THEOLOGY HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH ME, HASN'T IT?
Most of us think that theology is the concern of specialists, an academic subject that has little to do with lay person. Yet, the Christian theology that we accept today has its roots in the faith experiences of the Hebrews' search for God, their reflection on those experiences and their response to Him.
As Rev. Fr. Michael Amaladoss SJ, the Assistant to Father General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ, responsible for Dialogue and Ecumenism (May 1992-...) puts it, "Faith looks, not only backward to God's saving and powerful presence in history, but also to the future that God invites us to create in the power of the Word and of the Spirit. Theology is therefore not an abstract philosophical elaboration of eternal verities reserved to a few expert professionals. It is a discerning search for God in the here and now of history that is the concern of everyone".
In this sense, theology must be the concern of every Christian and more so of every Christian in Malaysia.
It is the recognition of the Malaysian situation, specifically that of Saint Francis Xavier's Church (Petaling Jaya, Selangor.), that has prompted the central argument in Theology of Shoes-off, an initial effort on the part of Rev. Fr. Joseph (Jojo) Fung SJ to identify the elements that could form our very own Malaysian Theology.
Rev. Fr. Amaladoss SJ has this to say about Theology of Shoes-off. The flowering of local theology is a sign of the rootedness and maturity of a particular Church. So I am glad to welcome and introduce this pioneering effort by Rev. Fr. Joseph (Jojo) Fung SJ to develop a Malaysian theology of "Shoes-off".
BY REV. FR. JOSEPH MATTHEW FUNG JEE VUI ( JOJO ) SJ, was the Parish Priest of SFX Church (Petaling Jaya, Selangor.) from 1988 to 1992.
HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS (VICAR OF CHRIST) TO THEOLOGIANS: DON'T DO THEOLOGY AWAY FROM PEOPLE. "A THEOLOGY THAT HELPS EVERY CHRISTIAN PROCLAIM THE SAVING FACE OF GOD IS NECESSARY."
FOR POPE FRANCIS (VICAR OF CHRIST), THE THEOLOGIAN ISN'T JUST A SIMPLE SCHOLAR OF GOD, BUT RATHER MUCH MORE. HE OR SHE IS A SCHOLAR AT THE SERVICE OF A PEOPLE, THE CHURCH, TO WHICH HE OR SHE BELONGS AND IS NURTURED BY. THERE'S NO ROOM FOR INDIVIDUALIST THEOLOGIANS WHO COMPETE AMONGST THEMSELVES TO SEE WHO KNOWS MORE.
HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS (VICAR OF CHRIST),
"A THEOLOGY THAT HELPS EVERY CHRISTIAN PROCLAIM AND SHOW IS NECESSARY; ABOVE ALL, THE SAVING FACE OF GOD OF THE MERCIFUL GOD, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF SOME UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES THE HUMAN BEING FACES TODAY."
POPE FRANCIS MET WITH THE ORGANIZATION IN HONOR OF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY. THE ASSOCIATION WAS CREATED WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL. - ROMEREPORTS.COM DECEMBER 29, 2017 -
HENCE, I EARNESTLY AND PROFOUNDLY BELIEVED THAT AS FAR AS SPIRITUALITY IS CONCERN. IT CAN ONLY COME FROM GOD, THE AUTHOR. THUS, THERE IS NO SUCH THING, AS COPYRIGHT, OR IT IS PRODUCED OR WRITTEN BY ME OR IT IS MINE; THE WORD OF GOD, THE SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE.
"I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE." - JOHN 16:12-15 -
ALL WRITERS, PERTAINING TO SPIRITUALITY WERE DEFINITELY QUOTED OR TAKE FROM HERE AND THERE, WHICH MAY BE ON AND FROM SOME OTHER WRITERS ARTICLES, BOOKS, BLOGS, OR SITES, ESPECIALLY THE "WORD OF GOD" THE SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE. BUT IN REALITY, IT IS FIRST USED ALREADY, PERHAPS, LONG, LONG TIME AGO.
"THIS DISCIPLE IS THE ONE WHO VOUCHES FOR THESE THINGS AND HAS WRITTEN THEM DOWN, AND WE KNOW THAT HIS TESTIMONY IS TRUE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DID; IF ALL WERE WRITTEN DOWN, THE WORLD ITSELF, I SUPPOSE, WOULD NOT HOLD ALL THE BOOKS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE WRITTEN." - JOHN 21:24-25 -
JUST AS GOD ORIGINALLY INSPIRED THE SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE. GOD HAS USED THIS MEANS TO PRESERVE HIS 'WORD' FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. BUT BEHIND THE WRITING LAY PERIODS OF TIME WHEN THESE MESSAGES WERE CIRCULATED IN SPOKEN FORM. (ORAL TRADITION) THE STORIES OF THE PATRIARCHS WERE PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION BY WORD OF MOUTH BEFORE THEY WERE WRITTEN. (WRITTEN TRADITION)
THE MESSAGES OF THE PROPHETS WERE DELIVERED ORALLY BEFORE THEY WERE FIXED IN WRITING. NARRATIVES OF THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF CHRIST JESUS WERE REPEATED ORALLY FOR TWO OR THREE DECADES BEFORE THEY WERE FIXED IN WRITING.
THEREFORE, SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE QUOTATION, THAT IS, HOW ANYONE AND I PUT WORD OF GOD INTO SENTENCES OR PUT WORDS INTO SENTENCES. REMEMBER ALWAYS! NO MATTER HOW THE "WORD OF GOD" AND WORDS PUT INTO SENTENCES, IN TRUTH, EVERYONE STARTED AND TOOK IT FROM THE MAIN SOURCE, THAT IS, FROM THE WITNESSES AND FROM THE SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE; "WORD OF GOD."
"IT IS TRUE, GOD SENT HIS WORD TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AND IT WAS TO THEM THAT THE GOOD NEWS OF PEACE WAS BROUGHT BY JESUS CHRIST - BUT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD OF ALL MEN.
YOU MUST HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE RECENT HAPPENINGS IN JUDAEA; ABOUT JESUS OF NAZARETH AND HOW HE BEGAN IN GALILEE, AFTER JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD BEEN PREACHING BAPTISM. GOD HAD ANOINTED HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH POWER, AND BECAUSE GOD WAS WITH HIM, JESUS WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD AND CURING ALL WHO HAD FALLEN INTO THE POWER OF THE DEVIL.
NOW I, ( SIMON PETER / PETER ) AND THOSE WITH ME, CAN WITNESS TO EVERYTHING JESUS DID THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRYSIDE OF JUDAEA AND IN JERUSALEM ITSELF; AND ALSO TO THE FACT THAT THEY KILLED HIM BY HANGING HIM ON A TREE, YET THREE DAYS AFTERWARDS GOD RAISED HIM TO LIFE AND ALLOWED HIM TO BE SEEN, NOT BY THE WHOLE PEOPLE BUT ONLY BY CERTAIN WITNESSES GOD HAD CHOSEN BEFOREHAND.
NOW WE ARE THOSE WITNESSES - WE HAVE EATEN AND DRUNK WITH HIM AFTER HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD - AND JESUS CHRIST HAS ORDERED US TO PROCLAIM THIS TO HIS PEOPLE AND TO TELL THEM THAT GOD HAS APPOINTED HIM TO JUDGE EVERYONE, ALIVE AND DEAD.
IT IS TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST THAT ALL THE PROPHETS BEAR THIS WITNESS: THAT ALL WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS WILL HAVE THEIR SINS FORGIVEN THROUGH HIS NAME." - ACTS 10:36-43 -
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
Prologue
In my earlier work, [ The gospel of Luke.] Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, [ This emphasises the part played by the Spirit in the first missionary activities of the apostles, vv. 5,8 and chapter 2, as in the opening of Christ's ministry, Luke 4:1,14,18.] and taken up to heaven. [ The Western Text does not mention the ascension here.]
Jesus had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. [ The kingdom of God, Matthew 4:17+, must be the main subject preached by the apostles, cf. Acts 8:12; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23,31, as it was the main thing preached by Christ, cf. Matthew 3:2+.] When he had been at table with them, Jesus had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised.
'It is' he had said 'what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised [ The baptism of the Spirit foretold by John The Baptist, Matthew 3:11p, and here promised by Jesus, will be initiated by the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, Acts 2:1-4. Subsequently, the apostles, obedient to Christ's command, Matthew 28:19, will continue to make use of baptism in water, Acts 2:41; 8:12,38; 9:18;10:48; 16:15,33; 18:8; 19:5, as the ritual initiation into the messianic Jesus', Acts 2:38+, and through belief in Christ as Saviour, cf. Rome 6:4+, will be able to absolve from sins and to give the Spirit, Acts 2:38.
Connected with this Christian baptism by water there is the companion rite of the imposition of hands, 1 Timothy 4:14+, the purpose of which is to give the gifts of the Spirit in as manifest a way as they had been given at Pentecost, Acts 8:16-19; 9:17-18; 19:5-6 (but cf. 10:44-48); this is the less instructed early Christians, 19:3.] with the Holy Spirit.' - Acts 1:1-5 -
The Ascension
Now having met together, [ Acts 1:6, takes up the narrative broken off in Luke 24:49.] they asked Jesus, 'Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?' [ The apostles still identified the messianic kingdom with the political restoration of David's dynasty. Cf. Matthew 4:17+.] Jesus replied, 'It is not for you to know times or dates [ Human history is the unfolding of salvation and it develops through the 'times and dates', cf. Daniel 2:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:1, that God has always foreseen (Romans 16:25+; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:4, 3:9,11; Col. 1:26; 2 Tim 1:9; cf. Matthew 25:34): first there are the 'times' of preparation, Hebrews 1:2, 9:9; 1 Peter 1:11, and of God's patience, Rom. 3:26; Acts 17:30; then follows the appointed time.
Galatians 4:4+, the moment long foretold for the Messiah to come and begin the era of salvation, Rom. 3:26+; after this, the time that is to escape before the parousia or final coming. 2 Cor. 6:2+; lastly, the great and final 'Day'.] that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you, [ The Holy Spirit is a favourite theme of Luke (Luke 4:1+); he talks mostly about the Holy Spirit as a Power, Luke 1:35; 24:49; Acts 1:8; Rom. 15:13,19; 1 Cor. 2:4,5; 1 Thes. 1:5; Hebrews 2:4, sent from God by Christ. Acts 2:33, to broadcast the Good News.
(1) The Spirit gives the charismata, 1 Cor. 12:4f, that guarantee the message: the gift of tongues, Acts 2:4+, of miracles, Acts 10:38, of prophecy, 11:27+; 20:23; 21:11, of wisdom, 6:3.5.10. (2) The Spirit gives strength to proclaim Jesus as Messiah in spite of persecution, 4:8,31; 5:32; 6:10; cf. Phil. 1:19, and to bear witness to him, Matt. 10:20p; John 15:26; Acts 1:8; 2 Tim. 1:7f, cf. following note. (3) The Spirit guides the Church in her major decisions: the admission of pagans, Acts 8:29,40; 10:19,44,47; 11:12-16; 15:8, without obligation to observe the Law, 15:28; Paul's mission to the pagan world, 13:2f; 16:6-7; 19:1 (Western Text), cf. Matt. 3:16+, Acts also mentions the Spirit as received in baptism and forgiving sins, 2:38; cf. Rom. 5:5+.] and then you will be my witnesses [ The primary function of the apostles is to bear witness: not only to Christ's resurrection, Luke 24:48; Acts 2:32; 3:15; 4:33; 5:32; 13:31; 22:15, but also to the whole of his public life, Luke 1:21; John 15:27; Acts 1:22; 10:39f.]
And then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.' [ Nothing can limit the apostolic mission, Is. 45:14+. The progress outlined here follows the geographical plan of Acts: Jerusalem was destined to receive the Good News, to be the centre from which it is now spreading, cf. Luke 2:38+.]
As Jesus said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud [ The cloud is part of theophanies in O.T., Exodus 13:22+, and in New Testament; Luke 9:34-35p. In particular, Daniel 7:13, it marks the coming, or parousia, of the Son of Man, Matthew 24:30+; v.11 of this passage; cf. 1 Thes. 4:17;Rev. 1:7; 14:14-16.] took him from their sight. They will still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, 'Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus [ Thus, the Western Text. Text Rec. 'this Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven'.] will come back the same way [ The glorious coming, the parousia, see notes on Matthew 24 and Luke 17:22-37; 21:5-33.] as you have seen him go there.' - Acts 1:6-11 -
I. THE JERUSALEM CHURCH
The group of apostles
So from the mount of Olives, as it is called, they went back to Jerusalem, a short distance away, no more than a Sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. [ 'Son' (of Alphaeus, of James) is not in the Greek. The apostle Jude is not the Jude 'brother' of Jesus. cf. Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3, and brother of James (Jude 1). Nor is it likely that the apostle James son of Alphaeus was James brother of the Lord, Acts 12:17; 15:13, etc.] All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. [ Cousins of Jesus, cf. Matthew 12:46+] - Acts 1:12-14 -
The election of Matthias
One day Peter stood up to speak to the brothers [ The term means Christians, usually the laity as distinct from apostles and elders, cf. 11:1; 12:17; 17:18; Romans 1:13, etc.] - there were about a hundred and twenty persons in the congregation: Brothers, the passage of Sacred Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, foretells the fate of Judas, who offered himself as a guide to the men who arrested Jesus - after having been one of our number and actually sharing this ministry of ours.
As you know, Judas Iscariot bought a field with the money he was paid for his crime. He fell headlong and burst open, and all his entrails poured out. Everybody in Jerusalem heard about it and the field came to be called the Bloody Acre, in their language Hakeldama. Now in the Book of Psalms it says:
Let his camp be reduced to ruin,
Let there be no one to live in it.
And again:
Let someone else take his office.
'We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was travelling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptising until the day when Jesus was taken up from us - and he can act with us a witness to Jesus resurrection.'
'Having nominated two candidates, Joseph known as Barsabbas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias, they prayed, 'Lord, you can read everyone's heart; show us therefore which of these two you have chosen to take over this ministry and apostolate, which Judas abandoned to go to his proper place.' They then draw lots for them, and as the lot fell to Matthias, he was listed as one of the twelve apostles. [ 'he was listed as one of the twelve apostles'.] - Acts 1:15-26 -
Pentecost
Page 36
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless.
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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