Taiwan Church News 3251 Edition June 16 - June 22, 2014 Headline News Missionary Paradigms in Taiwan Are Retrieved And Commemorated At PCT Tai-chung Presbytery In order to call back the spirit of historical honor on PCT's pioneering missionaries, Tai-chung presbytery hosts a lecture named "PCT in Taiwan" during her training assembly of elders and deacons at Tsau-tun Presbyterian Church on June 15th. Rev. Dr. Zeng Yang-en, a church history professor of Taiwan Theological Seminary, is invited to deliver the historical contributions of PCT's founding missionaries and faith forebears. "The early history of Taiwan church, representing a spirit of 'burn out rather than rust out' , was in fact a martyr history under oppression and persecution", said Zeng, as evidenced by the first oppression at Bi-tau in 1868 and seven churches built by Rev. Mackay were destroyed in 1884. And all these accidents were related to contemporary feelings against the Western colonial powers. Christians also suffered misunderstanding and persecution during the ruling of Japanese government. In spite of these persecutions, missionaries still contributed lots of innovative revolutions in the field of medicine, education and media to Taiwan society. For example, a three-times Caesarean delivery for a merchant's pregnant wife, reported by Tainan's '369 Tabloid', was introduced by Missionary Dr. James Laidlaw Maxwell; anatomy of animal brain or heart, like goat or pig, was taught at Missionary Mackay's Seminary. And the most significant contribution of Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay is his campaign for the Romanization of Amoy Vernarcular popular in Taiwan society then and the Bible translation afterwards, said Zeng. Local Christian leaders gradually became the elites of Taiwan society at the high time under Japanese ruing, as the lifting of education level and the improvement of social living standard were the trend of the global Christianity then. This is evidenced by the fact: Christians were only 1% of Taiwan population, yet Christian students represented about one quarter of the medicine school and two-fifths of total overseas students to Europe and America. But about Japanese aggressive militarism, contrasting Taiwan church's lack of reflection against Korean and Manchurian Christians' revolts and even martyrs, Zeng criticizes that it is due to Taiwan church is still too young to stand up independently and the founding missionaries did not emphasize the consciousness and courage of faith. Still, the development of Taiwan's democracy is much facilitated by the wonderful witness and participation from the brave missionaries, like Rev. George Todd, speaking for the voiceless Taiwanese in the oppressive 1960s and listed by KMT regime as a persona non grata; Rev. Milo Thornberry with his ex-wife Judith Thomas, helping reknown Professor Peng Ming-min flee KMT's control and fly to Europe. Zeng concludes thatour pioneering missionaries has bequeathed PCT a very wonderful tradition and valuable legacy, worthy for us to inherit and learn from them. Though there are many signs of sufferings engraved in their lives, they are the glorious badge and hope for Taiwan's democracy and freedom. Translated by Peter Wolfe |