BookPastor >> "Welcome to College" (Jonathan Morrow)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on April 18th, 2017.

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TITLE: Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower's Guide for the Journey
AUTHOR: Jonathan Morrow
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publishers, 2017, (416 pages).

Entering college for the first time is probably one of the most exciting time for young people. It could also be one of the most challenging and stressful periods. For Christians, there is another challenge: How to keep, let alone grow one's faith? The college environment is a place where many worldviews clash in a climate where there are more questions than answers. If untested, the unsuspecting believer might be unprepared for the onslaught of perspectives that threaten to derail their beliefs. What if there is a guide to help college bound kids prepare themselves? This is where this book comes in. There is no need to fear the challenges that are to come. Even in the midst of the many intellectual assaults, adequately trained believers would not just survive but thrive in the hostile filled secular environments. The author gives three initial pieces of wisdom to kickstart the discussion:

1. We are not alone
2. With freedom comes responsibility
3. Don't take ourselves too seriously

BookPastor >> "The End of Education" (Neil Postman)

TITLE: The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School
AUTHOR: Neil Postman
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1996, (210 pages).

This book has a very clever title. The word "end" has a dual meaning. It could mean finality of education. It could also mean the purpose of education. As far as one of America's most famous cultural critic is concerned, it is both. Carefully, he explains both in terms of "motivation" and "metaphysical." The former is a means toward some end. The latter represents the purpose and meaning of it all. For if there is no purpose, then truly the final nail on the education coffin would have been struck. In Part One of the book, Postman deals with the necessity of gods, saying that it is not the religious type of divinity but that of a reason for learning. It is the kind that motivates us to press on. It is necessary in the sense that it helps propel us forward. Such a motivation is good unless that it is based upon wrong gods. Postman insightfully observes four major gods that have choked the true purpose of education. The first is that of "Economic Utility" that promises a good job and money as long as one studies hard, gets good results, and succeeds in the educational system. The problem is, do the jobs out there require all the knowledge and skills that the schools provided the students? Is there a guarantee of jobs? Is the Economic Utility model more of a mockery on humans? The second false god is that of "Consumership," where the accumulation of knowledge seems to be the order of the day. The one with the "most toys wins," so say this god. With this god, "you are what you accumulate." It boosts materialism, hoarding of knowledge, and all kinds of advertising, which in itself has its fair share of complexities and ethical challenges. The third false god is "Technology" and here Postman shines in observing that those who worship such a god will increasingly find schools unnecessary. After all, if one can learn all the content and information via technology, why bother with teachers?  With increasing amount of information, people keep wanting more and more without a proportional sense of understanding why and why. He debunks the notion of technology breaking down the rich-poor divide. The fourth god is that of "Multiculturalism" that essentially subverts best educational methods and techniques in favour of multicultural criteria. He spends time explaining himself, assuring readers that he is not against multiculturalism, but only against the impoverishment of education that results from an inappropriate use of the multiculturalism card.

BookPastor >> "Learning for the Love of God" (Donald Opitz and Derek Melleby)

This review was first published on March 13th, 2014 at Panorama of a Book Saint. Recommended for all students and people who call themselves learners.

conrade

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TITLE: Learning for the Love of God: A Student's Guide to Academic Faithfulness
AUTHOR: Donald Opitz and Derek Melleby
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2nd edition, 2014, (144 pages).

In the Christian world, many people have been advocating for a deeper faith in the workplace or integrating faith in the marketplace. While at school, we learn how best to put our faith to the test. What about our schools and educational environments? Are they not marketplaces in themselves?

From the most boring lectures to the most interesting classroom lessons, this book shows us that every class matters. In the words of the authors, two words summed up the whole book: "Academic Faithfulness." The authors have a common heritage: Geneva College with Opitz a professor and Melleby an alumnus. They begin with two erroneous expectations of college students. The first is the "beer and circus" which on the outside looks like fun and partying, but on a deeper level, is a distraction from academic faithfulness. The second is the "grades and accolades" expectation that sees academic success and recognition as idols. What is needed is a way for students to be renewed in mind and transformed at heart.

Then there is the need to beware of "deceptive philosophies and traditions" in the college arena. One key warning is to avoid swallowing the pill of "education for upward mobility" at the expense of "education for responsible action." The subject of worldview is examined, and readers are encouraged not to buy into a "seeing is believing" mindset, but also to learn faith without seeing. Students ought to appreciate life as a story rather than some disconnected things or disjointed ideas. "Fish-eyed learning" needs to be put aside in favour of a Christian mind that is relationships aware, biblically based, and ideologically sound, instead of being sucked into ideological confusion. Opitz and Melleby string together  the four part Biblical narrative (Creation-Fall-Redemption-Consummation) with the four Is (Integration-Idolatry-Investment-Imagination) to help us connect the dots of learning. We are reminded that while learning is important, being changed from the inside out is equally (if not) more important. Some great advice are given, such as looking for a mentor; getting involved in care groups; volunteering in the community; engaging people of other faiths. Knowing includes a big part of listening.

So What?

Now in its second edition, this book is an important contribution to Christians, particularly those involved in educational circles in some way. It can be teachers or students, parents or educators, leaders or community decision makers, and so on. The idea of "academic faithfulness" needs to be expanded beyond the circles of the academy. Without a proper worldview, students will be caught up in a world of varying ideas that can easily sweep them away. In this manner, it is like building a house on the sand of disconnected and disjointed philosophies rather than the rock of divine reality. Human philosophies and fabricated ideas will not stand up against the rock of the Creator, the Great Storyteller, the Sovereign Ruler of all.

Though this book is aimed at a Christian audience, the general thrust of the book is to help us get a bigger picture of the purpose of education. I appreciate the way the authors describe the two erroneous expectations of most students: "beer and circus" and "grades and accolades." Education is not mere fun or fabulous grades. It needs faith. Lest we produce individuals who simply straddle through college to become aimless graduates, or a generation of people who can score perfect As but still flunk the school of life. Read this book. Buy it for your children or college students. For a student who is trained in "academic faithfulness" through college will stand a better chance of godliness and vocational integrity through the journey of life.

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Brazos Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Puritan Beginnings: Harvard

"Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed, to consider well that the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3), and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning." (Founding Members' Mission Statement for Harvard, 1636)

If I were to give you the mission statement above without telling you where it came from, chances are, you would have thought it is some Bible college or theological institution. No. It is that famous institute called Harvard. It reminds us that the mission of the world renowned Harvard University had Puritan beginnings? In fact, the purpose of Harvard was to train pastors, missionaries, and qualified clergy for the benefit of the community and society at large. Established in 1636, the records from Harvard archives had this to say:

"After God had carried us safe to New England and we had builded our houses, provided necessaries for our livelihood, reared convenient places for God's worship, and settled the civil government: One of the next things we longed for and looked after was to advance learning and perpetuate it to posterity; dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches, when our present ministers shall lie in the dust." (link)

(Credit: educateforchrist.org)

Nowadays, even in an Age of Google, it is very hard to find out the original mission statement of the early founders. Secularism and the plain refusal to give any prominence to God or its religious roots seem to be the default mode of the day. It is good to remember that Harvard has a Puritan beginning without which, she may not be where she is today.

conrade

Musings on Self-Help Programs

TITLE: Musings on Self-Help Programs 
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: 17 November 2012

Once in a while, someone will come up to me and say something like, “I’ve had it with all those motivational gurus, and those books that give you all kinds of steps to be a better person. Such things wow initially, but over time, the novelty wears out.”

I understand. In fact, it is not surprising why the same old people who have been inspired by some moving talk or literature, pledges to do something about it, but eventually returns to the point where he needs another shot of motivation.

I hear the sentiment. Perhaps, one reason why self-help gurus continue to make money is because their formulas are not only easy to understand, people who needed help never grow out of needing help. In some countries, seminars, conferences, and motivational events are opportunities are held so often that they have become the main staple for any motivational need or spiritual diet. Take for example leadership conferences. People spend hundreds of dollars to attend talks by so-called “world-class” leader of some amazing organization. After the big publicity and the packed houses of eager attendees, soon after, the hunger returns. The same people come back to the same kind of conferences and seminars. My question: Why?

Seminars like these are popular, can they help?

The trouble with many people is that they think the magic lies with the motivational speaker or the materials they provide. Pay the fees, buy the books, and the change happens automatically. At least, that is how their behaviour demonstrates. As one who has attended many conferences, I have learned that what I do with the materials in the first 48 hours will determine the depth of my learning. Whatever notes I have copied. Whatever books I have purchased or received. Whatever recordings I have taped, if I do not do something with it, they are gone. Disappear. Poof.

Come Monday, we go on to our usual selves and our regular set of activities. The weekend infatuation has gone. The normal reality has come. Nothing has changed. Such people are immediate candidates for motivational gurus, and various organizations to continue to milk and cash in. So what do we do with conferences, motivational talks, books, music, and all kinds of self-help materials? Let me offer three musings.

A) Do Not Condemn Them

There is a place of everything. In fact, there is always a first time for anyone. As much as some of us may dislike the idea of motivational gurus and the feel-good atmosphere generated, they do serve a purpose of bringing like-minded or people who share similar concerns. First-timers will benefit the most. There are good in it too. I have been assisting Regent College’s conference programs for many years. From the annual Pastor’s Conferences to occasional theological seminars, I have seen many famous names enter the chapel halls and leave people gasping for more. The quality is top. Even the attendees of such conferences are willing to fly more than half the world to Regent College in order to attend a 1-day seminar! There is a place for motivational seminars. The trouble is when motivational seminars become the main staple of any person’s diet. That will then be a problem.

Another point to note is that we do not need to put any person up there on stage on the pedestal. They are also ordinary people like you and me. Put on the appropriate makeup, wear the wireless lapel microphone, and we too can learn to speak, to look, and walk like them. Invite them over for a meal, and we learn that they too are people who had very ordinary beginnings. The secret is in the hype or the marketing that goes with it.

B) The 48-Hour Rule

What we do with what we have learned within the first 48 hours is critical for our learning. One thing I do is to summarize my notes. Whether through memory devices or re-written essays, I find myself more equipped to engage the material, putting down what I like, what I dislike, and what are the pros and cons of what I have heard. Within the first 48 hours, many of the things remain fresh in the head. It is easy to recall the powerful stories and pointers. For those of us who have been moved by any one story, try telling the same story to another person in your own words. Talk to another person, preferably with people who have attended the same conference. Engage the material. Work through the pros and cons. When purchasing the audio-visual materials, make sure they are kept in sight, that is, we know where they are. Often, we tend to misplace them as we go back to our usual routines.

Whatever 7 steps to becoming more effective person, or 8 ways to lead, or 9 techniques to sell, we all need to learn to summarize and to decide what makes sense for us personally. Without adequate reflection, we lose what we learn. Not only that, we have wasted our time and money on mere entertainment.

C) Personal Disciplines

After 48 hours, make it a personal effort to record or to remember what we have learned. Over time, things appear very different. Contexts vary. Facts increase. We change. That is why we need to continue to update ourselves in terms of learning. Learning is not the responsibility of the motivational gurus. It is our own responsibility. Each of us needs to discover how best we learn. For some of us, we need to maintain a regular regime of exercise and active working out of what we learn. For others, all it takes is for an appropriate device to jigger our memories. For all of us, we need a certain learning discipline in order to maximize our education. Take time to update our facts. Take time to learn.

So when you see the next conference in town, do not be too quick to dismiss them. At the same time, do not be too ready to blame the gurus or organizers for organizing the same old thing. Whether people chooses to go or not, is basically part of their journeying process. For some, they may need several more seminars before they can benefit in the long-term. Such people need to be wealthy enough to fund this expensive option. For others, once may be more than enough. Whatever it is, learning is not the responsibility of the organizers or the motivational gurus. Learning is our responsibility. We cannot blame organizers or the motivational gurus for what they do best. If we feel tired or frustrated by our lack of learning, the problem is less of theirs but more of ourselves.

What are you going to do when you receive the next motivational brochure? If you have done your homework after your previous seminar, you will pass the brochure to someone else. If you have not, chances are, you will feel the itch. You will start to budget. You will likely begin the vicious cycle again, and again, and again.

Where there is this cycle, there the motivational speakers will be also.


conrade

Is There Hope for Education?

This quote expresses my concern about modern education so well. I could not have articulated it any better. While the text may seem to be attributed to Chris Hedges, some of the ideas in the quote are from Chris Hebdon and William Dersiewicz.

I admit. I had to rub my eyes to read the statement slowly and intentionally, and each time I do that, I end up saying: "Wow!" conrade

Tuition Fees Increases

Currently, the big news in Canada is the tuition fee increase in the province of Quebec. In particular, it is the student protest that is getting the headlines.

I remember myself experiencing a transition more than 20 years ago. In my first two years as a University student, I pay only a few hundred dollars of tuition fees. While that is only a small percentage of the total fees, I have to sign some government papers that essentially entitles me to receive a cheque that pays off the majority of the actual fees to the University. In my third year, there was a major shift in terms of government funding. The hand out has turned into interest-free loans. That means I get to apply for bank loans from local banks, interest free for a short period of time, payable the year after I graduate. The amount came up to be a few thousand dollars. After my graduation, I got a job and promptly paid off the bank loans in less than a year. Piece of cake. Those were times of low tuition and high education subsidy. Of course, my generation experiences less than my predecessors, who pay even less tuition.

Student Protesters in Montreal (Credit: National Post)

Those of us in other provinces outside Montreal will be appalled at the protests based on at least two reasons. First, Quebec students pay the lowest tuition when compared to the rest of the country. Second, the increase in tuition fees are considered pittance compared to the kinds of increases in other provinces. Take a look here.

My initial thinking is that, if anyone needs to protest, it is the rest of Canada more than Quebec. The weighted average annual tuition for Canadians is $5535. Montreal students only pay $3793, which is way lower than the national average. What then is the problem?

The problem lies not in the final number but the sudden jump in costs. If you have been paying $1968 per year, think about what it means to be suddenly paying $3793. That's almost double. It is not the increase per se but the quantum and the suddenness of it all.

A) Double Whammy on the Education Front

Fast forward twenty years later, the picture has changed. Tuition fees are much higher than before. Subsidies are much lower than before. That is a double whammy which students bear the brunt of the costs. We understand that professors need to be paid. School facilities need to be maintained. Equipment need to be upgraded. Governments want to cut costs.  With governments around the world tightening their belts, and with lesser money being channeled to education, students are now saddled with thousands of dollars of debt the moment they receive their degree. My daughter tells me that one of her teachers only managed to repay her student loans after many years of work. Thanks to a blogger friend, I came across this article that gives a fresh take on the current student protests in Montreal.

It is also easy to point a finger at our existing generation about them having a sense of entitlement. I have heard that from many of my contemporaries. Initially, I too have jumped on the same bandwagon. Now I see with eyes from the other side as well. Before any one generation points a finger at another generation, remember that backgrounds are different. Times are different. Life was very much different, as far as tuition fees are concerned.

• Government subsidies for education thirty years ago are more generous than existing ones.
• Tuition fees back then are much cheaper than present times.
• Market forces in the past are way different from this current era.

B) At Least Understand The Students

If you do not support any forms of student protests, that is fine. In fact, I am all for non-violence and for a return to normalcy as much as possible. Having said that, the minimum any man in the street can do is to understand the predicament of students. I want to speak out for students primarily because I feel that education is a core part of any society. Students have a right to a proper education. Students have a right for government money to go into the educational fund. If governments aim to cut educational budgets, they must also make sure they register a tax cut for these persons when they enter the marketplace. 

As the media focuses more on protests they call "violent," and how such students have been "arrested" like criminals, and how they are burdening the justice system, let us not forget that students are not doing these for fun. In any violence, there needs to be two parties. An instigator and a reactor. The trouble is, there are pockets of both students and the police that are guilty of both.

I think this tuition fee problem reflects a deeper systemic issue. It reflects how government does things. It reflects the different generational differences on the word "entitlement." It reflects a world of changing values that we are only beginning to see. It is not primarily about money. It is about agreeing how money is to be spent.

conrade

Old Testament in the Modern World

Christians claim belief in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.  Yet, many tend to read more New Testament than the Old Testament. Just look at some numbers. The Old Testament has 39 books while the New Testament has 27 books, many of which are letters. The bulk of the Bible contains the Old Testament. The Bible that Jesus read is essentially the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus Himself has said:

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." (Matt 5:17, NAS)

Yet, in general, churches tend to preach more sermons on the New Testament than the Old.

Dr Iain Provan is a very respected Professor of Old Testament at Regent-College. I have taken several courses with him before and have been fascinated with his calm, gentle explanation of biblical history and old testament studies, laced with a warm Scottish accent. These 4 interviews are excellently interviewed by a Regent alum, Simon Smart, a director of the Centre for Public Christianity in Sydney, Australia.

Part 1 - Can We Trust the Old Testament? (Link)


Can we trust the Old Testament? from CPX on Vimeo.

This interview addresses the criticisms surrounding the reliability of the OT. Provan argues against simplistic generalizations of such critics, the need to read the literature beyond simply reporting facts, but to recognize biblical claims for what they are. The real problem is how to deal with the fragmentary pieces of evidence of biblical data. While problems exist, the disciplines of study are themselves interpretative too. Too many people read OT based on their own presuppositions, and fail to read the Bible for what they are. Too many start off erroneously by reading the OT to prove or disprove something. A good way to read OT is to read and put together all the biblical accounts to discover a common story, in real ancient space and time.

Part 2 - The Old Testament, a Context for Violence (Link)


The Old Testament: A context for Violence from CPX on Vimeo.

This interview talks about violence which critics throw at Christians surrounding ancient tribal barbaric practices. Provan points out that 'the modern world is pretty violent too .  . . 21st Century way more violent. . . ' He argues that the picture of an angry Old Testament God is but one view. Provan says that God works within the different contexts of the world, and that the very people who pass stories are not simply telling a story but framing an ancient reference of law and justice. In other words, ancient literature of harsh violence highlights not the violence but the necessary justice. Other points include the OT often describes violent events to tell us the contextual justice in a world of exceeding dark evil. Not all are meant to be literally applied in our modern world. More importantly, the Old Testament begins with the understanding of God being holy and good.

Part 3 - The Relevance of the Old Testament Today (Link)


The relevance of the Old Testament today from CPX on Vimeo.

How do we get people excited about the Old Testament? Education and understanding of the backgrounds and cultures will help. Firstly, read the Bible on its terms, not ours. Second, compare with parallel ancient conquests and narratives, and we will see that other literature during the Ancient Near East are quite similar to biblical accounts. In other words, biblical story is essentially told through contexts familiar to the biblical audiences at that time. Think about biblical principles and contexts. Read how the Jesus and Paul are able to apply ancient texts to their worlds during their time.

Part 4 - The Bible's Gift to the West (Link)


The Bible's gift to the West from CPX on Vimeo.

Provan asserts that the modern world owes its existence to the capital of a Judea-Christian tradition. For example, people are considered precious due to the sacredness the Bible has held with regards to the sanctity of life. On doubts, Provan says that all thinking people will have questions and doubts. Even Christians too, just like all of life. The point is the context and what we do with our doubts that is the key. Jesus Himself builds on the traditions of the ancient Scriptures. Likewise, one can read to see common themes between the OT and the NT. Themes like forgiveness, salvation, grace, and God's initiatives in the world. The key idea in the OT is not simply about one God. It is about God is good. Everything else flows from this.

Check out the videos. Provan is very clear in explaining the points and we can all learn a lot about the Old Testament through these 4 short video clips.

conrade

Regent Summer School 2012

This is part 2 of my recommendations for Regent Summer School. Part 1 can be read here.

Summer courses at Regent College will be one of the best investment of your time and money. Do not just take my word for it. Check it out yourself. Here are some of the highlights I can glean from the brochures. Based on my experience as a student, as a teaching assistant, and as a volunteer over the years, I can say that the quality has continued to impress. The spring session runs from May7-June 18. The summer session runs from June 25-July 27. This blog post will deal with the latter.

Here are some highlights.

If you are interested in all things technology, culture, and Christian thinking surrounding a postmodern world, David Lyon's "Surveillance in the 21st Century" will probably interest you.  Privacy concerns continue to plague the online world. Remember Google's latest consolidation of 60 privacy matters into 1 'convenient' clause? How will our personal information be used in an increasingly online world? Lyon is worth listening to.

If you like history, or want to catch a glimpse of why history has sparked many Regent students to do PhDs in historical studies, perhaps you want to check out George Marsden and Bill Svelmoe's "Faces of 20th Century North American Evangelicalism."

For theology, there is the ever familiar Paul Helm's "Systematic Theology A" and Hans Boersma's "Theology of Culture." These courses are primarily for Regent students pursuing a Masters degree. However, if you are looking for a challenge, this fits. Dave Diewert continues to press along the need for Christians to identify with the marginalized and to speak up for their rights in "Solidarity, Resistance, and Liberation." Students of Regent will know how he gave up his cushy lecturer position at Regent to live with the marginalized.

Regent College is getting more well known for its emphasis on integrating and learning theology through art. This year, we have Rachel Hostetter Smith's "The Interplay of Christianity, Arts, and Culture," Tim Lowly's "Drawing, Close to God: Regarding, the Vocation of the Artist," Ralph Wood's literary offering in "Flannery O'Connor, the Gospel, and the Imagination" and many more.

For biblical studies, there is Rebecca Idestrom's "Ezekiel: God's Glory," John Barclay's "Galatians: Paul's Most Radical Letter," the not to be missed Bruce Waltke and James Houston's "Psalms as Christian Lament," and of course the biblical languages for the diehard language enthusiasts.

Then, there is the spirituality courses that I find is one of the best any seminary can ever offer. Susan Philip's "Contemplative Listening" has become so popular that it has become an annual event. Marilyn McEntyre's "Contemplative Reading: Scripture and Beyond" will be a draw too.

Download the entire 2012 brochure in pdf here.

conrade

Women in the Church - Part 2 of 3

Title: Women in the Church - Part 2 of 3
A Three Part Series on women in leadership and women ministering in the Church
Text: 1 Timothy 2:11-15
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 12 Oct 2010

Yesterday, I introduce the first problem with regards to women in the Church, whether women should shut up when in the Church. Today, I deal with two more questions.




PROBLEM #2 – Can Women Teach in the Church? (v12)

“I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.”

CONCERN: Why is Paul discriminating against women here? Isn’t it true that women play such a huge role in society nowadays, especially in the area of teaching and education.

CONTEXT: Again, remember that the women in general in society are uneducated. It is not a question of capability, but one of a culture during that time. Go to some of the poorer societies in the world, in Asia, Eastern Europe or Africa, and you can still find that most of the privileges and leadership still belong to men. Note that the translation can also be as follows:

“In my opinion it is right for a woman not to be a teacher, or to have rule over a man, but to be quiet.” (1 Tim 2:12, BBE)

This highlights at least two things. Firstly, the ruling is not “God says” but “Paul says.” It is based on what is the best instruction pertaining to that situation. Paul is applying what he deems best at that time. Secondly, the emphasis is ‘domineering’ manner whose attitude is similar to parents not exasperating their children, or wives not pulling their husbands’ ears to force compliance, or an army commander ordering his troops to do hundreds of sit-ups.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION: In our modern day and age, women in the Church have been such a big blessing to all kinds of Christian ministry. Go to any Church. Enter any Christian fellowship. More likely than not, you will see a faithful band of women servants, people who are passionately helping to strengthen rather than weaken the Church. I cannot imagine a Church that excludes women from Christian service. I remember teaching in Sunday School. The number of women outnumbers the men by a factor of at least 5 to 1. In some Churches, there are Sunday School classes packed with women teachers without even a single male in sight. I believe women ought to be allowed to teach in the Church. However, in line with the spirit of Scripture, they are not to teach in a ‘domineering way’ that seems to say: “Me Tarzanie, You Jim.” That will be injecting a form of Amazonian woman culture as superiors and lords over men. In truth, no one except Jesus can lord over us. On earth, men and women are expected to treat one another with mutual respect, and loving correction when needed. Abusive behaviour from any sexes is prohibited.

Personally, I believe that having more teachers willing to contribute their gifts and talents is a good ‘problem’ to start with.  It is simply ridiculous to stop anyone from teaching simply because of gender. Perhaps, the presence of female teachers in our society has less to do with women per se but a veiled reproach on men who fail to step up when they are able to. In other words, men ought not to blame women when men themselves shirk away from their responsibilities. It is like Deborah, who became an unwilling leader of Israel when men like Barak shrugs away their responsibility.

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

“Very well,” Deborah said, “I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh, (Judges 4:8-9)

CONCLUSION: I have no problems with women teaching in religious settings. In fact, the Church will be blessed to have more good teachers, regardless of gender. I have encountered many excellent women teachers and preachers. We have a lot to gain and to learn from them. Not allowing them to speak and exercise their gifts simply because of gender is not only unfair. It is downright silly. That said, there is still a place for male leadership. If the situation arises, where the women in ministry start to boss men around. When they devalue the worth of men, and treat them disrespectfully. When they run the Church in such a domineering manner, that dissolves all gender differences and lead to a confusion of gender roles, I think the line has been crossed.

PROBLEM #3 – "An Unfair Hierarchy?" (v13)

“For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” (1 Tim 2:13)

CONCERN: Is it a problem when God chooses to make man first, and woman second? Does that mean that man has a ‘higher’ level of importance than women?

CONTEXT: When Paul raises the example of Adam and Eve, he is going back to the creation account that reflects a certain order of things. Paul is walking a tightrope in providing some teaching in the Church as well as order in an increasingly chaotic situation. With the threat of false teachings as a background, Paul needs to assert an authoritative voice, since the New Testament are not available to them at that time. Tough times require tough control, which is what Paul is doing. Moreover, it becomes necessary that Paul puts down his feet to stamp out heretic noises and all kinds of confusion going on then. We in the 21st Century need to be careful not to assume that readers at that time have all the Bible materials like we have now.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION: Make a distinction between ‘role’ and ‘importance.’ The verse about Adam and Eve is not saying that Eve is of ‘lesser importance.’ Instead, it is reminding us of our specific roles according to our backgrounds, our calling, our giftings, our situation and our contexts. When we serve the Lord, it is not the position of our hierarchy that matters. Rather it is the posture of our hearts. Do not interpret this verse in terms of bloodline of importance. View it in terms of the roles that we play. We are equal in importance but differ in roles we play.

CONCLUSION: Being formed second does not necessarily means lower importance. Paul is talking more about specific ‘roles’ rather than hierarchical superiority.

Look out for Part Three tomorrow, where I deal with verses 14-15.

conrade

Women in the Church - Part I of 3

Title: Women in the Church - Part 1 of 3
A Three Part Series on women in leadership and women ministering in the Church
Text: 1 Timothy 2:11-15
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 11 Oct 2010

“Is Paul an MCP?” (male chauvinist pig)? I ask a question regarding the controversial passage to a group of men and women. Some quietly defends Paul, but a vocal few fiercely criticize Paul. After all, in our modern world of women’s lib, and open lifestyle of equality and freedom, how many of us can really expect women to be silent? Moreover, some men have been known to say stupid and insensitive things. Ask any wife and they will readily admit their husbands are far from perfect. Open up the papers and look at some public gaffes uttered by some male politicians. Look at 2 of the quotes from the ex-President of the US.

• "I’m honoured to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein"
  
• "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office"

Humour aside, there is a more serious concern about 1 Timothy. These words of Paul are recorded in the Bible. They are held with high regard and reverence by Christians the world over. If men and women are equally imperfect, why is Paul the Apostle, writing such words that appears so distasteful to our 21st Century ears? More critically, by having these letters canonized as Holy Scripture, isn’t that an unfair advantage ceremoniously awarded to the male gender? Does this contradict the Bible as the credible Word of God? Is the Bible still relevant for our modern world?

Let me start by recognizing that this passage is tough to interpret. Reading the texts makes me uncomfortable. Without any knowledge or background, the injunctions against women are indeed offensive to modern ears. This will be a 3-part series on “Women in the Church.” I shall deal with the passages from 1 Tim 2:11-15, going through a verse at a time. At each verse, I will identify some major concerns, highlight the contexts, suggest some contemporary applications and my conclusion. In the spirit of learning and open discussion, I want to keep this commentary as welcoming as possible. You are welcome to put in your views by using the comment facility in this blog. In Part One, I will deal with the question “Should Women Remain Silent in Church?”

In Part Two, I will discuss two other questions; “Can Women Teach in the Church?” and whether Paul is proposing “An Unfair Hierarchy?”

In Part Three, I will deal with the questions: “Women Committing a Greater Sin?” and “Women Saved Through Childbearing?” Part One will be published on Monday, 11th October, 2010. Part Two on Tuesday, 12th October 2010, and Part Three on Wednesday, 13th October 2010.


A) PROBLEM #1 – Should Women Remain Silent in Church? (v11)

“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.”

CONCERN: Why must such a sanction be only for women? Isn’t Paul a sexist? Why must Paul discriminate among men and women? What is the thing about submission? Since Paul is a male, certainly it is easy for him to hem down on women. Can he put himself in the shoes of women?

Looking at it, it is certainly quite an impossible thing to assert in the Church of today. That said, let us look at the context.

CONTEXT: Remember that the problem faced by the Church in Ephesus is a unique one at that time. False teachings and the rampant number of false teachers are Paul’s immediate concerns. Paul is not specifically talking about an absolute gag on women of all ages through time. He is talking about a specific action designed for a specific challenge during the 1st Century. During that time, most women were uneducated. They do not have the privilege to go to school and be educated, unlike the men. Moreover, the culture tends to prefer the men to be the leaders and teachers of religious places. Having said that, the responsibilities placed on men are significantly more serious than those placed on women.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION: Note that Paul is referring to an inner attitude of ‘submissiveness,’ rather than a command for women to bow down and submit to men. What about interpreting the verse to be ‘submissive to God,’ rather than to be overly gender sensitive. That said, what Paul is saying to the women does not necessarily mean the men are excluded. All are supposed to submit to God. We need also to be aware that at that time, readers will understand Paul’s words as referring to the whole Church, not just any particular gender. In other words, the words of Paul are to be assumed applicable to all, but certain genders when mentioned, need to pay particular attention when called. It is like saying, all of us need to obey God, but for certain people they need to pay attention in a more specific way appropriate to their situation. It is not meant to be permanent, but necessary due to the havoc the false teachers are creating.

CONCLUSION: Women nowadays are generally not expected to shut their mouths even in religious situation. They have every right to speak or to stay silent. Whatever they do, it needs to be in line with right teaching and maintaining unity in the Church. As much as women are allowed to teach, men should also be exhorted to step up. The Church belongs Christ. It comprises of both men and women. With better education, and respectable behaviour, women can play a positive and larger role in the Church. Yet, Church discipline goes beyond all genders. If there is a time to keep quiet, stay silent. If it is time to talk, speak up. Do whatever possible to maintain a level of order or discipline within the Church. If the situation at Ephesus are the recur in any of our Churches now, where  gullible people are used by false teachers to spread heresy, leaders of the Church have to step in to rein in the peace disrupters.

Look out for Part Two tomorrow, where I deal with verses 12-13.

conrade

The Ethical Flip-Flop

Act I - The Invitation
Susan Elliot was happy to receive an invitation to speak at an International Conference. She submitted her CV and was duly confirmed.

Yes, she is going to the conference.

Act II - The 'Miscommunication'
Then come a 'miscommunication.' Due to her hearing impairment, her invitation was rescinded. Her invitation to speak was taken back by the organizers.

No. She is not going to the conference.

She checked again a couple of times. The officials were said to wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

No. She is definitely not going to the conference.

Anthony Mullen found out about this, and wrote an article to highlight this. Many people soon become aghast and upset over the way Miss Elliot was treated.

Act III:  comes the 'misunderstanding.'
The organizers of the conference quickly assembled a message to rescind that rescission.

Miss Elliot accepted the apology. Yes, she is finally going to the conference. See the official MOE apology, that a friend of mine received from the ministry. The speed of that reply indicates that they have received lots of brickbats and made this ready-statement for quick response. That's the power of the Internet!

10 One-Liners to kickstart Group Discussion

In our multimedia world of technology gizmos and mass distractions around us, it can be a big challenge to get people to listen and pay attention. One innovative approach is to use creative catchy phrases. Erwin Lutzer is a senior pastor at Moody Church in Chicago. Some of his titles for sermons are indeed catchy and makes us re-think about what the world has been telling us about God. For speakers and preachers, one of the ways to get attention is through the use of catchy phrases. May the following from his book, "Ten Lies About God," provide some food for thought, or for spurring a stimulating group discussion.

THE TEN LIES ABOUT GOD (according to Erwin Lutzer)
Lie 1: God is whatever we want him to be.
Lie 2: Many paths lead into God's presence.
Lie 3: God is more tolerant than He used to be.
Lie 4: God has personally never suffered.
Lie 5: God is obligated to save followers of other religions.
Lie 6: God takes no responsibility for natural disasters.
Lie 7: God does not know our decisions before we make them.
Lie 8: The Fall ruined God's plan.
Lie 9: We must choose between God's pleasures and our own.
Lie 10: God helps those who help themselves.

My Comments
The key to understanding and engaging these are to see them not as absolute statements, but what it is pointing us to. Here are my personal thoughts on what the 10 lies are pointing us toward:

1. God is not simply a tool for us to direct, but a Person to follow;
2. Many paths do not lead to God; Some paths are downright wrong and steep in error.
3. God is patient yes, but there is a limit;
4. Our God is a suffering God too;
5. Is God obligated to save other religions? No. God wants to, not have to, save mankind from their sins, regardless of their religious beliefs. This however does not mean that God overrides their personal choices.
6. When natural disasters happen, God also struggles with us;
7. God knows our every step of decision making. How he chooses to reveal this knowledge to us is his prerogative, not ours;
8. The Fall may have stumbled many. However, God's plan is much bigger than the Fall. The Fall may be Part 1 or 2 but God holds the conclusion;
9. Is God's pleasure any different from us? Why must we see all things in absolute terms all the time? Why can't God's pleasure be the same as ours? Like sharing good things with one another? Isn't that a pleasurable exercise for all?
10. Amen. This is a call to recognize that it is not good for man to be alone. We are not made to be independent from one another. This reminds me that we all live under grace. Grace extended to us is also to be extended to one another. Blessed is the man who is gracious and has gracious friends all around him.

Great topics for discussion.

conrade

Technology and Learning

Letting Technology Do all the Talking (and Learning!)

On February 5th, 2010, the Province published an interesting opinion (http://bit.ly/dwriPq) piece about technology and its influence on the young. Entitled, 'Heavy Use of Technology Undermines Learning,” Michael Zwaagstra cites the results of a Kaiser Family Foundation ('Generation M2: Media in the lives of 8 to 10 year olds'). In that survey of 2000 young people from 8-10 years old, he sees a direct correlation between the use of technology and its impact on reading and learning, with social implications.

When compared to five years ago, TV watching has risen by 16%; computer use by 44% and video gaming by a huge 49%. The study further divides the technology users into 3 groups, namely the heavy users (more than 16 hours per day), the moderate (between 3- 16 hours per day), and the light users (less than 3 hours per day). People who are in the heavy and moderate categories report the following characteristics:

• More easily bored;
• Dissatisfied in school;
• generally unhappy with life;
• Readily get into trouble.

The Business of Theological Education

I believe in education. I believe also in theological education. In fact, I believe in it so much that I have given up a lucrative career to pursue a theological degree. There is no better proof of my desire than where I choose to invest in. That is why, whenever I read about closure of Bible schools, downsizing of theological institutions and the demise of any institution offering theological education, I become sad.

Victims of the Economic Crisis
In the US and Canada, there has been several theological institutions that were forced to shut due to the lack of finance. Even the venerable Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary has to shrink its bookstore, reduce commitments and let some staff go at the peak of the crisis. The crisis is global. It extends also to the British University, the University of Sheffield, which is famed for its Biblical Studies department. Founded by the late F F Bruce, the administration had wanted to close down the venerable department for good, due to financial viability, low student enrollment and especially after a mass departure of senior lecturers from the faculty. Fortunately, the closure has been averted, at least for now. For colleges that has been struggling with the balance sheet, the recent economic meltdown has dealt a fatal blow to its existence.

Any form of educational endeavor requires some sensible management skills as well. It is one thing to produce the best biblical scholarship to offer the world. It is yet another to find the money to support this cause. I am familiar with several theological institutions, in Asia, in Europe as well as in North America. There is a common denominator. More than 80% of the money needed to run the Bible colleges are funded by a meagre 20% or less. For some, the ratio is 90-10. For Salt Lake Bible College in Utah, it takes just one big donor to withdraw his financial commitment to shutter the whole place. For many others, it is due to dwindling student enrollment.

I find that often, people has mistaken naivety for faith. They think that as long as they operate on the basis of the right cause, they do not have to worry about the cost. 'The funds will come.' so they say. The question: "What if it doesn't?" In fact, asking this very question can make people accuse me of having no faith.

Faith-Based Ministries have a hard time distinguishing between living by faith and stewarding one's resources. There is a time in which I was impressed by people like George Mueller, who basically prayed and testified God's providence over all of the needs of his orphanages. Without stating publicly his dire needs, his ministry is filled with boundless testimonies of how money simply arrived at his doorsteps. When people read it, it is like a miracle happening through prayer alone. With each answered prayer, the man of faith grew in leaps and bounds to encourage other believers struggling to make ends meet. Is it possible that not everyone is called to do what George Mueller is doing? Is there then another way to exercise faith-based ministry? I believe there is. The difference is in terms of context. Mueller did what he knew best. In our modern era, we need to live in step with what God has given us. In an Internet age, where information is freely and quickly available to anyone with a network connection, ease of getting free information online threatens the traditional model of offering theological education offline. Online Bible classes are sprouting out all over the Internet like wild mushrooms. How then can traditional theological colleges survive the onslaught of free information available as long as anyone has free time? How can anyone live by faith when the whole world is living-by-free-stuff?

The Tri-Partite Solution
I believe that there is a need for 3 entities in any theological endeavor: the Belief, the Business and the Bridge.

1) THE BELIEF
This defines the identity, the vision, the mission and the calling of the theological institution. Without the cause, there is no reason to start a college. The artist, the academic and aspiring theologian will all connect with this common conviction. It is the very basis of being. It is this basic statement of faith that gives the college a unique identity, to draw people of diverse backgrounds toward one common cause. Take a look at these statement of faith:

MISSION (Regent-College)

"Pursuing attentiveness to what God is doing in the world, we are committed to a global perspective in our teaching and learning."

MISSION (GCTS)

"Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is an educational institution serving the Lord and His Church. Its mission is to prepare men and women for ministry at home and abroad."

MISSION (Cambridge, UK)

"The mission of the University of Cambridge is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence."

Just a brief comparison of the mission statements will indicate to us where the specific emphases each institution represents. Regent-College is more concerned with worldview formation. Gordon-Conwell emphasizes ministry work. Cambridge desires to offer the highest level of excellence in all branches of education to society. Having a specific mission statement helps the stranger to understand what the institution stands for and its unique placement in society. In order to spearhead the institution forward, there need to be committed teachers, faithful givers, sufficient administrative structure as well as students. All of them has to be committed to this common cause. Otherwise, why should people fly all the way there from all over the world? Why not simply plump for the nearest neighborhood school for one's theological exposure?

2) THE BUSINESS
While it is an honorable goal to pursue causes, there is also a need to exercise wise stewardship and responsibility. For example, it does not make sense to maintain an organization of 100 people to serve a student population of 100. Likewise, it is hard to justify flying in an expensive professor and then offer his classes away cheaply, even for free. There is always a minimum price-tag, even for non-profits. Some places pass down the costs directly to students. I know of many students who struggle from semester to semester to pay off their school fees. Some have to resort to dropping Summer classes so as to earn some money to pay for the tuition during the normal Fall and Winter terms. Scholarships and bursaries are sometimes available, but are usually insufficient to pay for all of the students' monthly expenses.

The economic downturn of the business may have hit many institution's faithful givers. What is worrying is not this group of people. It is the fact that the younger generation comprises only a small fraction of the previous generation's appetite for giving. From statistical studies on giving, the majority of big givers are among the Baby Boomer generation (people born after WWII.) After them comes the Gen X and Gen Y, who practically lived through believing that this is a culture of entitlement rather than faithful giving. In a ChristianityToday article entitled, "Scrooge Lives!" not only are the numbers of givers decreasing, they are also giving less. In the article, there is a perceptive comment that:

"In addition, America's biggest givers—as a percentage of their income—are its lowest income earners." (CT, Dec 2008)

Does this mean that there are less poorer people entering the church? Or does it mean that more wealthy people are overwhelming the church with their stinginess? We need to continue to educate people on the business of giving. In our Internet age, where people even need to be coaxed into receiving freebies, the task of communicating the need to be generous is even more important. The rich and the not so rich cannot presume each other's level of giving. They are accountable first to God.

There is one thing that I learned in my early years in business. The way to make money is not only in cutting cost. It is increasing revenue. While theological institutions can wisely steward what they already have or are promised, they need to do more than simply manage funding. They too have to educate people on the business of giving. In fact, giving in itself is an act of worship to God. They have to play their part in showing the Christian public that giving is not simply a handout. It is an attitude, and reflects how much one loves God. Giving away money is solid proof that money is not an idol. This presents another opportunity for ALL theological institutes to be mindful of. Solicit funds not just for self, but for the whole people of God. This educating of 'giving-as-an-attitude' ought to be part of the business of the theological college.

3) THE BRIDGE
I was commenting on a friend's blog a few days ago, about the need to balance both art and business. Both feeds off each other. Without the art, business has nothing to spend its money on. Without basic business sense, art will run out of resources to operate. There is a third component, one that is able to bridge the understanding of the two. I call this the bridge. With the presence of a bridge, the artist can periodically cross over to see the businessperson's point of view. Likewise, the businessperson can regularly make a trip to the artistic world and see the significance of his investment. This bridge can be in the form of seminars, conferences or any opportunity to meet. It is also highly recommended that such bridges be built from within the artist population as well as the business population. Have training for both entities. Have regular interaction among them to ensure that each is aware of their unique contributions to the overall thrust of the institution.

FINAL COMMENTS
In summary, we need the three components to be working together for the survival and flourishing of any theological educational endeavor. We need a BELIEF that unites all toward a common cause in the name of Christ. We need a BUSINESS model of understanding that does not only concern themselves with wise stewardship or constantly nipping at the heels of a handful of regular big donors. We need to grow a teaching arm of giving-as-an-attitude or giving as a profound kind of spirituality that transcends all generations. The BELIEF may kick-start a theological enterprise, but it takes a viable BUSINESS model to sustain itself into the future. In order to keep all working together in commitment and passion, we need BRIDGEs to inform one another of the different outlook pertaining to this common cause.

Of course, what I am writing here is nothing really new. Except that we all needed reminders in one way or another. Theological education is not simply studying theology. There is a business involved. There is also the need to bridge with the Church and Christians in the world. Without this bridge, when the money runs out, the artist and the theologian's work ceases. Without this bridge, when the creativity and talent expires, the businessperson finds one less avenue for investing and for giving to. Without this bridge, instead of studying the history of Christianity and the various theological disciplines through the ages, our modern 'theological education' as we now know may very well find themselves extinct.

ks

"Here We Are To Worship" - another reminder

How do we worship? From time to time, we are compelled to grapple with this word, especially when we start to question the purposes behind why we do certain things. For example,

• Why must there be electric guitars in the band?
• What happened to traditional hymns in a 'contemporary' service?
• Why are some modern choruses so catchy and moving, and yet seems theologically shallow?
• Should we employ new technologies in worship services?
• Can the congregation worship eloquently, without having to hire a professional worship leader?
• How do we design a worship service that caters to a multi-ethnic, multi-age and and multimedia-intoxicated society?

Brad Harper and Paul Metzger shines the light back on the age-old quarrel between 'traditional' and 'contemporary' forms of worship. In their latest article, "Here We Are To Worship," published in ChristianityToday (Aug 2009), they remind us how important the role of cultural awareness is. They begin by highlighting Regent-College's John Stackhouse's article "Memo to Worship Bands" as proof that the debate is still alive and sometimes highly charged. They point out 6 peace-making principles that should calm the most radical 'contemporary' worshiper, and to assure the ever resolute 'traditional' member. Essentially, Harper and Metzger believe that the understanding of the culture is critical in order to bring a worship 'truce.' Briefly, the 6 pointers are:

1. All liturgical action is culturally conditioned.
2. The relationship between liturgy and culture is theologically framed by creation and the Incarnation.
3. Integrating liturgy and culture requires us to be critical of our own cultural context.
4. The extremes of either complete identification with or rejection of a given culture should be avoided.
5. Worship must reflect common elements of the Christian tradition through the unique expressions of a particular cultural context.
6. The liturgical actions of the church—including proclamation of the Word, common prayer, baptism, and Eucharist—are among the "universal" or common factors in the Christian tradition.

My Comments

The key question asked by the authors is:

"Do changing worship forms adapted from popular culture facilitate an authentic encounter with God in Christ through the Holy Spirit as described by the Scriptures and understood by historic Christian orthodoxy?"

They answer this question in 6 ways above. These 6 'affirmations of worship' were drawn from John Witvliet's "Worship Seeking Understanding." While all refers to culture, the first three relates liturgy with culture. The fourth warns against extremes of acceptance/rejection of culture. The fifth insists that tradition be included in any cultural adaptation. The final one maintains the 'must-have's in any worship service design. By noticing how much additional coverage the authors put toward #3 and #6, we can roughly surmise that the authors are seeing cultural adaptation from a 'tradition' (not traditionalist) mindset.

CRITIQUE: I am disappointed that Harper and Metzger did not talk more about the Holy Spirit, despite putting the 'Spirit' as a sub-heading in their article. In fact, they focus so much on 'culture,' ' symbols,' 'liturgy,' 'forms' and 'styles' that all the attention seems to be on the 'visible' work of human hands instead of the 'invisible' prompting of the Holy Spirit. For this, I believe this article is handicapped severely by the lack of a Pentecostal perspective: experiencing God, not by mighty traditional hymns, nor by powerful contemporary songs but by the Spirit of God.

POSITIVES: Nevertheless, there are some good points. For instance, the authors highlight once again, the need to include good tradition. This reminds me of the difference between tradition and traditionalism as aptly summed up by the famous words of Jaroslav Pelikan:

"Tradition is the living faith of the dead,
traditionalism is the dead faith of the living."
— (Jaroslav Pelikan, The Vindication of Tradition)

In other words, we should not be too quick to banish the word 'tradition' from the vocabulary of the most ardent contemporary activist. Distinguish the good and the not-so-good. Do not throw the proverbial baby out together with the dirty bathwater. Eventually, the authors come to a middle ground with the infamous 'yes-no' answer. What is the value of reading this article? It all boils down to one word. It is not 'truce.' Neither is it 'balance' in terms of "sometimes we sing hymns, sometimes we sing choruses' in a 50-50 proportion. It is certainly not "yes-no.' Quoting the theologian Marva Dawn (another Regent professor), the real reminder to all traditionalists and contemporary-ists when it comes to worship is that E-word: 'Education." I could not agree more.

ks

Free Bible Audio Courses (Koinos)

Here is another excellent online resource for those too busy or too poor to go to Bible School. Sponsored largely by Richmond Chinese Alliance Church, BC Canada, the site comprises many lectures associated with Regent-College (my alma-mater). You can listen to lectures ranging from Bible knowledge, Old Testament, New Testament, Ethics, Worship, Church History, Theology, Mission as well as Christian ministry. There is also a section on Chinese culture, taught by a non-Chinese! Cool. Those of us familiar with Regent will recognize names like Miriam Adeney, Ward Gasque, Carl Amerding, Susan Phillips just to name a few. With Ward Gasque as the senior pastor of RCAC, it is no surprise that his passion for theological and biblical teaching is translated into such a wonderful resource for the Church.

KOINOS is developed by Pacific Association for Theological Studies (Seattle), some churches and institutions. Their seminars are updated here online. All the lectures from the previous seminar held at RCAC have been released to the public for free. Thanks RCAC. I think KOINOS is able to work with various churches to design a Christian education curriculum. You can contact them directly if your church is interested.

ks

MBA Oath - A Pledge to be 'Ethical'

This is an interesting development. A group of Harvard MBA students have taken the pledge to be ethical. Check it out here. There were no such initiative I know when I received my MBA before the turn of the century. Well, better late than never. If you are an MBA, you may want to consider taking the oath here.

=============== THE MBA OATH (from mbaoath.org) =========

THE MBA OATH

As a manager, my purpose is to serve the greater good by bringing people and resources together to create value that no single individual can create alone. Therefore I will seek a course that enhances the value my enterprise can create for society over the long term. I recognize my decisions can have far-reaching consequences that affect the well-being of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and in the future. As I reconcile the interests of different constituencies, I will face choices that are not easy for me and others.

Therefore I promise:

• I will act with utmost integrity and pursue my work in an ethical manner.
• I will safeguard the interests of my shareholders, co-workers, customers and the society in which we operate.
• I will manage my enterprise in good faith, guarding against decisions and behavior that advance my own narrow ambitions but harm the enterprise and the societies it serves.
• I will understand and uphold, both in letter and in spirit, the laws and contracts governing my own conduct and that of my enterprise.
• I will take responsibility for my actions, and I will represent the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly.
• I will develop both myself and other managers under my supervision so that the profession continues to grow and contribute to the well-being of society.
• I will strive to create sustainable economic, social, and environmental prosperity worldwide.
• I will be accountable to my peers and they will be accountable to me for living by this oath.

This oath I make freely, and upon my honor.

===============
Creative and a noteworthy development.

ks

Theological Training (free!)

During these tough economic situations, there are still some places which charitably offer an online theological education without charge. My seminary, Gordon-Conwell is one of them. The "Dimensions of the Faith" program is free for anyone to take online. You will need to create an account here. You can then get 10 dimension courses which you can follow. Upon completion of each module, you can take an exam and after 10 exams, you get a free Certificate! However, it will be difficult to work on it alone, so if you are really keen to start and finish the course, better get a study partner or a study group.

A second site is Biblical Training, which does not offer a certificate but comprises good lectures. Several of them are from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary as well.

Do pray for Gordon-Conwell which is currently going through tough financial challenges.

ks

Learning With - A Teaching Paradigm

This is a video clip that highlights the gap between old educational structures trying to reach a new generation of students. See the video first, then read my comments below.


CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS TODAY
Teaching is my passion. In my heart, education matters have progressed from homework toil to examination fears; from tussling for excellent grades to jostling for good jobs; from concern for my children’s learning to yearning for meaningful living. It has been said that the longest journey in the world is from the head to the heart. Increasingly, after more than 40 years, I find myself shuttling constantly between the mind and the heart, between theory and practice; and between what the world deems ‘realistic and achievable’ to what I deeply desire in terms of hopes and dreams. Having struggled so hard in my early educational years, there is a sense of nostalgia, that I have practiced tonnes of past-year papers and scored distinctions in my grades. I remember the different teachers who tries to pass information down to me so that I can ‘learn.’ In those days, the Internet did not exist. There were no Facebook users but paper notebooks. No mouse or keyboards but pen and paper. Email communications were unheard of. I wrote love-letters, lots of them, complete with envelopes and stamps. Little encouragement cards were frequently exchanged, many of them becoming bookmarks for my large collection of books. Alas, these things are rare nowadays.

STRUCTURES NOT EASILY REMOVED
Education has come a long way, but the structures that took many years to put up, will need a longer time to take down. It is not the same as clicking the ADD/REMOVE icon, and removing the program from the operating system. This is because the bulk of the administration lives and survives on such an infrastructure, no matter how archaic it may be. I came across this video clip a couple of months ago. When it was first made, it attracted more than a million hits on Youtube. Interest continues to grow as even the creator was surprised how many educators identified with his message. That is why, watching the video developed by Professor Michael Wesch gives me some sadness amid the many valid concerns he highlight. Yet, I feel there are more reasons for hope than despair.

How valid are the statements made in the video?
Somewhat. I do not question the legitimacy of the words that describe what they do. A quick glance reveals that these are simply estimates of what the students are attending to, in this contemporary age. It does not necessarily reflect their way of learning, even though it may be a large part of their daily lives. Most of the tools like iPods, Facebook, Emails are part of the social networking excitement that is all the rave that is dominating Internet headlines. They are very much a recent phenomenon, and it is difficult to conclude that they will continue to dominate even in the future. It could be a fad in passing, especially when some other things later becomes more exciting. We will also need to ask, why are these students spending so much time on such electronic media? It has to be driven by a need. This echoes a large need to connect and to be linked to a wider community, from a secure distance. The statistical numbers may reflect that of a particular poll, but they do not necessarily mean that the student concerned WILL fall into that category. In summary, while the statements are helpful insights into the changing lifestyles and choices young people are making, they do not necessarily mean they are the BEST choice for them in this age. Educators however can learn to appreciate where the students are coming from, and incorporate part of this new environment into their teaching curriculum and styles. Abandoning old proven structures overnight and replacing them with new unproven techniques/technologies would be like throwing away our reliable compass in favour of a first generation unproven navigational device. Simply put, keep the best of the old and the most appropriate from the new.

Why Are Students Feeling That Way?

• Students are losing the ability to pay attention; For instance, society is being educated by commercials rather than good reading material. We can sing the latest cola jingle or McDonald's quip, but struggle to recall a quote from a serious book.
  
• Many students are getting increasingly frustrated that they have not been well understood by the institutions and general teaching population;
  
• Teachers have not kept pace with changes, fast enough. Most of them do not know how.
  
• Technology has captured the imagination of many. However, we cannot put blind faith in what technology can do

My Comments on the clip:
1) Firstly, do not despair. Things are not as bad as they seem, although the clip is filmed from a cynical angle of gaping holes in the current educational system. This is because the best hope for the future requires an honest appreciation of the past. Teachers have part of that past and can be a bridge to the present. Otherwise, without a proper knowledge of our history, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past needlessly. This is what I call the retrospective need. In other words, only by understanding where we have been, can we truly answer the question: “Where do you want to go today?” Published in 1995, Bill Gates book, ‘The Road Ahead’ is more about Bill Gates’ history rather than any prediction about the future. According to the Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, foresight is largely an understanding of hindsight. Hence, for those of us who are beneficiaries of an archaic system, that some will even call a ‘dinosaur’ era, do not despair. Our understanding of the present changes is more profound, given our familiarity with the past. We have much to teach the young. Memorizing mathematical timetables is still a practice that produces rich dividends. For example, recalling from memory the answer of 11 times 11 is faster than getting the answer from the computer/calculator. Being able to link delicate information of logic, deduction and discernment is something that no supercomputer can ever accomplish. Machines excel in the sciences but are found wanting when dealing with the arts. We are not mechanical devices but human beings. Technology can help accelerate information flow but can never replace actual learning.

2) Secondly, education is not simply about information. That is the trouble with my old way of learning, that I can ace exams simply by cramming information into my head, and then spilling it out cold when the questions appear in a 3 hour long test. I have heard umpteen times that what students learn in their classroom have no practical purposes in the real world. In many ways that is still true in many areas. I have no practical idea how the math logarithm tables are converted into actual reality. Neither do I know how meaningful is memorizing the chemical numbers of sodium or potassium and how to use it to solve problems in the physical world. Perhaps, engineering calculations like stress analysis of beams and structural tolerances are critical in building design. Or medical know-how of what medications are appropriate for certain ailments. However, the wisdom and the ability to know WHEN and WHAT combination to use on the projects is not easily transmitted. Wisdom is not taught but caught. Attitude is not obtained in the classroom but attained with humble and honest discipline. Moreover, there are many things the schools cannot teach. It has to be learned at a personal price in the institutions of life and hard knocks.

3) Thirdly, I am concerned about the declining rate of attention span. Even adults are not spared. For instance, people are stimulated more by visual images rather than the plain text. That is one reason why movies/DVDs are far more popular than the traditional books/print media. I spoke with a librarian in the downtown public library and was told that the DVDs are practically ‘flying off the shelves.’ He couldn’t say the same for books. The decreasing popularity of the printed word however does have a silver lining. Book lovers like me can easily find the books that I want. I presented a paper at a focus group at Regent-College last year, entitled: “Windows of Mass Distraction.” In it, I lamented the rise of a generation of ‘attention-deficit’ individuals, community, congregation and society at large. Advertisements tempt us to buy things we do not need. The idea of ‘multi-tasking’ can falsely make us think that we are achieving more when we are doing less of each. I dare say that in many cases, multi-tasking is a form of being a jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none. Take Microsoft Windows technology, for example. We can open multiple windows and do different tasks at the same time. However, the more windows we execute, there is a payload cost to bear. Certain processes in other windows will have to suffer in performance. Everything comes with a cost.

Humanly speaking, we are not meant to be multi-tasking people, even though our ability to do many things at the same time can be trained. Try to draw a circle with your left hand and a square on your right hand at the same time. With practice, you might probably have some success. At some point, you may notice that the ability to do two different tasks at the same time will require some mental detachment skills. Will that remove some humanness in us? Perhaps.

4) Fourthly, many societies have turned education simply into a job-seeking enterprise. A higher degree from a famous institution seems to be twin formulas in the resume of successful employment. This is increasingly unhelpful for the young person’s education. While it is important to train oneself up for the workforce, it is even more important to become responsible members of society, not mere workers to add to optimistic GDP statistics. Yet, education remains a profitable enterprise. Many are willing to fork out big bucks to buy degrees to enhance their employability. This current recession will come as a rude shock to many who maintains such a mindset. I remember reading one angrily written graffiti at a Vancouver café that reads: “I have a good degree, an MBA and a PhD and I am now a mere newspaper delivery man!”

We may or may not end up in this same situation. However, to put all our eggs of hope into a single basket of educational qualifications is hazardous. Very risky. Education is not simply about finding jobs. It is a full-life journey of discovery, of engaging our potential and helping others do the same.

5) Fifthly, it is the attitude, not the aptitude that determines one’s learning altitude. Stuff like discipline, tolerance and the ability to faithfully complete a course of study is part and parcel of education. One cannot learn discipline simply by opening windows according to one’s whims and fancies, or check emails incessantly like drug addicts who are helplessly dependent on their quick-fix injections. One cannot learn tolerance with other people simply by locking oneself in a room alone, even though he/she may have an Internet connection to the world. One cannot understand what faithfulness means if one readily jumps to the next latest-and-greatest fad. There are many things in life that requires time and concerted effort. For example, learning to master languages will require resources beyond the classroom. One needs to use it regularly in writing and speaking. The best way to learn languages continues to be via immersion in conducive surroundings. The Internet may work wonders, but language remains very much a human-led endeavour, not a machine-dictated maneuver.

6) Finally, educators need to remember that learning contexts is constantly evolving. Good teaching means being able to identify the context (environment), and know what kind of students they have (people) plus the wisdom to bring them together. If there is one positive take-away from the video, it will be that we need to move away from a 'Me-Teacher-You-Student' mindset, and to recognize that all of us are learning people. Students must continue to learn FROM their teachers who have considerable knowledge and experience. Teachers need to learn WITH their students in terms of appreciating their study environment and their home contexts. A learning community is much more profitable for all if in the process, one develops good friendships and camaraderie. In other words, the quality of education is largely measured not by the quantity of information we stock up in our heads, but by the quality of the relationships developed over the years. Internet social networking is a useful start to any relationship. However, its usefulness in terms of relationship building is limited.

As I think back about my years at Regent-College, I remember many papers I wrote, and the excellent classes I attended. None of them ever come close to the quiet, private conversations I have with the professors and fellow students, especially those that teaches me how to grow to become the person God has made me to be. What we learn about is important but it is from WHOM we learn, and the PEOPLE we learn with that underline the quality of the education of any one person. This is not necessarily restricted to the academic pursuit of a professional degree. In our workplaces, such an adage holds true for the workplace as well. One ex-colleague of mine had advised me: “It is not what you know, but WHO you know that is more important in the workplace.” On a pragmatic basis, this is very true. However, I have a better version for the Christian worker.

“It is not what helpful things you know in your head, or the inspirational stuff in your heart; but it is HOW you use them to help people around you that cultivates meaning at home, at work and everywhere you go.” Life is made more meaningful when we do not focus on earning money but building networks of friendships. Let me end with a poem, written by Mary Oliver, quoted in the book of a well known education activist, Parker Palmer: “A Hidden Wholeness.” This poem had been quoted in full in one of my previous posts. The last statement is especially poignant.

When Death Comes (excerpt)
I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering;
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth
tending as all music does, toward silence,

and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.

When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was a bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

~ Mary Oliver ~

Be mindful that as Christians, we remember that whatever we do, we work at it heartily as for the Lord, not for men. This applies the same in the educational arena. We teach, we learn, we help one another as to the Lord.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," (Colossians 3:23)

ks

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Links
1) Michael Wesch website (Mediated Cultures)
2) Britannica blog
3) “Vision of Students Today” (youtube)