Taiwan Church News

3331 Edition

December 28, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016

Church Ministry

Hong Kong And Taiwan Youth Christians Exchange Views On Pastoral Care And Social Concern

Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong

On December 27, a seminar entitled "Hong Kong And Taiwan Youth Christians Exchange Views On Pastoral CareAnd Social Concern" was jointly held by PCT's TKC Front and Hong Kong Christian Institute(HKCI) at PCT Taipei College Student Center. According to HK youth Christians, more and more conservative HK churches choose to engage in a closer relationship with China.

Mr Deng Ing-huei, an official clergy of HKCI, pointed out that the so-called "HK Umbrella Revolution" actually did not gain a substantial result of democracy. The progressive churches, therefore, turned their concerns to help build "social infrastructure" or "community fellowship". For example, some HK church started to share the Eucharist with the non-Christians in local communities, said Deng, "It is a spirit of fraternal sharing, witnessed in the ritual of the Eucharist, between the Christians and his neighbors!".

Mr Deng Chang-yo, chairman of Ecumenical Youth Pastoral Platform, remarked that HK churches, who were afraidof being prosecuted before 1997, chose to develop a good relationship with China and gradually evolved into the mega-church after 1997. These HK mega-churches are under the banner of the so-called "pro-establishment".

Rev. Yao Zhe-hao, pastor of HK's Chuen Yuen church of the Church of Christ in China, straightly criticized many HK mega-churches for their closing church doors during the umbrella revolution yet claimed they prayed in-door for the protesting Hong Kong people. After this scandal, many youth Christians left the church expressing their disappointment.

Ms. Hwang Jing-hao, a PCT youth of TKC Front, reported her observation of PCT's political involvement and theconundrum of her stance in the LGBT issues. Though PCT did make a great contribution in Taiwan's self-determination movement and democratic transformation, there were lots of hesitation or even back-slash actions on social issues like the LGBT rights to marriage, said Hwang.

Ms. Chen Pei-yi, director of PCT Taipei College Student Center, frankly admitted that the conflicts of theological thoughts between PCT's college student centers and local churches had never been disappeared in recent years, especially on the LGBT issues. Chen said, PCT needed to reflect a strange phenomenon: why the PCT's 2014 pastoral letter, which stated her strong opposition to LGBT, was elevated like a confession creed?

"Now it's more and more difficult to call the students taking the streets and showing their social concerns", said worryingly Chen. The youth have to place the so-called "social anxiety" in their minds first, then the critical significance of faith and social issues could become relevant after a period of reflections, advised Chen, "But this ministry of consciousness awakening could not be done in the mega-churches, as every youth is an unique individual. Keep a continuous dialogue with the youth is therefore a must!".

Translated by Peter Wolfe