Citation: Amar-Singh HSS, Lim Swee-Im, Matthew Ling
Ung-Hiing, Alex Tang Tuck-Hon, Low Chai-Hok, David Bok. 2020. Guidance
for Churches in the Coronavirus Era. Malaysia. Version 1, 2nd May 2020.
Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0
The Metaverse is Web 3.0, the next step in the development of the
Internet. The evolution of the Internet as a private data sharing
network for scientists with its clumsy modem to its user-friendly
browser user-friendly interface has been very rapid. Web 1.0 is when the
webpages are static and we can only read off them. We cannot interact
with them by adding or subtracting. Then came Web 2.0 which was a
marvellous interactive experience. We can edit, produce, and chat using
that technology. There was a proliferation of chat groups that lead to
blogs, personal websites, add sound and video, and social media such as
Facebook and Twitter. Web 2.0 for all its benefits is still 2-D. It
still remains on the screen. Web 3.0 or Metaverse is 3-D. Content with
which we can interact is no longer flat. It is now 3-dimensional. The
movie Ready Player One is a good visualization of what Metaverse is. In
the first half of this article, I will describe what Metaverse is and
then I will share some implications this will have on Christians and the
Church.
The Gift of Listening: Spiritual Direction. Webinar organised by KLCentre,
Seminari Theologi Malaysia (STM) on 24 August 2021. Fundamentals of soul
care, listening, discernment and spiritual direction.
Christians and Christian faith communities are facing a new dilemma. Should
they and the families receive the COVID-19 vaccination? This is not about
being anti-vax or vaccine resister. This is about making a choice.
There is a state of fear in people of many countries which are far from
the epicentre of the 2019 nCoV epidemic in Wuhan and Hebei provincial,
China. Even though there are only a handful of patients in their countries,
and most of these patients have been to the epicentre, or being in contact
with people from there, the state of fear of being infected by the
coronavirus is extremely high.
Spiritual formation inventory is a spiritual assessment tool to obtain a
snapshot of our spiritual life at a certain moment in our spiritual journey.
This tool will help us to discover what areas in our spiritual practices are
strong and what the weaknesses are. For effective spiritual formation or
spiritual growth, a balanced spiritual life and practices is essential. Too
much emphasis on one aspect of our spiritual practices at the expense of
others may lead to an unhealthy spirituality.
We need a framework to look at the rapidly advancing challenges of emerging
new technologies. Technologies such a genome science, Big Data, Artificial
Intelligence, and the Digital Person will redefine the structure and nature
of our civilization within the next few years. Are these technology helpful
or harmful? What should be the Christian faith communities’ respond to them?
These new technologies would not be found in the Bible, a text that was
written more than two thousand years ago. Where then are Christian to seek
guidance for their discernment? A framework to guide our thinking is needed.
The subject of artificial intelligence is an area of concern and even
fear among computer scientists, sociologists and theologians in the last
couple of years. Artificial intelligence as self-learning and self-improving
software has beaten chess grandmasters and recently human computer gamers in
a complex online game named Starcraft II. The AI software was actually
learning from both its successes and mistakes. Initially called machine
learning, now it has a better name of deep learning.
Biotechnology is both a blessing and a curse to modern man. But, how do
we, as Christians, tackle this ethical dilemma? Are we playing God when we
use Biotechnologies to manipulate life? Listen to this interview by Alexa Ho
Two men were walking towards the town of Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were discussing animatedly about the
events of Jesus’ claims, his death, and reports of his resurrection when a
third man joined them. This man explained the significance of the events
through the Scriptures. During the evening meal at Emmaus, the two men
recognized the third man as Jesus! (Luke 24:13-33). They were enlightened
both by the dialogue and Jesus’ explanation of the Scriptures until they
feel their hearts burning within them. The Truth turned their despair to
joy when they beheld the risen Christ.
Wang Ming Tao, a famous Chinese Christian taught us
to always check our life with a spiritual thermometer so that we will be
spiritually healthy when the Lord comes.
Writing is hard and gruelling work. It is incubated amidst blood, sweat, and
tears. No, these aren’t the ink I write with. I just want to express that
it not just physically challenging, but mentally too. The thought of all
the work frightens me, as it involves transferring all those ideas that I
carry with me in my mind, into words. Ideas brew and form, and run ahead of
writing—writing about them is akin to playing ‘catch up’. Such imagery is
enough to make me feel breathless. Writing, especially in an authentic
voice, makes me exceptionally vulnerable, as my inner thoughts and
aspirations are made bare to the world. Such glaring spotlight is not easy
on me—an extreme introvert.
A wonderful painting of the scene at Emmaus where the
two travellers recognised Jesus as the Resurrected Christ (Luke 24:13-32) is
a favourite theme of Rembrandt. He frequently returned to this scene in his
sketches and paintings. This oil painting titled The Supper at Emmaus
completed in 1648 during his so-called ‘mature’ years was in complete
contrast with another painting one the same theme that was done during his
‘younger’ years.
This is often what happens when we are hit with some
catastrophes in our lives. In such situation, we are full of an urgency to
act. An urgency to do something to get us out of the situation. Anything at
all, even though the action may not be beneficial or at times may cause
harm. An alternative option is to sit idly by and ride out the storm.
Delphi is an interesting place to visit in
Greece. It is famed for its Oracle and being the centre of the ancient Greek
world. There are numerous legends as to its origin. One is that of
Apollo. Apollo when he was only an infant shot an arrow which killed Python
“a dragon”. Python was the son of Gaia (mother earth or goddess). Apollo had
to atone for this by suffering a period of menial labour. Python was
guarding the navel of the world. The location was Delphi.
Christian spiritual formation is a process grounded on the biblical and
theological concepts of restoration, relationship, and shalom. These key
foundational concepts are as follows:
Writing to the
Christians in Corinth about spiritual transformation (2 Corinthians 3:18), Paul
notes that “we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being
transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the
Lord, who is the Spirit.” It is Paul’s intention to emphasize (1) that in
spiritual transformation Christians (individuals and the Christian faith
community) will be transformed into a likeness of Christ, (2) that this
transformation is an ongoing process, (3) that it is Trinitarian, (4) that the
Holy Spirit is involved in this transformation, and (5) that God’s glory is
thereby restored.
Welcome! Come on in,
make yourself a cup of coffee and let your mouse do the clicking. Look
around and may you find
rest for your body , nourishment for your mind and refreshment for your
soul.