山道期刊

编者的话

邓绍光

自从新冠肺炎疫情肆虐，整个世界就迅速进入网上生活。人们在网上购物、娱乐、工作、上课，甚至参与教会聚会，于是出现了「虚拟教会」、「虚拟崇拜」等现象，其中极具争议的是「虚拟主餐/ 圣餐」，这是可以料想的。今期《山道期刊》以「虚拟礼仪」为主题，邀请了不同宗派的学者参与讨论，包括信义宗、圣公会、浸信会、五旬宗等，希望可以为这课题作出一些基本的梳理，供日后进一步探讨。主题文章共五篇，有〈线上聚会中的教会礼仪：教会论与圣礼神学观点重访〉、〈传统vs. 现代——礼拜更新的挑战〉、〈探索「虚拟圣礼」概念：圣公会对虚拟圣礼的讨论〉、〈网上恪守主餐的可行性──一个浸信会的神学思路〉、〈徘徊在虚实之间：五旬宗对「虚拟礼仪」的回应〉。以下逐一介绍。

叶沛森的〈线上聚会中的教会礼仪〉不囿于一隅，追寻新教不同宗派──甚至罗马公教──对网上聚会的看法及做法。作者指出，虽然过去电台和电视的布道、聚会并没有引起激烈的争议，但是礼仪涉及信仰的本质，不得不对网上礼仪倍加谨慎。事实上，网上礼仪涉及好几个层面，包括：在礼仪中的参与、教牧施行的必要性、线上礼仪的有效性、线上礼仪是否等于现场实体的礼仪等等；这连串课题须要厘清。叶沛森的勾画揭示了我们讨论网上礼仪时不能忽略的面向。罗永光则以〈传统vs. 现代〉为题，指出礼仪更新并非新事，反之乃是基督教会时常要面对的挑战。不过，今日教会面对的，乃是前所未有的世界：「虚拟世界」。那么，教会崇拜──特别是礼仪──可以是虚拟的吗？罗永光除了分析及整合当前各方的论据，还特别指出马丁路德的崇拜改革，是一个很重要的参考点，并因而不同意把崇拜去物质化，变成极端的「虚拟」崇拜。

李富豪在〈探索「虚拟圣礼」概念〉一文指出圣公会从「施恩器具」的观点来理解圣礼，特别是圣餐和洗礼。洗礼中的水和圣餐中的饼及酒，虽然是外在记号，但在牧师祝谢之后，参加者领受的就分别是赦罪之恩和基督的身体及宝血了。 《公祷书》要求牧师施行圣餐时以其肉身之手封饼及酒作出「拿起」、「祝谢」、「擘开」、「递给」的动作，但「虚拟圣礼」是否能够跟《公祷书》一致呢？刘振鹏则站在浸信会立场上讨论问题。 〈网上恪守主餐的可行性〉从记念耶稣这一践行出发，论证在神学上是容许网上恪守主餐。他讨论了可以怎样从圣经及神学思考网上崇拜，并且分析浸信会对主餐的神学立场，以及浸信会群体在网上恪守主餐的可行性。最后李天钧的〈徘徊在虚实之间〉，从五旬宗的角度回应「虚拟礼仪」的问题。这篇文章首先介绍五旬宗怎样理解「虚拟礼仪」中的「虚拟圣餐」，然后探讨当代五旬宗对圣礼及礼仪的看法，当中尤其强调圣灵的工作。最后，五旬宗对「虚拟礼仪」的看法可以引申发展，有助建立其数码神学。

本期又收录了一篇讨论文章，从圣经和两约之间的文献探索弥赛亚的真正意思，还有四篇书评，涉及圣经和神学的范畴。读者可依目录按图索骥，扩阔自身对信仰的了解。

Liturgy in Online Gatherings: Revisiting Perspectives from Sacramental Theology and Ecclesiology

IP Pui Shum

In response to the global pandemic of COVID-19, churches have employed information technology to conduct religious activities online, including prayer meetings, group fellowship, worship services, and even the administration of sacraments. Drawing from recent literature and insights from authors with diverse denominational backgrounds and from the Roman Catholic circle, this article revisits concepts and practices related to liturgy in online gatherings. While the transmission of worship services or Masses through radio and television broadcasts is not novel and has not caused significant controversy in the past, the unique characteristics of online gatherings have directly influenced the manner liturgy is performed and participated in. Given that liturgy encapsulates to some extent the essence of faith, the liturgical adjustments induced by online gatherings necessitate cautious consideration. The article explores various aspects, including the phenomenology of participation in the liturgy, the proper discharge of pastoral duties, the validity of “online sacraments,” the equivalence of “online sacraments” to their traditional counterparts, and the mutual shaping of liturgical practices and beliefs among participants.

Traditional vs. Modern: Challenges to the Renewal of Worship

Pilgrim WK LO

“Traditional worship is no longer appropriate; reform and renewal are a matter of course.” This seems to be a common challenge faced by Christian churches. Liturgical renewal is not a new topic. However, what we are facing today is a world that no one has ever imagined—a “virtual world.” Can or should church services be held virtually? The author approaches this issue with an open attitude. In addition to synthesizing and analyzing the current discussions on this topic, the author believes that Martin Luther's worship reform is of great reference value and does not agree with “dematerialized” worship, that is, “polarized” virtual worship.

Exploring the Concept of Virtual Sacrament: An Anglican View

LEE Fu Ho William

This paper explores the feasibility of “virtual sacraments” according to the Anglican understanding of sacraments, particularly in the context of the Eucharist and baptism, by examining the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. Anglican theology views sacraments as means of grace with active participation of the Holy Spirit. For instance, concerning baptism, the Thirty-Nine Articles state that people properly baptized become part of the church and receive forgiveness of sins. Water, the external symbol of baptism, is administered by a priest (the celebrant) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, accompanied by prayers of thanksgiving. Water holds sacred significance in baptism, serving as the primary medium for cleansing of sins. In the Eucharist, though the bread and wine remain unchanged materially, through the Real Presence of the Holy Spirit, the recipients (the people) actually partake in Christ's body and blood. The Book of Common Prayer seems to require the celebrant priest to physically “take,” “bless,” “break,” and “give” the body and blood of Christ to the congregation. Does the practice of “virtual sacraments” align with Anglican theology, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles? Should “virtual sacraments” be considered valid alternatives during times of crisis, such as a pandemic? This paper aims to explore and discuss these questions.

The Feasibility of Online Lord's Supper: A Baptist Theological Thread

Vincent CP LAU

The outbreak of novel coronavirus in 2019 has turned into a pandemic. Governments all over the world took various measures to prevent the spread of the virus which had far-reaching effects on all aspects of human life, inevitably including religious life and activities. In February 2022, in response to the severity of the pandemic, the Hong Kong government ordered all churches to be closed for two weeks, and access to churches was banned. Due to the prohibition, all kinds of church meetings, including Sunday worship service and fellowship, were forced to cease. In order not to give up their Sunday worship services and meetings, churches in Hong Kong continued to live stream their Sunday worship services and held online fellowship through video conferencing. Since the Lord's Supper/Eucharist is regarded as one of the most important practices of the Christian faith, all churches tried to maintain the observance of the Lord's Supper/Eucharist by all means. However, some denominations were not able to conduct the Eucharist/Communion online during the pandemic due to their own sacramental theologies.

According to Baptist tradition and practice, the Lord's Supper is usually held during Sunday worship service. The Baptist theology of the Lord's Supper is a theology of remembrance or memorialism, so theologically it should be possible for Baptists to practice an online Lord's Supper. Thus, during the pandemic, Baptist churches in Hong Kong conducted the Lord's Supper online through the live broadcast of the Sunday worship service on the internet, among which some Baptist churches observed the Lord's Supper in a manner of silent remembrance without bread and wine. The discrepant practice of the Lord's Supper among Baptists might be derived from the ambiguity of the concept of online worship service and their unfamiliarity with the proper understanding of Baptist theology of the Lord's Supper.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of online Lord's Supper in Baptist churches from a Baptist theological perspective. The conclusion is that it is biblically and theologically acceptable for Baptists to observe online Lord's Supper in Sunday worship service amid pandemic as a legitimate resolution to the dilemma. The paper consists of three parts: first, an exposition of the biblical and theological considerations of online worship; second, an analysis of the Baptist theological position on the Lord's Supper; and finally, a discussion of the feasibility of conducting the Lord's Supper online in the Baptist community.

Hovering between Virtuality and Reality: A Response to Virtual Litugy from Pentecostal Perspectives

LEI Tin Kwan

This article focuses on responding to the discussion of “virtual liturgy” in online worship services from Pentecostal perspectives. First, it begins with the most frequently debated topic of “virtual communion” in the virtual liturgy, and shows how Pentecostal view of the Eucharist influences their stance on “virtual communion” and even “virtual sacrament.” This is followed by a survey of the turn of sacramentality and liturgy within the current Pentecostal theological studies, and the examination of whether there will be also a turn in the position of “virtual liturgy” within this development. Furthermore, with the studies on the experience and work of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament and throughout the worship, particularly from the understandings of mediation and embodiment, it shows that the work of the Holy Spirit is hovering between virtuality and reality, and this aspect is a unique insight in the Pentecostal view of the sacrament and liturgy. Finally, the Pentecostal view on “virtual liturgy” can lead to more attention and responses to the development of the virtual and technological world in both theory and practice, including embracing and constructing the theory of digital theology, as well as promoting more active and positive feedback on the practice of “virtual liturgy.”

From the Hebrew Bible to the New Testament: Reflecting on the True Meaning of Messiah

WONG Tin Sheung

Many people understand the Messiah mostly from the perspective of the New Testament. As a result, they often regard the Old Testament passages as typology of Jesus Christ. There are two problems with this approach: first, it ignores the contexts of the Old Testament passages; second, they understand the passages solely from the perspective of the New Testament while ignoring the theological development in the intertestamental period.

The purpose of this article is to investigate, with the perspective of the Hebrew Bible as the starting point, the development of different messianic concepts during the Second Temple period, and thereby identify those messianic concepts which were prevalent at the time of the New Testament and were revealed in Jesus Christ. The Messiah as shown by Jesus Christ becomes believers' basis of hope in any situation.