Reformation Day Dedication - Soli Deo Gloria

written by Jonah Tang
translated by Daniel H. Chew

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宗教改革日献辞

CREDO500部落格会议已接近尾声，第一部份的讨论围绕在《圣经》与改革宗传统之正当性课题，第二部份的焦点则集中加尔文神学在后宗教改革时期的诠释性问题。吾人在这里要向以下朋友致意：首先，感激赵惠聪弟兄的帮助，在联合主持会议、编辑和翻译的部分付出不少心思和努力。跟着，感激三位特邀指导陈佐人牧师、王志勇牧师、李健安牧师所给予的支持，日后会在审稿及出版的工作上继续寻求他们的意见。最后，感激所有的参与者，包括贡献文章、回应文及参与讨论的网友们，都在不同程度上促进了第一届部落格会议的完成。本会议旨在学习和推广改革宗神学，并以一个半学术性水平的研究目标，面向汉英语背景的神学师生及教牧人员，期望归正神学能融入并转化华人教会神学建设之愿景。引用唐崇荣牧师的话“教会一个很重要的方向，甚至可以说唯一的盼望，就是各宗派真正研究、了解、深入回归归正(改革宗)信仰，来认识圣经，那教会的前途就很稳定。归正神学的运动，乃是把基督徒信仰的根基，好像钢筋水泥一样建立起来，这样就不容易动摇。”笔者深信，华人教会在信仰扎根神本启示的成熟目标上，不能轻视改革宗神学的资源、精神和方法，应该借助他们成为大气候，以在这末后的世代捍卫那一次交付圣徒的真道。

今天是宗教改革日(第492周年)，我们感谢神兴起马丁路得、加尔文和其他改教家，带领教会回归《圣经》的信仰。在这里，吾人邀请诸位网友们提供个人对宗教改革的感想,你可以在本文的下方留言，包括你对某人某事某神学观念的思考或阅读心得。你也可以将个人网页中相关的默想或短文电邮给我们credo500@gmail.com，好将你的网页联系上版。笔者深信，改教家的活信仰在21世纪的今天仍然说话，呼吁着今日的华人教会真正走归正路线的立约群体团结起来，创造性的继承发扬改革宗全面的属灵遗产。我们看见神已经在各地的工作，就当主动积极地致力于这运动在华人教会的推动、奠基和发展。求神打开我们属灵的眼睛，在纯正的信仰上下功夫，做最好的准备以迎头赶上，把更多宝贵的人力和时间投资在教导圣徒在回归《圣经》的工作上，走出过去的旧矿井！但愿归正福音运动在亚洲和第三世界的扩展，好像当年16世纪欧洲的宗教改革运动、17世纪英国的清教徒运动，以及18世纪北美的属灵大醒觉运动一般，兴起一大批能教导、能辅导的青年，有扎实的信仰和福音的热忱，本于圣经、立足传统、发自本心，成为建立基督教文明的主力军。笔者深信这是神给这时代的一个祝福，也是海内外华人教会复兴的曙光。是祷！

2009年10月31日，让我们一同纪念这改变世界的重要日子！

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Reformation Day Dedication

The CREDO500 blog conference is nearing its end. The first part of the conference orbits around the theme of Scripture and the validity of the Reformed tradition, while the second part centers on the theme of Calvin’s theology and its applicability in the post-reformation era. We would like to take this time to thank our friends. First, we would like to thank brother Daniel CHEW for his help in helping to co-organize this conference, and in his hard work and thoughts in editorial and translation work for the conference. Next, we would like to express our sincerest thanks to our three specially invited advisers for the conference Rev. Dr. Stephen CHAN, Rev. Dr. Zhi Yong WANG and Rev. Dr. Keng An LEE for their help and support for this conference, especially as we would be seeking their opinions on the final phase of editing and publication later. Lastly, we would like to thank all who have participated in the conference, including all who have submitted their articles, those who have reviewed them and all who have participated in the discussion online. All of you have in your own way make this fist blog conference a success. This conference in its learning and promotion of Reformed theology aims for the semi-technical level of scholarship, and targets professors and seminarians and pastoral staff from both Chinese and English background in the hope that Reformed theology would be able to enter and transform the Chinese churches and our task of understanding theology. To quote Rev. Stephen Tong: “A very important direction for the Church, in fact it can be said its only hope, is for various denominations to truly study, understand and go in depth into the Reformed faith; to understand Scripture. The future of such a church would be stable. Reformed theology places the Christian faith at its foundation, build upon it as like a building being built with reinforced concrete, such that it would not be easily shaken.” The writer believes that if the faith of the Chinese churches has as its goal being founded on the revelation from and by God, it must not treat lightly and dismiss Reformed theology with its resources, its spirit and its methodology, but rather should utilize them as a paradigm in order to defend the apostolic truths in these last days.

Today is the 492nd Anniversary of Reformation Day, in which we thank God for raising up men like Martin Luther, John Calvin and the other reformers in leading the Church back to the faith of Scripture. In this light, we would like to welcome all our friends to post their thoughts and reflections on the Reformation. These can be done under this post, and can include your appreciative thoughts on any person, event or thoughts from any theological system and reading materials. You may also write your reflections on your website/blog or an email and send them to credo500@gmail.com , so that we can publish or link them from our blog. The writer firmly believes that the living faith of the Reformers still lives today in our 21st century, and calls upon today’s Chinese churches to truly return along the path of Reformation unite in a Covenant community, and creatively continue to proclaim the truths of the Reformed legacy for all of life. We can see that God is already working in many parts of the world, so let us take the initiative to actively work towards the promotion, building a foundation for and developing the Reformed faith in the Chinese churches. May God open our eyes so that we may work for the promotion of pure religion, to make preparations for and invest more time and effort in the teaching of God’s people in going back to the Scriptures, and in so doing avoid the errors of the past. It is hoped that the Reformed Evangelical movement will flourish in Asia and the third world countries just like the 16th century Reformation in Europe, the 17th century Puritan movement in England, and the 18th century Great Awakening. Just like these movements, may the Reformed Evangelical movement raise up a generation of young people who are apt to teach and counsel, who have a steadfast faith and evangelical zeal, who are founded on Scripture, firm on tradition and convicted about the truth, and who will carry forth the torch of the faith as soldiers of Christ. The writer firmly believes that such is indeed a blessing that God gives to this generation, which is also the light of revival for Chinese congregations around the world. Amen.

On this Oct 31st 2009 therefore, let us together remember this important day which changed the world.