What Have You Seen?

"And they came to Bethsaida. And they took a blind man to him, 

requesting him to put his hands on him. And he took the blind man 

by the hand, and went with him out of the town; and when he had 

put water from his mouth on his eyes, and put his hands on him, 

he said, Do you see anything?  And looking up, he said, I see men; 

I see them like trees, walking." (Mark 8:22-24 Bible in Basic English)

Consciously or unconsciously, believing in Jesus Christ 

has changed one's life perspective forever.  Like opening 

one's eyes for the first time. The question is like, "Do you

 see anything now that you have not seen?"

ShoKi Coe (黃彰輝 1914-1988), a son of a Taiwanese pastor.

After graduated from Tokyo Imperial University with major 

in philosophy, he spent the next ten years in Cambridge, 

England, studied theology, got ordained and married. 

In August 1947, he decided to come back to Taiwan to 

serve his own people/church.  ShoKi Coe, his wife and their

son David took the ship from Liverpool crossed Africa, India,

Sri Lanka, Indonesia and stopped at Singapore, Hong Kong. 

before arriving Taiwan in September 17, 1947.

His first job was English and Bible teacher of a Christian 

High School before took over the Tainan Theological College

as the principal. 

While being the principal of the Tainan Theological College

he sometimes commented that the ship trip crossed the 

Africa and South East Asia he could not help thinking of the

freedom and the self determination of his homeland - Taiwan.

"There are many people/countries celebrating the new found

freedom and/or independence at the end of the WWII..." 

Because of his idea, he was asked to leave Taiwan until the

ruling party Chinese KMT lost its power and a Taiwanese

president was elected then Shoki Coe along with several 

pastors/missionaries were allowed to come back to Taiwan

in 1987.  During those 22 years Shoki Coe worked around the 

world based on the WCC (World Council of Churches) helped 

the theological education especially for the third world churches

and always reminded the world churches' friends that the Taiwan

should not be forgotten.

Yes. Shoki Coe had seen the importance of being free to 

choose people's own destiny.  He was born as a Japanese,

educated as a Japanese and English.  But he wanted to be

a Taiwanese inside out. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here comes a son of a French Lutheran pastor by the 

name of Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965.)

Before Albert reached the age of mid thirties, he already 

received three doctoral degrees: Theology, Philosophy

(E Kant) and Music (J S Bach/Pipe Organ).

Albert Schweitzer could have lived a very comfortable life 

teaching any university of the western world.  But after 

seeing the sufferings of the majority of the people in Africa 

he decided to be a medical missionary to help them.

So he went ahead to work on his M.D. degree. 

He then spent the rest of his life building hospital and working 

for the poor and the sick.  When he needed help, he would 

start a concert raising money and asking his audience if

there were doctors ready to spend their vacations to help

him in the hospital in Africa. 

His two important books:  

The Quest of the Historical Jesus (1906)

Reverence for Life (1963)

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.

"Ethics is nothing other than Reverence for Life. Reverence for Life affords me my fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, assisting and enhancing life, and to destroy, to harm or to hinder life is evil."
— Albert Schweitzer.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comments: 

Through our lives we have been blinded by fake news, brain washing, prejudice, fear and greed, etc... When we are in the presence of the divine, our mind’s eye opens. And we begin to see the universe as it truly is. -- Po Shu Hwang

Apparently it is just in the nature of life’s progress that, for most, one doesn’t begin to think of the meaning of life and clarify what is important and what is not until late in the game, and for some too late. It is fortunate for those who can see in time.  -- Hank Mandelbaum

 

Remembering C M Kao...

 

Remembering Rev. C M Kao and Rev. Dennis Thuftedal

 

I had several occasions of meeting Rev. Kao in Taiwan while I served as a fellow minister of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. My first impression was that he had a straight back as if he was holding the sky from falling with his head.  He was humble and friendly to the people around him and yet never bend his head to the pressure and the power of the evils. 

 

"Just that you know that I had to take a makeup test in order to graduate from the seminary years ago," He once told me.  He must be joking.  If Kao could not graduate from the seminary, what would the rest of us do?

 

In 1980 shortly after the news of the arrest of the Rev. C M Kao in Taiwan by the KMT arrived in USA, the Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Chicago (Des Plaines) had started to prepare the demonstration under the leadership of pastor Rev. Andrew Chau(趙聰仁).  Rev. Yap(葉加興) of the RCA (Reformed Church in America) also joined the demonstration. 

 

The reason was that Rev. Kao had helped Mr. Ming T Shih hiding from the KMT's arrest.  Under the then martial law KMT thought the peaceful Formosa Incident was illegal and rebellious while in fact the reason was that the people were celebrating with the world on the World Human Rights Day.

 

We mentioned the news briefly to our friend by the name of Dennis Thuftedal who was a lawyer turned to pastor of the United Church of Christ in Country Club Hills -  a southwest suburban of Chicago.  Dennis showed much interest and decided to see for himself.

 

On a cool and cloudy day of 1980 in downtown Chicago the Daley Plaza several hundred Taiwanese people got behind a carrying sedan chair carried by Rev. Chau and Rev. Yap showing a pastor with cross and iron chains on him.   

 

The demonstration was led by Prof Chau Wu. 

 

Rev. Thuftedal was there watched the whole process. Shortly he was obviously so touched.  He quietly walked to the crowd and joined the Taiwanese friends (mostly unknown) with the demonstration process till the end.

 

Afterward Dennis did the followings:

1. Continued to post the Taiwan progress in the church bulletin and soon the congregation signed the petition to the Congress to keep an eye on the KMT movements

2. Pray for Rev. Kao

3. Asked us to keep him informed of the incident development

 

Rev. CM Kao was later released earlier.  But he still served more than four years and three months in political prison.

Rev. Dennis Thuftedal passed away in 2016. 

Just wondering what they would say to each other when Rev. Kao and Rev. Thuftedal meet in Heaven... 

 

## More website readings:

From World Council of Churches -

https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/wcc-mourns-death-of-rev-c-m-kao

From Presbyterian Church in Taiwan -

http://www.pct.org.tw/article_generalsecretary.aspx?strBlockID=B00329&strContentID=C2019021800008&strDesc=Y

 

Comments:

1) Rev CM Kao was certainly a man of principle and honor.  He really had fought the good fights for Taiwan and for the Lord.  We'll miss him.  - Bernard Tsai 

2) Rev. Kao is Gandhi of Taiwan.  His meek, nonviolent resistance to KMT dictatorship encouraged countless Taiwanese Christians to follow Christ’s steps, taking up crosses and eventually culminated the democratization of the country.  Like Nelson Mandela of South Africa, they put him in prison but that consequentially brought about the collapse of the apartheid regime.

When Rev. Kao was arrested in Taiwan many American friends like Rev. Thuftedal involved in various actions protesting KMT and exerting international pressure on the regime, which eventually released Rev. Kao.  Their helping hands to Taiwanese Christians during those challenging times are to be deeply appreciated and remembered.  Kudos to Steve for bringing to light what Rev. Thuftedal did when Rev. Kao was under unjust persecution.  Like the good Samaritan, Rev. Thuftedal did not know Rev. Kao at all.  But he did not hesitate to offer his help when a “neighbor” was in grave need.  Thank you Rev. Thuftedal!  - Poshu Huang

緬懷 張輝雄 Remembering Joseph Chang

Please go to Leah Chang's youtube below for pictures, music and celebration the life of Joseph Chang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQelEUrgiQw

Amazing grace!  How sweet the sound  That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.
   

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear,The hour I first believed.  

Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far And grace will lead me home.
   

Amazing grace!  How sweet the sound  That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. 
- John Newton

I have you in my heart

I thought of you today, but that is nothing new.

I thought about you yesterday and days before that too.

I think of you in silence.

I often speak your name.
All I have are memories, and a picture in a frame.

Your memory is a keepsake,

from which I will never part.
God has you in his arms.
I have you in my heart.

- Author unknown

The Life of Joseph Chang 
Joseph was born to Mr. and Mrs. C F Chang in 1943.  After high school, he entered the oldest higher educational institution in Taiwan, the Tainan Theological  College  and Seminary, and received his Master of Divinity.  One of Joseph's favorite professors, the late Rev. Dr. Daniel Beeby, was the officiator during his wedding ceremony.  Joseph Chang was also known for his musical talents such as vocals, choir conducting, classical guitar and calligraphy. 

Upon his graduation, he began his ministry in areas including central and southern Taiwanese churches.  He also spent time working with the Tainan Christian Academy, a school of the Laity learning programs and various churches' choirs throughout the cities of Taipei and Tainan.  

Briefly he entered a career in business with some success.  During his last few years on earth he began working with the elderly groups for the YMCA in the city of Tainan. 

He passed away rather peacefully on July 10, 2014.  He is buried next to his father in Wake County, North Carolina. 

Joseph is survived by his two sons, three brothers, three sisters and his mother.  

Remembering Joseph Chang - 張輝雄 先生

My first impression of Joseph was back in the seminary years more than fifty years ago.  He was younger and more active than most male students then. He had a good voice as the second tenor and he had good skill in painting and calligraphy.  I was told that he was actively involved in student activities, saying that all the campus business was everybody's business.  Students treated him as their big brother which he actually was in his family and on the campus. 

 I first dealt with him in "business" when I organized a sacred music oratorio style chorus in Tainan.  Joseph was selected by the chorus committee as the president of chorus. He was such a good one that after decades and across the Pacific Ocean, some members still remembered Joseph's leadership style. 

After a few years of his ministry in a rural church, he turned to business with some success.  Although he had been running a business full-time, by nature he had never forgotten his call to ministry when he was young.  He often offered his loving and helping hands to the strangers he just met at the bus stop, super markets and elsewhere.  Joseph had a touching smile and understood the language (street talk) of the ordinary people, with whom he made friends in minutes. 

Some six years ago when my wife and I went back to teach at the Tainan Chang Jung Christian University, we reconnected immediately.  

Under some arrangement Joseph regularly went to a rural YMCA facility to teach quite a few elderly men and women singing and shared them the stories from the Bible and elsewhere.  He made friends with them as easily as the way he played guitar and sang.  

From what we observed everybody enjoyed his teaching very much during those time.  Joseph even made friends with  Chen-Kung University students playing soccer games.  

Although we were not able to collect his paintings and calligraphy, we certainly collect those cheerful memories of him showing the love of God in his special way.     - Stephen

John and I met and married in 1980; we hadn't known each other for very long before he talked about his oldest brother, Joseph.  It was easy to tell how much John admired and looked up to him.  He related how beautiful Joseph's singing voice was, and that he enjoyed listening to him practice singing opera pieces.  John taught me to love the "three (Italian) tenors", and he would often play their songs.  I think this enjoyment grew from his great respect and admiration of Joseph.  One of the very only times that I saw tears in John's eyes was when he told me the story of how Joseph was depressed and that, while he (John) was in college, he would mix Joseph's medicine in a thermos drink and ride the bus a long way to take it to him. This was because he loved Joseph so much. And he enjoyed Joseph teaching him to play guitar, a talent that John kept up throughout his adulthood.  The first song Joseph taught him to play was "They Shall Know We Are Christians By Our Love," and when he would play that song, he'd mention that Joseph taught him. 

In 1987, we took our (then) three little children to Taiwan and stayed for 10 weeks for John to do medical rotations there as part of his medical training.  We were welcomed by Joseph and his family to stay in their apartment with them for a month.  Joseph had made sure that things were fixed up very nicely for us - even giving the 5 of us his boys' room with sleeping mats and a twin size bed.  That was a great sacrifice to give us the best, but it showed Joseph's graciousness and his great love for his youngest brother.  I remember hearing Joseph practice singing opera at his house and at the school where he went to take lessons.  He had a phenomenal voice.  Joseph wanted to make sure that I, as the American visitor, and our children were shown interesting sights, good food, and fun times.  I remember I wanted ice cream, and he took us to a place just for that.  Once, he was driving us around in his van, and his seatbelt had broken.  He showed his sense of humor by telling John to take off his belt and let him use it to place across his shoulder so that a policeman would see it and think he was wearing a working seatbelt, so he wouldn't get a ticket.  I remember him touching the belt on his shoulder and across his chest and laughing!  He and John of course spoke Taiwanese together, but he was so kind to speak English to me - as they would be in conversation, he'd stop and say, "Linnea can't understand us" and start speaking English, but I told him that I knew it was easier for him to communicate with John in Taiwanese and that I wanted John to use the chance to speak his native tongue.  Joseph gave our children, Leah (6), Joseph (4), and Nancy (turned 2 while we were in Taiwan) so much fun attention.  They thought he was great.  He let John and (little) Joseph ride his scooter.  I have a picture of the two of them on it.  We had named Joseph for his Uncle and his grandfather Joseph (my dad) because we felt that the name honored both of them.  I was so excited when Joseph came to the States and was here at Leah and Greg's wedding and reception.  I made sure to get a picture of the 3 Joseph's - your brother, my son, and my dad together.  I knew there would never be another opportunity, and that is a treasured picture to me.

I hope these are some memories that you will enjoy hearing.  I always admired and loved Joseph as my brother-in-law.  He was very handsome, too!!  I am sorry that he died too young, but I am glad that all the family has many precious memories of him.

Thank you for letting me be a part of this.  As I have told you, I will always feel a part of the Chang family, and I enjoy telling my children stories about our times together. - Linnea

我所認識的張輝雄先生

      我跟輝雄先生是1976年在台南頌音合唱團的時候認識的，當時張先生是頌音的團長，我們很投緣，一見如故，所以經常在一起，甚至後來到台北之後，仍然保持相當密切的聯繫，直到我負笈美國。雖然年代久遠，但是我對輝雄先生印象深刻，再此跟大家分享我們在一起的時候，我所觀察與認識的張先生。

他是堅持的 --堅持自己的生活方式、堅持自己對音樂的執著、堅持自己要走的路.

他是感性的--團員生日會收到他給的小禮物、許久不見的團員他會給予熱情的擁抱、有時也隨著情緒哼唱喜愛的旋律

他是喜好運動的 --他年輕時身體碩壯，我記得他曾經跟我開玩笑說，他三拳就可以打倒任何對手，雖然是誇張的話，但由此可見他對自己的體能狀況很有信心。

他是仁慈的 -- 他對待團員非常親切，從未惡言相向；他的人緣極佳，大家都喜歡跟他在一起.

他是慷慨的 --雖然他不是有錢人，但是卻常請朋友吃飯，學生團員有需要幫忙的，他總是會替他們想辦法。

他是有靈感的 --常有驚人的名言，跟他在一起會使人感到輕鬆愉快、毫無拘束的心情。

他是嚴肅的 --他專心音樂、執迷不悟; 他也專心經營團務，做事有條不紊；重要的事情他都嚴肅以對，是極佳的領導者。

他是風趣的 --他在嚴肅的表面之下，有著十分風趣的個性，一但跟他熟悉之後，大家就會感受到他不鳴則已的幽默。

他是有哲理的 --他對人生、事務常有超脫世俗的看法，有一次我問他為何不喜喝酒，他回我說：我聞到酒味臉就紅了，還沒喝到肚子就輸了，不喝也罷！

他是熱心的 -- 經常主動的關心朋友、常用他的摩托車載我，我後來上台北、從美國回來，他聽到消息就馬上趕過來看我，讓我感覺非常窩心。

   在張先生過世四年後，緬懷故人，用這篇短文跟大家分享我所認識的輝雄先生。他已經在主懷中得到安息，我很珍惜我們之間過去的情誼，他將長存在我的心中。- 沈新欣

Remembering Joseph Chang

I met Mr. Chang in 1976 in Tainan through Siong Im Chorus. He was the president of the chorus at that time, and I worked with him and got to know him well. We became good friends and remained close until I went to United States for graduate school.  Today, I'd like to share with you the Joseph Chang that I knew.  

He was a persistent person - persistent in his way of life, in his music, and in all his pursuits. 

He was a passionate and emotional person - our choir members received small presents from him on birthdays, or he greeted you with a big hug if you hadn't been to rehearsals for a while. He was known to hum a melody according to his mood. 

He enjoyed sports and was proud of his strength - in his youth, he was a macho, well-built guy. I remember one time he jokingly told me that he was so tough he could take down his opponent with three strikes!! Although he was exaggerating, it showed how confident he was in himself and in his physical condition. 

He was a kind person - he was very personable and treated everyone kindly. He never raised his voice to anyone or had anything negative to say. He got along so well with people around him, and this made him very popular with all of us. We all enjoyed being around him. 

He was a generous person - although not particularly wealthy himself, he often would go out of his way to treat others to a meal or snacks. If students in the choir ran into financial difficulties, he always tried his best to help out in whatever way he could. 

He was an inspirational person - he often recited great quotes unexpectedly. And when you were with him, you would feel relaxed and joyful, at ease and free to be yourself. 

He was a serious person - he concentrated on the music, almost obsessively. He focused his attention on the operation of the chorus in a very organized way, treating all matters with seriousness. In this way, he was an excellent leader. 

He was also a humorous person - beneath the serious exterior, there was a lighter side to him. One had to know him well to realize his hidden humor. 

He could be uniquely philosophical - he had interesting, practical views to many things in life. For example, I once asked him why he didn’t drink alcohol. He replied: my face turns red and I feel sick just smelling the wine, let alone drinking it. So why drink if I've already lost in the first place?

He was an enthusiastic person - he often took initiative to care for people, jumping into action. He eagerly used to give me rides on his motorcycle wherever I needed to go. And when I came back to Taiwan after being in the States for 10 years, he came to see me right away, as soon as he heard the news. 

On this day of remembrance of Joseph, I just wanted to share these few stories with you about who Hui Xiong was to me. Although he is no longer here, he is now with the Lord. I will always treasure his friendship and the time we spent together, and he will forever live in my heart. - Victor Shen

Around 1976 Steve was conducting the TAINAN Song-Yin Chorus, where I sang bass in the choir.  We used to rehearse at Tong-Ning church. Joseph would come occasionally to visit Sue and Steve and had a little chat with us after the rehearsal.  We all loved to listen to him telling jokes and some funny stories.  He was about 10 years older than us and very handsome like the movie star Pat Boone.  I remember one night he played guitar and sang the theme song of the movie “April Love.”  His voice was so charming and romantic, the sound is still cast solid in my memory after 40 years.  I can still see the looks of the girls as they all melted under his mesmerizing looks and his magnetic voice. - Pohsu Huang 

張老師  在此我不願道别離說再見,只希望在未來的一天,我們仍能帶有一顆赤子之心及歡樂的笑顏與您相會. - 沈秀真

Let's go beyond the goodbye business and saying from my heart that we will meet in the future with smiles like babies where the world is nothing but joy and peace. - Andree Shen 

親愛的爸爸

我們的身體珍藏著您遺傳給我們的一切，會彈吉他會唱歌，語言也學得比別人輕鬆，體育也難不倒我們兩兄弟，爸爸和弟弟一直很會打扮，只有我是一隻醜小鴨，但曾幾何時我也和爸爸一樣穿起西裝了，爸爸交遊廣闊、見識廣並樂於照顧別人，常聽爸爸跟業務的同仁或後輩，講一些當業務時和大老闆交手的豐功偉業，聽到我都會背誦了；爸爸一直很愛踢足球，過世的那段時間正值世界盃足球賽，很想跟天上的爸爸說，那一屆的冠軍是德國隊哦...

期許我們能用爸爸給我們的天賦好好行善於世，就像爸爸還在一樣.  - 凌宇和益民

Dear Dad,

You have given us all your good qualities: you can play the guitar and sing beautifully, and so can we. We can learn foreign languages faster than others, and we are very good at all kinds of sports just like you were. Dad and my little brother Danny always dressed up; only I am an ugly duck. But once I’m wearing a suit, I’m a gentleman just like both of you.

Dad, you were kind, knowledgeable, and caring for others. I always remember those stories you told of how you impressed those big bosses and made great achievements in business. 

My father had always loved to play football [soccer]. The time of his death was at the World Cup. I wanted to tell you that the champion of that year was the German team~~~

I hope that we do good things for the world with all the good qualities you gave us, just like you did before.

-  Ling-yu & Danny

我的大哥輝雄

雖然,他的人生美好的戰己經打了,

雖然,生命的本質,是無來,無去,無生滅?不增, 不減!

數十年我們兄弟之情, 他帶領我們兄弟妹的典範,難於割捨?

今天, 他返回基督為他準備的厝, 願上帝舆他同在.

Richard                    

Thinking about the time Joseph and I spent together in Tainan for the entire year in 2012, there were so many things that I needed to adjust even I was born and grew up there.  He helped me understand and become familiar with the environment.

When we were together, we  were both just like two senior people,  talking about our past a lot and how the choices we made changed our lives forever.   I always liked to criticize whatever caused the problems.  He  just listened without saying anything negative against anyone.  His loving heart and kindness made me realize that I should looked up to him.   

Sue
***                                     

My brother,  Joseph's passing has brought up many lasting memories in my life.  In 1976, he and Rachel sang "I Am on the Top of the World" during my wedding ceremony.  That beautiful voice still resounds in me even today.

After my father passed away, Joseph took my Mom to the West Coast and stayed with me for a couple of days.  I saw him draw pictures during our trip in Vegas.  I was so impressed with his artistic skill.

When Mom, Rachel and I left Taipei for the States in 2012, he went to airport and see us leave at the gate until we were out of sight.

His loving and caring will always be in my heart.

Lydia

*****

Joseph has been my oldest brother that I remember in the following ways:

His artistic talents have always inspired and awed me.

He introduced me to opera, classical music, Schubert's art songs, and the Beatles while I was growing up.  His influence in my love for music is his legacy I will never forget.  His own singing of Schubert's lieder was truly amazing and unforgettable!

He has been the historian of our Chang family.  Only he could tell stories of our father and grandparents.  His connection with our extended Chang family members was awesome for me to witness.

His athletic interest has been a delight for me to observe.  His enthusiasm in coaching young soccer players was inspirational.

Last but not least, his attending the Tainan Theological Seminary blazed the trail for me to follow 50 years later.

He will always be in my heart.  May the grace, love and peace of God be with him!

George

******

When I think of my "Da-ge" (big brother in Chinese), first thing comes to mind is when I was about 12 or 13.  It was during holidays.  I went with Joseph to Tainan to spend some time with him while he studied at the seminary.  I came down with a fever one night, after I helped him clean up his dorm room.  The next day, he had to take me back home.  I can still remember the beautiful campus, with students going to classes, dining hall, or the library.  It was a fun trip for me, even thought it was cut short due to my fever illness.

I also owe my "Da-ge" a great deal for the free guitar lessons he gave me when I was in high school.  He taught me how to play guitar when he came home from the seminary during holidays.  These simple lessons inspired me to fall in love with the guitar.

I am sad to learn that brother Joseph has passed on.  I am sure his soul has found rest in God.  I am thankful to God for giving me such a wonderful brother.

John
****

I remember that Joseph, my brother, always had the musical talent, playing classical guitar, rocking & rolling and singing.  I still remember when he and I were singing on the Taiwan Christian TV show.

What impressed me the most was when our father passed away, and we had a very short time frame to come up with the Memorial Service Program.  We all had different responsibilities to make arrangements for the Service.  Every detail of the Service was designed by him.  From the Service Program cover "The Lord is my shepherd", designed and drawn by Joel, to the sermon delivered  by Stephen, eulogy by George, scripture reading by Leah, Kirsten and the music by him, John, my Michelle and me . . .the whole service program was typed by Richard.  It was a perfect farewell for our father.

That was a "FIRST CLASS ACT".  We felt we had our father's approval for the whole service that night.

Now God has called him to Heaven to rest.  Have faith we'll meet again.

Mei-Mei (Taiwanese for little sister)

*******

Answers within the Bible

                           

"Then the spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah, and he went through Gilead and Manasseh, and came to Mizpeh of Gilead; and from Mizpeh of Gilead he went over to the children of Ammon. And Jephthah took an oath to the Lord, and said, If you will give the children of Ammon into my hands, then whoever comes out from the door of my house, meeting me when I come back in peace from the children of Ammon, will be the Lord's and I will give him as a burned offering. So Jephthah went over to the children of Ammon to make war on them; and the Lord gave them into his hands. And he made an attack on them from Aroer all the way to Minnith, overrunning twenty towns, as far as Abel-cheramim, and put great numbers to the sword. So the children of Ammon were crushed before the children of Israel. Then Jephthah came back to his house in Mizpah, and his daughter came out, meeting him on his way with music and with dances; she was his only child; he had no other sons or daughters. And when he saw her he was overcome with grief, and said, Ah! my daughter! I am crushed with sorrow, and it is you who are the chief cause of my trouble; for I have made an oath to the Lord and I may not take it back..."  (Judges 11:29-35)

There are a few places in the Bible that bother me when I read them.

One of them is from Judges 11 (see above)

What did Jephthah expect to see when he came home (other than his loved ones)? Why did he make such a horrible promise to the Lord?

Why then did people think that giving a burned offering to the Lord is the ultimate way to please God?

Thanks to the prophet Micah who wrote the following sentences about three hundred years later (8th Century BC) - a much mature idea of "offering" to the Lord:

"With what am I to come before the Lord and go with bent head before the high God? Am I to come before him with burned offerings, with young oxen a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of sheep or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Am I to give my first child for my wrongdoing, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has made clear to you, O man, what is good; and what is desired from you by the Lord; only doing what is right, and loving mercy, and walking without pride before your God." (Micah 6: 6-8)

Yes...
He has made clear to you, O man, what is good; 
And what is desired from you by the Lord; 
Only doing what is right, and loving mercy, 
And walking without pride before your God.

* Comments

Yes, it took the Israelis hundreds of years to realize that God preferred loving actions and social justice rather than burnt sacrifices.  We see this in Mica, we see this in Amos.
However, As I read Jephthah’s tragic story in the Book of Judges, another question pops up in my mind: “Why God did nothing to spare Jephthah’s daughter’s life, as he did for Isaac, Abraham’s son?  Granted, Jephthah took an oath voluntarily to offer whoever came out greeting him when he came home in triumph while in Abraham’s case it was God who requested the sacrifice of Isaac.  Does that entitle God to demand the burnt offering of Jephthah’s daughter even though she was completely innocent in this bad deal?  Why was it not reported that God show mercy to Jephthah or compassion toward an innocent young woman?  Is that because she was a woman in a time when women were treated as a “thing” and not fully a human being in a male dominant culture?  Note that Jephthah’s daughter in this story didn’t even have a name.
Questions like this point to the reality that human civilization is an evolving process, including religions.  The word “feminism” did not show up until 19th century; and women could not vote in the United States until 1920.  We certainly cannot expect that stories in the scriptures, apparently written by humans, could escape the “evolutionary” understanding of the infinite God.  Understandably, with very few exceptions, authors of the scriptures, predominantly males living in a male-dominantly society, would write in a mentality of male supremacy.   

by Poshu Huang   6/15/2018


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Five Hundred Years and Counting

Reformation 500 Years and Counting... 

The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era. In northern and central Europe, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry VIII challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to define Christian practice. (history.com/topics/reformation)                          

For the regular people like us there are three important points in our modern Christian lives being changed forever:

1. Sola Fide (Faith alone)

    One does not have to do anything but having "faith"

2. Sola Gratia (Grace alone)

    The "Grace" alone makes all the difference in us

3. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)

    The Scripture (Bible) is no longer the clergyman's sole authority of interpretation. It can now be read and interpreted by all the believers as all the translations and printings became available.

In the last 40 years or so, I have been in quite a few churches across the United States and Taiwan where "Adult Sunday Schools" taking place right after the Sunday services.  Many still use the same format of lecture style (speaker there and audience here) with few questions involved.

Why don't we start asking biblical questions in those Adult Sunday school sessions and therefore seeking answers for a change?

500 years (and counting) of Reformation - should the Adults Sunday School approach be changed as well?

We all have the bibles (English, Taiwanese, Japanese and Chinese; not to mention the Latin, Greek and Hebrew versions).

Take your pick, read it and mark the questions and seek the answers with our fellow sisters and brothers.

Who knows?  Perhaps another smaller reformation would take place right here and right now!

 

-- Comments --

The reason most of us Sunday School students do not ask questions, I believe, is not paying attention to the subject or not thinking independently, including myself.  I rarely ask any question or make comment in Sunday School classes.  Part of the reason, if I want to place the blame to someone else, is that most of teachers do not leave enough time for discussion.

You mentioned three "Sole" in your article.  I think we need to complete our theological basis of the Protestant by not forgetting the other two "Sole" i.e. "Sole Christus" and "Sole Deo Gloria". 

We Christians are easily treating the Grace too cheap if we do not include the last two "Sole".  The first three "Sole" are the free Grace from almighty God.

Christian needs to relate more on the last two "Sole" in order to live out our believe.  That means we need to live our lives, or behave only for our Lord Jesus Christ and give all glory to our God.

 - by Bernard Tsai    5/14/2018                        

Luther proposed “Sola Scriptura” to challenge the authority of the church (i.e., the Pope and the church hierarchy) for their selling of indulgence. However, historically, the authority of canonization of the Bible came from the church itself – through various councils. In fact, the canonization of scripture did not take shape until the fourth century. Luther himself did not include the Apocrypha in the Old Testament and removed Hebrews, James, Jude and Revelation from the New Testament (his followers did not agree with him on this part). My point is: the scripture is not an absolute authority by itself. Just like the constitution of a nation, it can be amended, modified, and trimmed by the authority of the church. I always wonder that if Luther were born 500 years later and had studied the libraries of Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hammadi, what would his biblical views be?
On the other hand, as time goes by, the interpretation of the Bible is more and more de-centralized – as Steve said: “The Scripture (Bible) is no longer the clergyman's sole authority of interpretation. It can now be read and interpreted by all the believers…” The “New Eye (vision) Bible Studies” movement which the Presbyterian Church on Taiwan has been promoting for the last decade is actually encouraging all Christian readers to interpret the Bible through their own social contexts, reflections and revelations.
Thus, raising questions in the scripture is truly an important aspect now in Bible studies. The collection of books in the Christian Bible is not necessarily to be viewed as “sacred”, “inerrant” and “non-questionable.” If we view Bible study like a boy learning from his father by unceasing questions and answers – which we all do as we were growing up – then we would never be afraid of asking questions, albeit naïve or stupid. By asking questions bravely, we are giving ourselves the opportunity to approach closer to the truth, one question at a time.

- by PoShu Huang  5/14/2018

 

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