My darkest months in Boston

I will remember Jan-Mar 2009 as my darkest months in Boston. So many things had happened that I don't think I will ever be the same again.

Since Nov 2008, my wife developed patches of rashes occasionally, and we assumed that it was due to the poor condition of the washing machines in the basement, and we decided to use the laundromat along the main street. However we are living in a cheaper neighborhood, we were not aware of any bedbugs that could be passed along the way. Starting from Dec 2008, my wife was so badly bitten in the middle of the night, and I started to get bitten marks that we could not ignore the symptoms any longer. There was once when my wife had a terrible nightmare because of the bedbugs. After checking online, the images showed us that we had bedbugs bitten marks. We immediately informed our building management company in Jan 2009, and within a few days, we had to pack all our belongings into plastic bags, and sealed our box spring (eventually though our mattress was already sealed). When the pestilence management guy came in, he showed us where the bedbugs was and we had to evacuate from our apartment in order for him to disinfect the whole apartment. This applied to our Korean housemates as well. We felt very bad for implicating them as they had to pack up their stuff and dumped it into our common study room. Thankfully, it was after our 3rd semester exams.

Even though the bedbugs was controlled, my wife's rashes kept recurring. The winter this time was also more rough than last year's. I felt guilty for indirectly causing my wife's rashes. If we did not choose to live in a cheaper neighborhood, perhaps, all these would not have happened. My wife wanted to return back to S'pore badly, and I acceded her wish. She left Boston on 14Feb, 2009, Valentine's Day. The last few days were emotional for both of us, and on the day she left, I broke down in tears. The months after she left, there were some moments when I was deprived of hope to continue my theological education here. It might be better for me and my wife if I were to transfer my credits to Trinity Theological College in S'pore.

It was an irony that I was at the height of my academic achievement during the 3rd semester. I took five classes, and I did well in almost all of them. However in the 4th sem, I finished a class during winter, and had only 3 classes in the normal academic semester so that I could spend more time on Greek language. In the end, I spent doubled the amount of time on my Greek language compared to other subjects, and I got the worst grade. I was still doing OK during the 1st Greek class in 3rd sem, but when I transited to my 2nd Greek in the 4th sem, it became a torture when I couldn't synthesize my prior knowledge and new knowledge. There was a lot more memorizing and personally, I do not like learning by rote memorization. Sometimes, I did not even know what the professor was talking about in class. This class undermined how I perceived myself, and there was once I felt humiliated when I was called to translate the last passage in a text, and I couldn't do it when everyone before me was able to do so. Previously, I had been comfortable with my self-identity when I could engage others in argument during tutorials, was up-to-task with my work, and submitted quality papers. But now, I felt useless, and helpless. I suddenly realized that was how my Korean friend felt when he confided in me that he did not understand what the professor was talking about, and the shame he had when couldn't articulate well in English. That was precisely how I felt as I was going through in my 2nd Greek class. My self-confidence started to wane. Most of my classmates were younger than me, most in their 2nd semester (or 1st year), while I was in my 4th (i.e. 2nd year). Thank God, I came across Howard Thurman's Jesus and the Disinherited. Through his work, I understood myself to be a child of God. That means, no matter how I fare in this class, I am still a child of God. God loves me unconditionally. No matter how poor I am, how destitution my condition is, how my grades are, I am still a child of God. This reminder anchored my self-identity once again, and I was finally able to lift up my head. When my class came to an end finally, I realized that I had learned a lesson of humility. It is a lesson that I have to go through in order to be a better person. Thurman also said that being a child of God means that this affirmative identity frees one to love one’s enemies, and to pray for them. Though I am far from being able to love my enemies, I have definitely learned that being a child of God is not rooted to any material existence or status. The essence of being a child of God changes the core of how I should align my reality and how I respond to the external environment.

The other unfortunate thing that happened back then was witnessing the breakdown of my housemates' marriage. My wife and I could feel the tension between our housemates starting from Nov 2008. Eventually, my housemates had to return back to South Korea in Mar 2009. I felt deep pain and sorrow for them, and the sadness lingers with me even now. After they left, they asked a friend to source for a new housemate so that the rent for the remaining months from May-Aug 2009 could be covered partially. I am absorbing the rest of the remaining rental charge as my school has increased my scholarship for the next academic year.

I still remember that when I first planned my theological studies to Boston, my wife and I prepared for only two years of finances, and we are not supported by any church or institution (except my current school which subsidizes our tuition fee - thanks to the United Methodist Church) . It was during my 2nd semester (1st year) that I switched from 2-yr Master of Theological Studies degree program to 3-yr Master of Divinity degree program. At the beginning of this year (i.e. my 4th semester), my funding was running low. I may have to work part-time during my 5th and 6th semesters, and possibly extend into 7th semester in order to support my expenses. The cloud in my life was getting darker. Plus, the winter in Boston was the worst during Jan till Feb. My wife left in Feb, and my housemates' emotions were rubbing on me.

The above encounters were not the worst yet. The other fear factor that added to my great anxiety then was that I had decided to commit myself to Chinese church ministry. I came from Chinese church background in Singapore, and upon arriving Boston, my wife and I decided to try out the English or Caucasian American dominated churches, and so far, we had a pleasant experience. It was natural then for me to source for an English Presbyterian church experience for my upcoming field education or internship. However, it was during the winter semester last year when I took "Race and American Christianity" class and I stumbled upon the history of Chinese in America. I wrote a final paper on the Chinese church development in America. It was a decisive turn towards Chinese church ministry. I could have a field placement at an American-Chinese Presbyterian church next semester, however, my conviction to serve in area where I am needed most took me to Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Boston (TPCGB). It might have been a "coincidence" when I learned that their pastor just resigned one week before I visited them. The congregation did not have the budget to engage any full-time pastor, so they were looking for a theological student for their 50+ size congregation. It was a good match between my conviction and their needs. However, I had to source for field education supervisor, and as I will be their 1st field ed. student, TPCGB had to set up an internship committee for me. The latter part was easy, and it took some time for me to convince my local church pastor, Rev. Jennifer and to convince the preparatory committee in Presbytery of Boston that it was an appropriate field ed. site. Once they were convinced, they assisted me in locating a suitable field ed. supervisor. Finally, a retired Presbyterian pastor agreed to be my supervisor, and he was the same person who asked me the most questions when I went for the official inquiry interview in Jan 2009 with the preparatory committee at Boston Presbytery. Once Rev. Bart Kelson agreed to be my supervisor, I had to seek the permission of the field ed. director at my school for final approval. Finally, my field ed.site could work out! Hallelujah! This whole process lasted from Feb till Apr. And so many "coincidences" happened along the way.

During my darkness month in Feb, I received an invitation for scholarship interview. I had never heard of Elizabeth Findley Hazel scholarship before and it was not even listed. The interviewers later revealed to me that those selected were nominated, and those awarded had to demonstrate excellent academic results, had significant contribution to the theological school community or to the local church. I waited for a month before finally seeing the ominous cloud dissipating slowly in my life. When I was informed of being awarded this scholarship, I was so elated! Now, I don't have to borrow more money, or to work part-time in order for me to extend my visa and to pay for my tuition fee, and I could still graduate by May 2010. It was a dream came true. I immediately informed my wife that she could come back with me in Boston in June. God has cleared the way for us to stay together in this theological endeavor. I went back to Singapore for a short vacation in mid-May till mid-June, and my wife came back with me.

Now, with this scholarship in hand, when my ex-housemates who intended to share the remaining rent from May-Aug informed me that it might be a problem on their part, I confidently told them that I will absorb it after discussing with my wife. They got a new housemate who pays a heavily subsidized monthly rent to me. Heavily subsidized because he doesn't have to pay for utilities bill (incl. internet, electricity and gas), and his rent is really super-low. I agreed to his rent because that was the initial agreement my housemates made with him when they assumed that they were responsible for the remaining rent. With each passing month, I could feel pain when I am paying more than I initially planned to. However, God has given me grace, so I should extend this grace to my ex-housemates as well, no matter how painful it feels.

According to the Presbyterian Church (USA) ordination requirement, I have to take two Greek classes, two Hebrew classes, and an exegesis class in original language. I have also checked that PC(USA) ordination is recognized by the Singapore Presbyterian Synod, so I plan to seek an ordination here while pursuing further theological education in the US. While I could fulfill the Greek requirement in my school, I have to take a summer Hebrew language program in order to graduate in May 2010. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary at Boston offered summer Hebrew last year, and I safely assumed they would offer it again. I was totally devastated when I discovered that they will not be offering this year. It was such a shock to me. I can only look to Harvard Divinity School (HDS) for the summer language and they charge 3x the tuition fee at Gordon-Conwell. I had searched for surrounding colleges and seminary and there was no better alternative. Brandeis University does offer summer Hebrew, but it is classical Hebrew at twice the tuition fee than HDS. Hebrew College also offered biblical Hebrew but it stretches beyond summer and costs more than HDS. It was there then that I confided this problem with my local pastor, Rev. Jennifer. After been advised by her, I wrote a letter of petition to the Boston Presbytery requesting subsidies as I will not be able to foot the whole bill, and I had to study this language mainly because of PC(USA) requirement. To my biggest surprise, not only did they agree to subsidize, they propose to sponsor me fully in the summer language program. The cost will be shared by the Boston Presbytery Seminarian fund, Church of the Covenant (my home church in Boston), and the Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Boston. Never did I dream that I will be fully sponsored. Now, I have experienced first-hand of walking by faith, and the biblical passage that says:

Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matt 7:9-11, NRSV)

To this, I will say that God our Father (I am using "Father" because I am referring to the analogy Jesus uses above) does care and provide, and most often it is through the community of faith that we become avenue of God's presence for one another.

Attempting to respond to market economy as a Christian

Background
Having learned how to decode some elements of the market economy, the next step is to examine how the immense depth of our Christian tradition can be drawn on to respond to the market economy. I think the theologians and ministers have the imperative task of examining we could respond to market economy corporately as a body of Christ, which means exploring different avenues together with the laity. It is here that I would like to offer some insights which I have thought about during my studies in the last semester. These insights are possible because of Prof. Karen Westfield Tucker for teaching us Christian liturgy at Boston University School of Theology, Prof. Shelly Rambo for familiarizing us with some contemporary feminist theologians, and Prof. Nimi Wariboko at Andover-Newton Theological Seminary for acquainting us with Max Stackhouse.

1) Introduction
How could we draw from the depth of Christian tradition in response to the forces of market economy? The market economy is telling us that we are consumers, that our labor is exchangeable for monetary worth, and it is only right that each of us seek to maximize our profits. In my previous blog entry, I have wrote briefly about William Schweiker's analysis of the significance of sign-values; Max Stackhouse's demarcation of various domains and economy is one of the subsystems; and Karl Barth's interpretation of Christian ethic grounded in relationship with God. In this blog entry, I will write briefly on how Eucharist empowers us as Christian, how Karl Barth's doctrine of creation can be a framework for responding to market economy, and Sallie McFague's model of relating to God that challenges our mind set about individualism.

2) Our Eucharist
The Eucharist consists of elements that offer us hope, theological imagination, and sign-value to challenge the neo-classical economics. By partaking in the Eucharist, we are called to remember Jesus Christ’s Last Supper. His body is broken for us, his blood is sacrificed for us, and we are to eat the broken bread and drink the poured wine in remembrance of Christ, and we are commanded to do so until the day He returns. By partaking in the Eucharist together as one community, we are witnessing,

Reconciliation and sharing among all those regarded as brothers and sisters in the one family of God and is a constant challenge in the search for appropriate relationships in social, economic and political life… All kinds of injustice, racism, separation and lack of freedom are radically challenged when we share in the body and blood of Christ…. Solidarity in the eucharistic communion of the body of Christ and responsible care of Christians for one another and the world find specific expression in the liturgies. [1]

The Eucharist is a powerful symbol that locates our self-understanding in the reconciling work of Christ. Christ’s reconciliation breaks down the barrier between God and us, and between us with the others, and radically challenges the perception of who we are. We are not consumers, but full-bodied being created in imago Dei, and God’s historical agents capable of shaping the present and future by creating meaning, social sphere that embraces all other beings as God’s beloved creation. By partaking in the Eucharist collectively, we recognize every one as body of Christ, with the mission to challenge the world view shaped dominantly by the logic of economy. By our strength alone, we won’t succeed. We rely on God’s spirit, on the deep richness within our faith tradition, and on one another for collective will and strength to break the stronghold of injustice. Eschatology does not begin in future, it begins now when we know who we are in relation to God, and that we are living within and for God’s body.

Embodied within the liturgy of Eucharist is a pattern that is meant for us to live in our daily life. In our holy communion, there is always a recollection of the night when Jesus was betrayed to voluntary suffering, and Jesus Christ in his last supper took bread, gave thanks, saying 'Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you.' Likewise also the cup, saying, 'This is my blood, which is shed for you; when you do this, do it in remembrance of me.' We eat and drink to remember the past; and because of what happened in the past, we are continuously transformed in the present; and are holding on to what we believe will happen in the future. The act of Jesus breaking his body and shedding his blood demonstrates God's immense love for each and everyone of us. The minister takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it and distributes it. By participating in the holy communion as one community, we are given a model of Christian life that consists of "taking, blessing, breaking, distributing." We take whatever we have from God, we bless what is given to us, we learn how to fraction it so that we have enough for ourselves AND FOR OTHERS, then we distribute it to the others. Do you see how this model challenges the market economy where corporations seek to maximize profits?

3) Karl Barth's doctrine of creation

The existence and being of the creature willed and constituted by God are the object and to that extent the presupposition of His love. Thus the covenant is the goal of creation and creation the way to the covenant. Nor is creation the inner basis of the covenant....The inner basis of the covenant is simply the free love of God, or more precisely the eternal covenant which God has decreed in Himself as the covenant of the Father with His Son as the Lord and Bearer of human nature, and to that extent the Representative of all creation. Creation is the external - and only the external - basis of the covenant.[2]

According to Barth, creation is only the external basis of God's covenant. The internal basis of God's covenant is God's free love towards us. Creation's existence is for the goal of God's covenant. In other words, creation which consists of time, space, and the four dimensions exists, as the basis where God could make a covenant with us, His creation. The purpose of material objects is then not our accumulation or monetary profits, but as the means to usher or to point to God's love for us. In the market economy, creation is for exploitation so that the investors can reap maximum returns. We work to generate the capital to maximize our human labor. But, no so, according to Barth's understanding of creation. Our ability to gather resources, to earn a certification so that we are legitimized to access limited resources is rooted in our covenantal relationship with God. The earth's resources such as air, water, land, and our own resources such as life, ability are meant to be combined together so that we can be better administrator of God's creation based on our covenantal relationship with Him. The creation exists so that we could enter into covenantal relationship with God. Within this covenantal relationship, we are called to take good care of the whole creation. This calls for corporate responsibility and to the need to identify common goods of the society. This further implies that our economy must not be planned for the elite or the middle-class, but must be take the poorest among us into account, as well the ecosystem that we are living in.

4) Sallie McFague's model of God-world relationship
Sallie McFague puts forth a new model of God-world relationship that is very relevant in addressing the ecological disaster that we have wrought today, in her article “Is God in Charge?”[3] She examines different models to describe our understanding of God-world relationship in the creation-providence story in Christian creation and cautions that “no one model is adequate, for each allows us to see some aspects of the God-world relationship, but shuts out others.”[4]

The traditional deistic model divorced God from human beings, and portrays the world as a finely-tuned machine for our use. This model does not do justice to the passionate and suffering God. Another model, known as the dialogic model, believes in “God speaks and we respond,”[5] but only in the inner human subject. This model restricts one from contemporary understanding of creation, and suggests that God’s incarnation is limited to human individuals. The next model, the monarchical model, emphasizes the power and glory of God but keeps a clear distance between the Creator and creatures. The agential model assumes God as a personal agent in overseeing the world in every way, and source of the overarching purposes and goals in the traditional creation-providence story, but has made God so much “like” us.

After examining the deficiencies in each model, McFague offers a different model, one that places us “within” God, as the whole of creation is God’s body. By living within God’s body, we see everything as interrelated and interdependent, and the “whole flourishes only when all the different parts function well.”[6] Sustainability and distributive justice are the two basic laws for us to live interdependently in God’s body. By portraying ourselves to be living within God’s body, McFague’s model provides the framework for living interdependently, and to put the sustainability and distributive justice issues into our ethical concern as we plan our economy. She further suggests that the GDP should be replaced by United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) which takes into account the life expectancy and education on top of per capita economic growth.[7] Based on HDI, the quality of life for all is being accessed instead of the excessive wealth for some.

5) Synthesizing
As the market economy dictates our worldview, Christians have the resources to refuse the logic of maximizing monetary returns to be our dominant lens. The Eucharist, or the feast of thanksgiving, which has been celebrated since the 1st century is a constant reminder that our identity is rooted in what Christ has done for us, by God's indwelling presence, and an eschatological hope that there will be a new creation. The Eucharist heals our divide, provides an avenue for us to stand in solidarity who are powerless against the exploitation by the market economy. By partaking in the Eucharist, we not only commemorate what Christ has done for us, but we accept God's gift for us and allow the significance of this gift to be part of our identity. In no way are we allowed to pursue individualistic profits at the expense of the poor and powerless, because we will be held accountable for what we have done, and by choosing not to live the essence of Eucharist in our lives, we betrayed the meaning of the great thanksgiving embodied within the act of partaking Eucharist. By choosing to be active agent in reinforcing the market economy in our lives, we are the our birthright to be who we are based on our covenantal relationship with God.

We refuse to see ourselves as consumers, but as a person capable of shaping meaning, fabricating our social reality that acknowledges the basis built on God's love. The creation is an external basis for God's covenant. The creation is the means where God speaks to us. The creation is therefore not an end, and does not hold value for us until we are in covenantal relationship with the triune God. In this covenantal relationship, we recognize ourselves as stewards of creation, not exploiters of creation. Sallie McFague's model of us living within God's body is an appropriate lens to view our creation. All creations are bodies of God, and we live within it, and not on it. By living interdependently within God's body, we are the responsibility to ensure the sustainability of our ecosystem, and the wider community. By living within our community, and as stewards, we are called to mind of those people who have been neglected by our system. Is there any social policy that marginalizes any racial or income group? If there is, is there any way or avenue to rectify it? As stewards of God's creation, we are called to represent the weak, the poor, and the oppressed for legislation that recognizes their plight and to alleviate their living conditions.

What legacy are we leaving behind for our descendants? A market economy model that teaches them how to exploit the environment and other people? Or a modified economic model that ensures sustainability and distributive justice that acknowledges the rightful place of economy? Economy must not be allowed to be our dominant worldview, as it betrays the essence of our Eucharist, and our covenantal relationship with God. We are called to remember, to act, and to live out our identity rooted in the reality shaped by our covenantal relationship each generation. If I were to leave any legacy, I wish I could be remembered as someone who is faithful to my covenantal relationship with my Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

Endnotes:[1] Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry - Faith and Order Paper No. 111, World Council of Churches, http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-order-commission/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/baptism-eucharist-and-ministry-faith-and-order-paper-no-111-the-lima-text/baptism-eucharist-and-ministry.html#c10499

[2] Karl Barth, "Creation as the external basis of the covenant," Church Dogmatics, Vol. 3: The Doctrine of Creation, quoted in eds. J. Philip Wogaman, Douglas M. Strong, Readings in Christian Ethics: A Historical Sourcebook (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996), 249-50.

[3] Sallie McFague, “Is God in Charge?” ed. William C. Placher, Essentials of Christian Theology (Westminster John Knox), 101-116.

[4] Ibid., 116.
[5] Ibid., 106.
[6] Sallie McFague, Life Abundant: Rethinking Theology and Economy for a Planet in Peril (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001), 104.

[7] Ibid., 112.

Why do we celebrate Christmas?

In my "Introduction to the arts of worship" class, I had the opportunity to study liturgy and to appreciate why certain practices are adopted in the church. One major Christian celebration that had always pique my curiosity was "why do we celebrate Christmas?" I had heard of people claiming that it used to be a pagan event, so they argued that Christians should not partake in it. What's more, the shopping malls and commercials have popularized Christmas so much that there are hardly any traces of the significance Jesus' birth. Is Christmas a pagan invention? Are churches collaborating with the commercialized world in celebrating Christmas?

1) The early church's celebrations

The early church structured the Christian time in such a way that reflects the early community's values. Worshipping weekly on Sunday was the earlier testimonies of the early Christian communities as recorded in 1Cor 16:2, Acts 20:7,11, Rev 1:10. Extrabiblical records such as one written by Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, dated A.D. 115, tells us the practice of keeping the Sabbath or the Lord's Day.

Apart from the Lord's Day, the most important event recorded by the early church was the Passover-Easter, or Pascha. "In the first three centuries, Christ's passion, death, and resurrection were commemorated together at the Pascha."[1] The second in importance was the celebration of the Day of Pentecost, which commemorated both the ascension of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit. The third chief event dated as early as the fourth century was Epiphany. This event is closely related to our Christmas today. As Jesus was believed to be conceived on the same day when he died, i.e. April 6, the early church believed that his birth should fall on January 6. Epiphany signified the birth of Christ, to the Magi, to the baptism of Jesus, and Jesus' first miracle recorded in the Gospel of John. It was the day when God manifested to humans, and this day was also called "The Theophany" (manifestation of God). When did Christmas come in then?

2) Birth of Christmas

A Roman document from A.D.354 shows that Epiphany was split by the first half of the fourth century. It records a feast around A.D. 336, December 25 to commemorate the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, Judea. "This date competed with a relatively new pagan festival of the Unconquered Sun as the sun begins to wax again at the winter solstice."[2] In the winter season, the daylight tends to get shorter and shorter in the Northern hemisphere until around December 25. This means that when the day starts to get longer during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it was commemorated by the pagans as the return of the "Unconquered Sun." The early Christians in Rome "baptized" that same day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. There is certain sense of logic as Jesus' birth signifies new light and hope for the whole world, and Jesus is the true light, instead of any created being. The commemorations of the Epiphany were gradually brought forward to Christmas. But the Epiphany was not totally replaced. At its heart, Epiphany commemorates the day Jesus was baptized. The period from Christmas to Epiphany therefore has deep theological implication. This period signifies the birth of Jesus and the baptism of Jesus, and testifies to the whole purpose of incarnation: "the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ, beginning both with his birth and with the beginning of his ministry."[3] If I were to follow God's manifestation in Jesus Christ from his birth and ministry in chronological order, where would that lead me? Right to the Passover-Easter. So, by the end of the first four centuries, the early Christians not only have weekly worship service, they have Passover-Easter (and Lent), Pentecost, and Christmas-Epiphany (and predecessor of Advent), that distinctively mark the early Christian calendar. These events point to what God had done for us and continued to do through the Holy Spirit. "All we have to do is accept what God has done"[4] and be reminded that all these are God's gift that we cannot create but only accept. By accepting God's gift and celebrating through these various events, we are proclaiming "Jesus Christ until he comes again and to testify to the Holy Spirit indwelling the church in the meantime."[5]

3) Reflection on Christmas

As I ponder upon the significance of my new discoveries about Christmas, I also realized that I have unearthed new elements as well.

First, the shepherds who bore testimonies to Jesus' birth were regarded with high suspicion, and even despised, in the first century. "Because they were generally poor and nomadic, shepherds were feared as a kind of wandering, potentially criminal element in the land. To these, not to the noble of the elite, God sent heavenly messengers with good tidings."[6] Though I do not see shepherds around me today, I can imagine the trash collectors who poke into the rubbish bins for bottles and cans. They are nomadic and poor, and sometimes feared as potential criminals. I can imagine God revealing Godself to these people, instead of people whom I called highly civilized as they are highly respected in the society. God is sometimes revealed in unexpected places. Am I ready to be jerked out of my comfort zone in order to encounter God's reality?

Second, most of the time, when I celebrate Christmas in the church, I would witness the enactment of three wise men who visited Jesus, and a scene where they would report to King Herod. However, I have missed the fact that children under two years old in and around Bethlehem were killed by the government officials. A genocide was committed in order to protect King Herod's dynasty. As I imagined the grief and loss of the families, I could faintly hear the cries of the parents, especially the widows and the poor individuals; the agony and anguish of the whole town that Jesus was born in. As I celebrate Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, I have forgotten some people who are in their destitute now. There are people who have lost hopes and dreams, not because of their doings, but because of the ambition of those in authority and power. As I thank God for Jesus' birth, shouldn't I also pray for the people, whose destiny are just briefly mentioned on the newspaper front page or maybe found on some obscure web site and quickly forgotten? How about those people who had lost their entire life savings in the Lehman brothers' crash?

Third, when passing the candlelight during the Christmas celebration, other than the "good feeling" it conjured, it is supposed to signify that Christians are called to be light of the world. Whether it is basking in the splendor of the decoration along Orchard Road or the holiday mood generated by the twinkling Christmas tree, I am commemorating the birth of an immensely greater light and in fact the true light of the world. I ought to celebrate the birth of the true light and by celebrating the event, I am called to remember that we have hope (I used "we" because the nature of this hope is corporate, not individual). This hope is given by God though His incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection. This hope is rooted in the past, continuing in the present, and carrying us forward to encounter the future, so this hope has an eschatological dimension. This hope is not to be meant to be saturated by the sign-values of the commercialized world, but to be proclaimed and lived out by every Christians around the globe. As I celebrate this hope in the presence of the Holy Spirit, I remember that because of this hope, I am called to be an imitator of Jesus Christ (1Cor 11:1, Eph 5:1).

May you have a blessed new year.

Endnotes:

[1] James F. White, Introduction to Christian Worship, 3rd ed. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000), 54.

[2] Ibid., 62.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid., 67.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Laurence Hull Stookey, Calendar: Christ's Time for the Church (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), 112.

Decoding the “invisible religion”- our market economy

In the Fall'08 semester, I took a class on "Theological and economic ethics of globalization" with Prof Nimi Wariboko at Andover-Newton Theological Seminary. In this class, we learned the framework of Max Stackhouse in examining the forces of globalization, and the principle of neo-classical economy from Ulrich Duchrow and Franz J. Hinkelammert. In writing my final paper, I was able to tap on their insights and William Schweiker's analysis of the meanings of market economy. My learning is also made possible by the support of my family members, brothers and sisters, especially those from Chinese Graduate Varsity Christian Fellowship and Providence Presbyterian Church. I will write briefly on what I have learnt about the implicit meanings of market economy.

1) Very brief background of market economy
First of all, what is market economy? It was first espoused by Adam Smith in 1776, and he advocated a type of economy characterized by "system-wide resource allocation [that] occurs as a consequence of many individual market transactions, each of which is guided by self-interest."[1] This economy built on the self-interest of individuals would self-regulate to maximize returns. This self-regulation or the "invisible hand" of the market will guarantee optimal price and quantity of goods due to the law of supply and demand. This is the assumption made by modern neo-classical economists. As long as the economy grows, all will prosper from the system by participating in it. The undergirding value behind this principle is that human nature is individualistic and all economic activities should lead to growth. Since US was founded, they have been practicing market economy as the default mode of economic growth.

Now that we have a rudimentary understanding of the operating principle of market economy, we have to ask why market economy is such a dominant force now. In the aftermath of WWII, the US was the only country to enjoy economic growth as the European powers were vastly weakened in the war. The Bretton Woods agreement in 1944 set up: (1) a framework that imposed US dollar as the world currency; (2) the IMF, and World Bank (originally International Bank for Reconstruction and Development), supposed to invigorate economic growth of devastated countries, that played according to the US rules; and (3) an international trade system that reduced tariffs. These set the stage for US-based transnational corporations (TNCs) to expand their market into other parts of the world. By establishing overseas markets, and setting up production base overseas, the TNCs created a globalized market. To show how US is dedicated to this globalized market, I will quote directly from Ulrich Duchrow and Franz J. Hinkelammert's Property for people, not for profit: Alternatives to the global tyranny of capital.

On 16 October 2001, during the preparatory stages of the UN Conference on Financing for Development, the US representative, Terry Miller, declared bluntly: 'We start with three commitments: a commitment to peace; a commitment to freedom and rule of law; and a commitment to capitalism. Governments that make these commitments have a chance to develop. Governments that do not have no chance at all.'[2]

2) Economy as our dominant worldview
According to Max Stackhouse, every society can be identified by the different dominant powers governing the society. Each of them has their own separate sphere and he labels them as Mammon (economy), Mars (system of legitimatized authority to reduce violence), Eros (human sexuality), and the Muses (fine arts and mass media).[3] Religion is the "identifying center of being, meaning, and morality that bonds people and the powers together in a shared system."[4] The overriding concern of "mammon" in the neo-classical economics is that we can be so fascinated and devoted to it such that we define our lives by "a commodity and thus deny our dignity by equating worth with things having only use, exchange, and sign value."[5] We allow the mammon which is only a subsystem within the whole system to convert and homogenize values, norms, authorities, and relations, and other subsystems.[6]
As religion becomes a private sphere, we tend to keep it to one aspect of our life, and allow economy to be unchallenged driving force structuring our worldview. The economy "mingles and mediates cultural meanings in a plethora of ways that affect cultures powerfully and unpredictably,"[7] and becomes our religion as it takes on the role of the center of being, meaning, and morality. "The greatest force in any society … is the cultural power to define and transmit values, to determine what matters and how much it matters and thus to saturate consciousness with those values."[8] This greatest force, originally the domain of religion, is now transferred to the mammon. It is so subtle that it has become our invisible religion, and has seeped into our sub-consciousness without us knowing it. In fact, we are already practicing it. In the words of Peter Berger,

Socialization…has a crucial dimension that is not adequately grasped by speaking of a learning process. The individual not only learns the objectivated meanings but identifies with and is shaped by them. He draws them into himself and makes them his meanings. He becomes not only one who possesses these meanings, but one who represents and expresses them.[9]

In our socialization, we reinforce this invisible religion, and measure ourselves by the living standard erected on the edifice of mammon. We are the embodiment of this invisible religion when the goal of our lives is to pursue personal happiness by spending money.[10] We define ourselves as consumers; understand our economic growth by the amount of consumer spending; measure the health of our economic system based on consumer confidence index; inculcate our values through advertisements and soap operas; put on name-brand products as if it shapes our identities; work longer and extend financial credit for fancier car and bigger house as if our success are measured by it.
When the transnational corporations are the main exporters of production modes, distributors of goods and services, they also export their economic model in order to ensure their efficiency. Individuals across the globe are being rationalized into a common economic model, and more people become commodified and their worth reduced to monetary scale of exchange. US culture and value have been effectively exported to other countries, supported by an artillery of their mass media. Our worldview is permeated by this invisible religion and this "religion" gradually replaces indigenous culture, value and worldview, and we call it the globalization process.

3) GDP as the measure of economic growth
When economy permeates our worldview, it will be the only set of lens in telling who we are. We also unconsciously subscribe to commonly used model to measure our economic progress. Some economists claim that economic model is impartial to ethical values, and they are right. A good example is the most widely-used tool to measure a country's economic growth, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which is the sum of all financial transactions within the country. This does not take into account the type of transaction taking place. Turning on the air-conditioner rather than opening the window, driving a car rather than walking, police activities to curb crimes, cutting down trees, are examples of financial transactions, hence are part of the GDP. Unpaid housework, child care, elderly care, volunteer work are not counted as financial transactions, and are excluded from GDP. The depletion of natural resources, the destruction of natural environment, and the pollution of environment are similarly not included in the GDP. Do you think GDP is an adequate model to measure our country's economic growth? What's the underlying assumption of GDP? Do you see how the neo-classical economic model does not warrant the sustainability of our earth and responsibility of those empowered to protect the weak and poor from exploitation?

4) My reflection
There are various professional theologians who have responded to the forces of market economy. Having alternative worldview is important to challenge the one offered by market economy. Because I believe that we are made in God's image, and have been restored to a relationship with God, I have sufficient ground to affirm that I am not a consumer. I am a human being, valued by God the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. I want to quote Philip Wogaman's paraphrase of Karl Barth's statement on Christian ethics,

Christian ethics is existing in grace….it means at least that one lives through the acceptance of being affirmed by God and invited into fellowship by God. It means that one is not substituting for this some form of acceptance based upon some other notion of the good; one is not under the control of economic force, political realities, cultural pressures. This freedom is not necessarily the freedom to do—for what we are able to do is certainly affected by these things. But it is the freedom to be: to be what, through God's grace, we are.[11]

The cornerstone of Christian's identity is anchored in God's grace. One's worth and value are established by accepting God's affirmation and invitation into fellowship. When that has been established, one has no need of further assurance from economical, political or cultural sphere. One has therefore the freedom to be whom God calls him to be, and this rests upon the foundation of God's grace. Let us not sell ourselves to commodification. We are worth so much more than a commodity. The sign-value conferred by commodification is broken when one's self-understanding is saturated by one's relationship with God.
The ironic fact is that many Christians subscribe to economy-driven values and we practice these values even in our church. Do you recall the minister saying "Wow! She is a doctor!" or "Our speaker has a PhD from Harvard University, and we are so privileged and honored to have him here." How about being harassed with questions like "Where did you graduate from?" or "What type of housing do you live in?" in order to assess your socioeconomic status? They are just short of asking "How much do you earn?" I am not trying to discredit the hard work, discipline, and time invested in getting higher level education or landing oneself in a world-acclaimed institution. What I want to point out is that every Christian is a priest. We serve one another before God in different capacity according to our gift in order to build up the body of Christ, and we bring other people before God, as well as bringing God to other people. Our identity is not defined by socioeconomic status or characterized by economy-driven values, but by a lasting and fulfilling relationship with God, and nourished by community of people redeemed by God.

William Schweiker has pointed out the significance of sign-values propped up by the market economy. As I think of the advertisements that bombarded me daily when I was in Singapore, Jurong Point shopping mall that I used to frequent, I can't help but to imagine myself as a consumer. The hand phones, gadgets, clothing, the shopping mall culture seem to be dictating to me "who I am," rather than me who decide "who I am." In my work place in Singapore, my work performance determines my bonus and rate of promotion. Instead of knowing "who I am," I have measured myself by monetary worth of labor exchange. I have been surrounded by various sign-values fueled by the invisible religion, i.e. market economy, without myself knowing it. In fact, "who I am" has already been decisively determined when I entered into a covenantal relationship with the triune God, purchased at the price of Jesus Christ. It is by living without television, rampant advertisements, shopping malls; by entering into more meaningful conversations with other people; and acquiring the tools to decode this invisible religion that I learn to see my past in a new light. I have sold myself out to this invisible religion in the past, and I am starting to reclaim my self-identity in Christ. So, God help me as I learn to locate my locus of self-identity within You, the ground of all beings, and not in the mammon (economy).

End notes:

[1] Steven C. Hackett, Environmental and Natural Resources Economics: Theory, Policy, and the Sustainable Society (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1998), 33, quoted in Sallie McFague, Life Abundant: Rethinking Theology and Economy for a Planet in Peril (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001), 76.
[2] Ulrich Duchrow and Franz J. Hinkelammert, trans. Elaine Griffiths, Trish Davie, Michael Marten and Paraic Reamonn, Property for people, not for profit: Alternatives to the global tyranny of capital (London, New York: Zed Books, 2004), 100.
[3] Max L. Stackhouse, “General Introduction,” eds. Max L. Stackhouse and Peter J. Paris, God and Globalization Vol. 1: Religion and the Powers of the Common Life (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2000), 37.
[4] Ibid., 38.[5] William Schweiker, “Responsibility in the World of Mammon,” eds. Max L. Stackhouse and Peter J. Paris, God and Globalization Vol. 1: Religion and the Powers of the Common Life (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2000), 113.
[6] Michael Walzer, Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality (New York: Basic Books, 1983) quoted by Schweiker, “Responsibility in the World of Mammon,” 118.
[7] Schweiker, “Responsibility in the World of Mammon,” 119.
[8] Ibid., 123.
[9]Peter L. Berger, The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion (New York: Anchor Books, 1969, 1990), 15.
[10] Sallie McFague, Life Abundant: Rethinking Theology and Economy for a Planet in Peril (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001), 84.
[11] J. Philip Wogaman, “Formative Christian Moral Thinkers,” Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993), 221.

Being reminded of my conviction

While reading Alister McGrath's The Science of God yesterday, I came across the paragraph which describes his vision behind his formulation of a scientific theology, which reminded me of my conviction. This is what McGrath says:

This leads to one of the major themes of the vision that lies behind a scientific theology — my deep longing to develop a public theology, capable of interacting with other disciplines on its own terms. A public theology is able to stand its own ground, while engaging in dialogue with others. I have intense misgivings concerning the insular approaches to theology that I discern in some theological quarters, which prevents theology from dialoguing, debating and learning.... The approach I set out, having placed the theological enterprise on a secure footing, encourages public debate and dialogue.

The roots of a scientific theology are thoroughly evangelical, resting on a deep and passionate conviction that 'theology must be nourished and governed at all points by Holy Scripture, and that it seeks to offer a faithful and coherent account of what it finds there.' This task of rendering Scripture faithfully is, in my view, best carried out in dialogue with the 'great tradition' of Christian theology and in response to the challenges to the Christian faith which are raised by other disciplines... (Alister E. McGrath, The Science of God: An Introduction to Scientific Theology, London: T&T Clark International, 2004, pp. 13-14)

Coincidentally, I also came across a similar line by Pee-Seng Kang two years ago. His article (Theology is dialogue/神学就是对谈) conveys my conviction so strongly that I brought the whole book with the article from Singapore to Boston with me. It is written in Chinese, so I will attempt to provide an English translation for my non-Chinese readers.

如果基督教确实相信一位 “全能的父，创造天地与一切可见、不可见之物的主宰”，以及认识那位“出自上帝的上帝，出自真光的真光，... ... 万有藉着祂而造”的耶稣基督，那么对所有事物的探讨就不应该在基督教信仰的范畴之外了。信仰的思考就必须包括神学与自然科学、社会科学或人文科学等的积极对谈。

神学对谈范畴应包括一切的意识形态及价值观，因为这才能反映当代神学的多元文化与多元价值的处境。也只有在这样一个积极而全面的对谈基础上，正确的神学（宗教）对谈理论才可以确立。更重要的是，基督教的信仰本质与神学使命才可以清晰地表露出来。（江丕盛，“神学就是对谈：兼论神学的身份与使命”。在信仰之思的途中：一群年轻神学人的神学告白，鄧绍光主编， 香港: 基道出版社, 2000, pp. 220)

My translation:
If Christianity truly believes in "Almighty Father, who creates heaven, earth, and all those that are visible and invisible", and truly knows "God who is begotten of God, true light of true light, ... ... through whom all things are made" i.e. the Christ, then critical investigation of any matter should not be outside the sphere of Christianity. Critical reflection of Christian faith should encompass active dialogue with natural science, sociology and humanities.

Theological dialogue should include partners such as all forms of ideologies and the construction of values, because this will more accurately reflect the challenges of contemporary theologian in a multicultural and pluralistic environment. It is only through this form of active and comprehensive dialogue that the foundation is laid for the development of authentic theological (religious) dialogue. More importantly, this spells out the essence of Christianity and the mission of theology. (Pee-Seng Kang, “Theology is dialogue: On the identity and mission of theology.” Taken from On the Way of Faith Thinking: Theological Confession of a group of young theologians, edited by Andres S K Tang. Hong Kong: LOGOS Publishers, 2000, pp. 220)

MY REFLECTION:
I don't think I have translated well, but I hope it conveys the essence of the multi-dimensional facets of Christian faith. If we do acknowledge God as our Father, our Creator, and our Savior, there is no sphere of knowledge that is outside the influence of Christian faith. Christian faith has a relationship with every form of academic discipline that contributes to the betterment of human society.

I brought the above mentioned Chinese book (在信仰之思的途中) with me, so that I can remind myself regularly of my own conviction. It is my conviction that brought me here to Boston U Sch of Theo, and it is the same conviction that urges me to switch from Master of Theological Studies to Master of Divinity.

I think the enterprise of theological education is first of all, to explore the relationship of oneself with God. In that process, one knows oneself better, and how one is relating to God. This involves an understanding of how the Holy Scripture has been interpreted in the past, critical examination of one's faith tradition, a regular application of exegesis in one's context, and acquiring knowledge of other disciplines. Beyond that framework comes a larger picture of how to build a theological base that is faithful to one's tradition, to the community one is ministering to, and the academia one has to answer to. These elementary foundations together with suitable methodology should develop an appropriate framework to dialogue with other disciplines. The lifelong process of dialoguing should continue to enrich one's relationship with God; deepen understanding of herself; enlarge one's wisdom in applying exegesis in context; live in more fruitful relationships in one's community; and to further a more robust framework for constructive dialogue with other disciplines.

Hans Küng's On Being a Christian provides a strong argument for me to believe in Christian humanist as the most adequate form of humanist among secular humanist, Marxist, other faiths and ideologies. Rev Stephen Tong's sermon on the cross-intersection of Christian faith, Confucius, other philosophers and politics, opened the world where I could see how God's sovereignty should extend into other disciplines. Pee-Seng Kang's articulation of the sovereignty of God in all forms of knowledge convinced me of the need to study theology in relation with other academic disciplines. Alister McGrath's vision reminded me once again of my rationale and purpose of studying here. To echo Kang's article, theology is dialogue indeed.

Teaching conversational English in ACCESS, Boston Chinatown

I am now currently teaching conversational English to a group of Chinese immigrants, at American Chinese Christian Educational & Social Services Inc. (ACCESS), in Boston Chinatown in the morning. It is through working in this organization that I know more about the Chinese immigrants, the Chinese community in America, the American Chinese, and the local Chinese churches in Boston. I have been teaching here since the end of May and will be teaching till mid-August.



I had to petition with my school's foreign student office in order to convince the representative officer that this is ministry is related to my degree, before she could give me an official approval to teach the Chinese immigrants. I have been teaching them for six weeks, and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching them. I got to know more about American pronunciation, some of the terms used in China, as well as my own identity. I used to think that my native dialect is Hokkien which I thought means "福建话"。It is from my students that I realize Fujian province is so big, and when I use the term "福建话", it is too vague. To be more precise, my dialect is "闽南语", which I can hardly speak now. Currently, I have fifteen students, most are from Fujian province, and they speak mainly Foo Chow and Mandarin (and a little bit of English now). Their ages range from 20 to 49. Majority have no English background, but all of them are very hardworking and they are trying their best to survive well in the US.

Compared to teaching secondary school students back in Singapore, I do not have to deal with any discipline problem as all of them are adults. I could apply some of the pedagogy I learned in Singapore. It is easier to relate to them, and to engage them in a two-way interaction. It is important for one to teach from the heart, in Chinese "用心来教"。 I have to provide a Chinese translation for almost all the new terms I taught them. Some of the students have been very helpful in assisting me to write some of the Chinese characters I have forgotten. It is through this process that I discovered some of the terms I used in Singapore are used differently in China. For e.g. in S'pore, cinema (in the US, it is called movie theater) is known as "戏院"。 But in China, "戏院" could mean opera house. The more precise term should be "电影院"。In other words, not only are they learning from me, I am also learning from them. In fact, we are teaching each other.

It has been a very fruitful experience teaching them in the last six weeks. There were times that my lessons did not go as well as planned. One of them was an outdoor activity when I sent them to the neighborhood stores to identify the name and address of the store, and the items they could purchase within ten dollars from the store. In the end, I spent more time teaching them new words on grocery items. I have learned from my mistake ever since.

This is one of the presentations where I was a facilitator.


Recently, I have incorporated classic English songs into the lesson. I tried finding an appropriate translation for "What a wonderful world" on the Internet, but in the end, I have to do some of the translation myself.

Extract from "What a wonderful world" (Louis Armstrong) 何等美妙的世界
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow 我听见婴儿们哭泣， 我看着他们长大
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know 他们学的会比我所懂得更多
And I think to myself what a wonderful world 我认为这是何等美妙的世界
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world. 真的，我认为这是何等美妙的世界

I can't translate the lyrics literally, or it loses the meaning in Chinese language. I realized the difficulties in translation. I don't think I translated well, but I hope my students will understand the meaning of the song after my explanation.

I have also met other great teachers and a wonderful coordinator here. Some of them have taught me how to add more varieties to the lesson. It is been a pleasure and privilege to work with them, and I thank God for giving me this form of exposure.


This is a photo taken together while we were on a trip to Boston Harbor Islands with our students. From left to right: me, Austin, Joanna, and Anne (our coordinator).


Not forgetting Sue, who is our ACCESS administrator. She is efficient, and a terrific sister-in-Christ. She is the one who shared with me more about the Chinese community in Boston.

An alternative to abortion?

I saw this notice on a wall of New England Medical Center, somewhere around orange line New England Medical Center T-station. What caught my attention is the offer to take in any unwanted baby without any question asked. I think this is a viable alternative that will discourage abortion. In the past, I always thought that giving up a child for adoption is a realistic way out of unwanted pregnancy, is an ideal practice. Now, I have finally witnessed a live example of an organization that puts it into practice. I believe Tufts-NEMC offers a convenient alternative to protects the anonymity of the parents. Due to the established reputation of the medical center, the anonymous parents' guilt could also be mitigated.

However, this does not solve the problem of premarital sex or unwanted pregnancy (I am assuming that most unwanted pregnancies are results of premarital sex). This alternative could only decrease the likelihood of abortion. To reduce the tendency of premarital sex or unwanted pregnancy, I think we have to fall back on sex education, and to provide convenient ways for couples to obtain various forms of artificial contraception.

I anticipate many would object to that suggestion and insist that we should put all hands on deck to discourage the idea of sex in the first place. Unless we can monopolize our media, and our culture to such an extent that all citizens would agree to draft "premarital sex or unwanted pregnancy to be an act punishable by death or equitable to a prison term" as part of our civil law, I would say that we can only influence people's choice and not coerce them. To this end, I would suggest that when incorporating materials in sex education, we should strive to help the participants to:

1) be conscious of the fact that all of us are sensuous creatures;

2) be aware that there are temptations around us. Given the influence of mass media, it is easy to interpret pre-marital sex as something essential to one's ego or image. We have a choice in deconstructing that image;

3) know that we can prevent unwanted pregnancy from taking place in the first place, if we take the necessary precaution;

4) raise their consciousness to a level where they could identify their temptations so that they can learn to avoid putting themselves in situation that fosters their temptations;

5) know that there are many fine examples of young men and women who believe and practice safe sex within the context of a marriage life;

6) believe that we have the choice to choose sex after marriage, and to choose safe sex.


Having said that, I must acknowledge that premarital sex or unwanted pregnancy is a phenomenon that is gradually being accepted in the society. As a citizen who believes in the value of human life, my moral duty is to help myself and others recognize that abortion is not the only alternative.

Memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. and prominent social problems in US

I consider these two landmarks to be very unique part of Boston University: a memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Marsh Chapel.



The building on the left of the memorial is my school, the School of Theology, which is the founding school of Boston University. The tall building behind my school is the law faculty.



On the opposite side of School of Theology is the College of Arts and Social Science.




As you stand in front of the memorial, you will see these words inscribed: "To the memory of MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., 1929-1968, Distinguished Alumnus, Nobel Laureate For Peace." MLK graduated from Boston University in 1955.



On the left hand side of the memorial: "We must come to see that the end we seek is a society of peace. That will be the day not of the white man, not of the black man, that will be the day of man as man."

This is the dream of MLK, and I think US has made a significant progress in granting full civil rights of all races constitutionally. However, I think the colored people, esp. the blacks are not benefiting much from the system at the moment.

SOCIAL PROBLEM: Health Care System
One out of three black men has a prison record. The poor and homeless people are more likely to be the blacks. Once you are poor, you can't afford the education system, and eventually, couldn't get a well-paid job. That puts you on the street. When you are unemployed, you could not afford the health insurance. If you are admitted to hospital without health insurance, you will be bankrupt. The US system props up prices of health care and insurance. The US citizens are paying way too much for the health care benefits, compared to other developed countries like UK, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland. Watch PBS Frontline's Sick Around the World, for more information. This is something the US must look into.

SOCIAL PROBLEM: Mortgage Loan Crisis
The recent mortgage loan crisis affects the blacks more than the whites. Why is there a mortgage loan crisis in the first place? To put it short, there are banks or institutions who do not require a minimum sum of down payment for the mortgage loan, and they do not bother to counter-check the credit history of their borrowers. Hence, this type of loan has higher accrual interest (and is also called sub-prime loan), but the monthly installment tends to look less intimidating once the loan period is stretched over a long term, as high as 30-year. Those without adequate education might not see the danger implied or their agents did not explain the inherent risk involved. They are in fact paying twice the amount they are borrowing.

Once the borrower is out of job, he/she could not afford to pay for the high-interest loan anymore, and will default on their loan. Either they sell off their mortgage or borrow from another institution at an even higher interest, probably from the credit card companies. Once significant number of people are caught up in this cycle and if they are out of job, it creates a social problem. This problem is escalated if the housing price is inflated to an artificial level, esp. in 2005-6.

When the bubble burst, in 2007, most houses bought in the 2005-6 cost much less than its original sales price, and the owners are still paying for the interest plus the price of the inflated sales price. They might have to sell off their house at a loss or continue to pay for the mortgage loan at a loss. And in some cases, some just vacate the house and abandon their loans. A number of loans have been re-packaged and sold to other foreign financial institutions. As a result, US sub-prime mortgage loan implicates many countries as well.

In a report from Singapore Investor, SIAS eMagazine, Mar 2008 issue, it is reported that
"There are a handful of financial institutions with relatively significant exposures, namely Bank of China Ltd. (A-/Stable/A-2), Mega International Commercial Bank Co. Ltd. (Mega Bank; foreign currency A/Stable/A-1), and DBS Bank Ltd. (AA-/Stable/A-1+). "
DBS Bank Ltd is considered the Singapore national bank. As you can see, even my own country is not spared. I pray and hope that the affected countries could make up the losses from their gains in investment from other sectors, and learn from their mistakes.


A phenomenon but unsure whether to classify it as a social problem: Christians focused on personal salvation and neglect social dimension of the gospel
I have recently read that there are six basic values enshrined in the American culture: individual freedom, self-reliance, equality of opportunity, competition, material wealth, and hard work (Datesman, Maryanne Kearny. The American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture, 2nd ed. Prentice-Hall: New Jersey, 1997. pp. 29).

No doubt, these values are generally espoused by the Americans, I am not sure whether it sufficiently explains why most evangelical white Christians tend to turn a blind eye towards the plights of the blacks. If everyone truly espouses these values, do we recognize that those of us from less privileged families or environment do not have equality of opportunity in the first place? Even if we claim to understand Jesus Christ's imperatives to love one's neighbor, or to feed the hungry or clothe the homeless, why do we seldom react to the plights of the poor regardless of their race? Aren't all of us made in the image of God? Shouldn't the cries of any human for mercy, justice, or equality of opportunity sear the conscience of everyone of us, esp. if we claim to have a relationship with God the Creator and Savior? Why are there so much outcry against homosexuality in the name of God's justice, and yet so little whimper against the unjust and for the poor in the society?

I have also visited a number of Chinese churches in the Boston area. So far, none has addressed social issues in the American society. Most American-born Chinese (ABC) Christians are focused on evangelism, discipleship training, fellowship, Bible study, just like the paradigm I have been exposed to back in Singapore. Eventually, the ABC Christians must ask who their neighbors are. They can't just focus on education for the Chinese or social benefits for their own race and turn a blind eye towards the more needy in the society. Christ-love is "trans-racial".




On the right hand side, you will see: "I submit that an individual who breaks a law, that conscience tells him is unjust and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment, in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice is in reality expressing the highest respect for law."



Finally, these are written behind: "Far from being the pious injunction of autopian dreamer, the command to love one's enemy is an absolute necessity for our survival.
-This sculpture by Sergio Castillo was dedicated on behalf of the Boston University Community. John R. Silber, President, May 16, 1975."

I believe "the dreamer" John Silber refers to is Jesus Christ. I absolutely agree that loving our enemies is essential for the well-being of our society, whether it is in US or in Singapore. But, there is so much pride within me to learn to love others (even my enemies) as I love myself. "God, have mercy on me and increase my capacity to encompass love for others." Whatever changes we anticipate in others, we have to start off within ourselves, i.e. we have to start with the "man in the mirror" (an echo of Michael Jackson).

Social dimension of the Christian gospel

All along, I have always associated the Christian gospel with personal salvation, i.e. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and to reconcile me back to God. Recently, as I read more about the different dimension of the Christian gospel, I have come to realize that it has a serious social dimension as well.

In this summer, I have been reading:
1) Bryan McLaren's Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope;
2) N.T. Wright's Evil and the Justice of God;
3) Tracy Kidder's Mountains beyond mountains.

All three books illustrate how our gospel message is more than just personal salvation. The first book examines the system which we live in, and McLaren points out that we are living in a suicidal machine. The rate at which we destroy our environment to sustain our living will lead us to our death one day. The second book is about how we might search for a clue to evil from the Old Testament and New Testament. And one thing is for sure, we are parts of the problem and we are also parts of the solution. The gospel story tells us how God co-opts us as part of the whole BIG story in the solution. The third book has the most impact on me. It is a true story of Dr. Paul Farmer, who started his work on tuberculosis (TB) in Haiti (a very poor Caribbean country whose economy was sabotaged by US foreign policy), and how his organization evolved to become one of the international organizations to tackle TB and another type of mutant TB known as MDR, on a global scale. Farmer challenges how I should interpret "Who is my neighbor?" and how I conceive poverty and health.

There are such things called the poor man's disease such as TB, and AIDS; and rich man's disease such as cancer, and heart attack. The public health policy adopted by every country will determine what type of disease the citizens are more vulnerable to. And sometimes, unfortunately, the policy of another more powerful foreign country will introduce a new type of disease into one's country. Now, you know why the South Koreans protested so strongly against the import of beef more than 30-month old from the US into their country.

Last time, when I listened to the gospel message, I interpreted it as my personal salvation. But now, I realize that it goes beyond personal salvation. In the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37, Jesus is responding to a lawyer's question on "who is my neighbor?" after the lawyer iterates the two most important commandment, i.e. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." (NRSV Luke 10:27) Jesus relates the story of a man being beaten up and left to die, when he was on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. Jericho is supposed to be a dwelling place for Jewish priests when they are not on temple duty. A priest passed by, followed by a Levite. Both serve in the temple, and are supposed to "do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow." (Isa 1:17) Yet, it is a Samaritan, a hostile enemy of Jews, who shows kindness to the victim. The person who shows kindness to me is my neighbor. But what if I reverse the role, I am not the victim, and I am the passer-by. My neighbor is the one whom I should not only show kindness to, but to love them as myself.

In Singapore, my neighbors, i.e. those whom I could show kindness to, include other races such as the Malays/Indians/ etc. How could I show kindness to them? By being involved in their tuition center such as the Mendaki (for Malays) and Sinda (for Indians), and not just CDAC (for Chinese). If I can do social visit, why shouldn't I put Malay/Indian old folks home on my list? In the global village that we live in, as the needs of the African children are brought to my awareness, and I do possess the means to help them, I have to ask myself anew: "Are they my neighbor?" (It is a resounding YES.) This mindset changes the way I perceive the gospel. If we take the gospel message seriously, we could change the whole society.

Kidder highlights how Farmer lives out the verse "for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." (NRSV, Matt 25:35-36) Farmer interprets it literally and even visits his friend's son in Haiti's prison. When I read commentary on Matt 25:31-46, Jesus Christ refers the kindness performed on "one of the least of these who are members of my family" (NRSV Mt 25:40-41), to mean any disciples of Christ. At least, my conscience does not feel so bad as I could definitely not measure up to Farmer's standard. But, minimally, did I offer any help within my means to the Christians around me? At least, I could say that I have helped the Korean and Japanese brothers and sisters in their paper writing. But did I give food to those who are hungry, to those who needed minimal means of subsistence? I couldn't answer to that.

The books above reminded me once again of the cry of the prophet Isaiah:

"What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats." (Isa 1:11)

"Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings; from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. " (Isa 1:16-17)

Farmer has given me hope that the something can be done about world poverty, and Christian gospel has something to offer those in need of hope. The gospel is not an opium portrayed by Karl Marx. Though I am not a Marxist, I believe that the cause of the neglected and poor must be spoken. Hope lies not just in the afterlife, but in seeing everything as creation of God and humans made in God's image imply that I have a duty and role in making this world a better place, not just for me, or my descendants, or my race or for my country, but for the whole of humanity. I believe the the blood of Jesus Christ redeems the whole of human race and certainly demands every preacher to shoulder the global responsibility of tackling the sins and wickedness of the whole humanity, starting at the local level. However, the source of evil is in each and everyone of us. We are part of the problems in the system, but we are also the solution. The gospel story co-opts us as part of the solution, who will eventually see the full fruit in the last days, and we have to act now based on faith.