音十一及十三章的敍事 | Abstract |
| 趙崇明 | 瘟疫的隱喻 | Abstract |
| 賀志勇 | 疫症中的回應：侯活士教會觀給香港教會的啟迪 | Abstract |
| 葉敬德 | 2019冠狀病毒病肆虐下的道德抉擇：一個基督信仰的反省 | Abstract |
| 林德平 | 疫情中神學教育的數碼化：契機或威脅？ | Abstract |
| 討論文章 | ||
| 洪子雲 | 查爾斯．泰勒論世俗化與基督教價值 | Abstract |
The Problem of David’s Census and Three Days of Pestilence
Craig HO
This paper consists of two parts. The first part is a new attempt to settle the problem of priority between the parallel episodes of 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 through intertextual criticism; the second part offers an explanation for the intertextual links between the two parallel episodes with the narratives of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Job. It is found that, contrary to both the generally received view since W. M. L. de Wetter of Chronicles’ dependence on Samuel and A. Graeme Auld’s theory of independent supplementation to a common source (his hypothetical Book of the Two Houses), the textual differences between 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 are best explained by the dependence of the former on the latter. It is also found that the pericopes of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Job that have strong thematic connections with 1 Chronicles 21 were very likely generated out of 1 Chronicles 21 for the making of these pericopes and for shedding interpretive light on 1 Chronicles 21.
Social Identity Formation of the Christ Group in Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters: A Narrative Criticism of Mark 11 and 13
Sin Pan HO
Both Jews and the Christ group faced many sudden changes in the first century. The situation became acute in the 60s and 70s of the Common Era. Earthquakes, famines, plagues and sudden changes in social order were not uncommon in the Mediterranean world. In the 60s and 70s, the Christ group experienced empire-wide persecutions for being accused of setting Rome on fire. Jews witnessed the destruction of both Jerusalem and their sacred temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish war for independence.
How did the Christ group respond to these natural and man-made disasters? Were their responses different from the Jews?
In this paper, I will investigate the first narrative book of the New Testament: the Gospel of Mark. Mark 11 and 13 are examined from the perspective of narrative criticism, and found that Jesus’ words and deeds towards the Second Temple were explicitly portrayed; the narrator intends the narratives to echo with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. The narrator communicates a constructive vision of world mission resulting from natural disasters and the First Jewish Revolt to the first readers. Mark’s message is about gospel justice, but it is diametrically opposite to the theodicies in the Jewish literature. As a result, Mark’s gospel shapes the social identity of the Christ groups after 70 by making them different from the Jews and more universally embracive. Mark’s gospel decenters the cultural traditions of the existing members and focuses more on the aspects of forgiveness and faith-building of Christ’s gospel which has been already stated in Mark 1.
With regard to the present contexts in Hong Kong, this exegetical study may offer some insights to local churches concerning how to be more positive and vital in responding to the recent sudden changes in natural and political environments
The Metaphors of Plague
CHIU Shung-ming
Hong Kong and the whole world are facing the ferocity of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The number of infected patients has been on the rise in the world, and the number of casualties is high. What’s more, this plague is not only an infectious disease that harms the body, it may also cause collective emotional trauma to the masses of society. As we know, sometimes an emotional trauma is more terrifying than a physical one because it may bring a more profound negative impact to people such as loneliness, alienation, suspicion, depression, anxiety, helplessness, despair and other negative emotions. If certain political factors or ideologies, like the stigmatization of some diseases when they are turned into metaphors, are involved, the problem will be more serious. Faced with this predicament, what theological reflection can we make on this issue?
This article is divided into three parts. The first part discusses Susan Sontag’s comments and critiques on the “illness as metaphor,” which aims to show that the general public (including Christians) may easily turn certain diseases into metaphors with negative connotations, and it then leads to the stigmatization of these diseases. Although Sontag criticized the “metaphor of disease,” she cannot deny that people always rely on metaphors to think and understand the world. Moreover, for Christians, the Bible is full of metaphors, which are significant for communicating the meanings of the truth. Actually the study of metaphor in theology becomes very popular in the theological circle. The second part of the article introduces the metaphorical theology of two theologians, Sallie McFague and Colin E. Gunton, which illustrates the important roles and functions of metaphor in theology from their perspectives. Finally, the third part analyzes a plague movie (Blindness) and a plague novel (La Peste, The Plague) and discusses the metaphorical meanings of plague.
Responses to Plague: The Inspiration of Hauerwas’s Ecclesiology for the Churches in Hong Kong
HE Zhiyong
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global suffering. There have been many theories to respond to the problem of suffering since ancient times, but Stanley Hauerwas believes that Christians should regard it not as a theoretical problem but a problem of church ethics. He suggests that the church should teach and train the congregation to participate in Christ’s salvation work and suffering so that they may acquire the virtue and ability to respond to suffering.
Moral Decisions under the Threat of Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Christian Reflection
King-tak IP
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed an unprecedented threat to humankind in the 21st century. Christians may ask whether COVID-19 is a judgement coming from God upon the sin of humankind and what measures we should take in fighting against it. This essay is an attempt to answer these questions.
The first section introduces a Christian attitude toward illness by appealing to the doctrine of creation, the exemplary ministry of Jesus Christ, and Christian eschatology.
The second section provides an analysis of the factors, both internal and external, that caused the virus spread to become a pandemic.
Before drawing the conclusion, the last section deals with four practical aspects, namely, whether fighting the pandemic is an individual or community effort, what measures need to be taken to contain and mitigate the disease, allocation of scarce resources under the threat of COVID-19, and the development, effectiveness, global distribution of the vaccine and the problem of mandating vaccination.
Digitalisation of Theological Education in the Midst of Pandemic: Opportunity or Threat?
LIM Teck Peng
Digitalisation has become an indispensable strategy for theological education, understood in the broad sense of congregational and seminarian education, to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic situation. Starting from the premise that the Internet is not only a media but also a force that shapes online theological education, this paper focuses on the threat of placelessness it brought to online theological education. Tapping into the sociological analysis of network and Barry Wellman’s concept of networked individualism, the paper first looks at how networked individualism, with its emphasis on subjective autonomy and downplaying of locality, gives rise to the need of reaffirming the relationship between online theological education and place.
The paper then examines the relevance of Edward Farley’s concept of theologia in explicating the locality of theological education. By connecting the concepts of theologia and agency, the present author suggests that the aim of the theological education is to nurture Christian agency (both online and offline) undergirded by a theological and educated sense of place. The paper suggests how this theologically educated sense of place can be fostered through learning processes that facilitate interpretation of situations in a manner that does justice to both the Christian faith and the multifaceted nature of reality.
Charles Taylor on Secularization and Christian Values
HUNG Tsz Wan Andrew
This article explores the role of religious values in secular societies. Many secular humanists believe that everyone in the public sphere should participate in discussions with public reason, and that religious values and rationality should not be used in the public domain. This paper points out that this secular humanist view involves two aspects: (1) the relationship between reason, language and culture; and (2) the meaning of secularization. Thus, it will explore Charles Taylor’s philosophy of language and secularization, and argue that all languages and rationalities are inevitably based on some historical moral structures, and there is no public rationality that can go beyond historical culture. And the article also shows that many scholars mistakenly believe that secularization is the result of rational and scientific development; for Taylor, the process of secularization (including scientific development) actually originated from the transformation of medieval theology and social changes derived from a series of religious reforms, and the impact of natural theology that was then developed. The development of secularization and the values of secular society are mostly derived from the values and concern of Christianity. If all religions and cultures are excluded from the public deliberation, our deep understanding of and reflection on today’s values will be greatly weakened. Finally, the article responds to the anticipated criticism of genetic fallacy, and argues that believers should use both religious and non-religious languages in public deliberation, as there is no strong justification to exclude religious reasons from the public sphere.
