Chinese Calvinists Celebrate 500th Year with Weblog Conference

With gratitute, posting this short article written by Edmond Chua（Christian Post Singapore）, Soli Deo Gloria!

In commemoration of the unprecedented 500th anniversary of Protestant reformer John Calvin this year, Chinese Reformed churches in Singapore and Malaysia are about to embark on an equally historic initiative to stir up theological discussion among Chinese Calvinists on the worldwide web.

In what is called Chinese Reformed Evangelical Discussion Online or CREDO for short, 15 pastors and specialists of the Calvinistic branch of Protestant Christianity were invited to submit articles on Calvin’s thoughts and influences in the 16th and 17th centuries and explore their implications within Chinese churches today, according to the organisers.

“The aim of this conference is to foster theological reading habit and research discipline on reformed and puritans’ heritages among Chinese theo-bloggers via the blogosphere,” stated Pastors Jonah and Lemuel.

The conference, which will run from May 4 to 8, will see essay contributions on nearly every theological field of study including biblical theology, Christian ethics, historical theology, pastoral theology and Christian culture.

During the five-day period, the dissertations will be published and comments from the online community encouraged.

Articles will cover topics including evaluating the New Perspective on Paul’s exposition of the doctrine of justification by faith alone, evaluating the Purpose Driven paradigm and recapturing the vision of the centrality of the gospel and the place and necessity of creeds and confessions in the modern church.

Contributors, who represent Baptist, Reformed, Reformed Presbyterian and Methodist denominations and various occupations ranging from church ministers and leaders to ministry leaders to apologists, include David Chong from the Agora online ministry, Daniel Chew and Pastor J J Lim and Linus Chua from Pilgrim Covenant Church in Singapore.

邀请十五位回应员

请贡献者们注意，文章尽量写在6000字以内，以维持平均的篇幅，其余要文或考虑填入注脚中。目前已收到4篇英语文章有待翻译，译完之后仍会与原著者对稿修正，以免词不达意。三月一日，当所有的文章初稿收齐后，将会寄给顾问们审阅。

部落格会议5月4－8日，我们将会在每日公布各分题之文章，每篇文章需有一篇500-1000字的回应短文，鼓励凡有意回应任何贡献者所呈报的文章之朋友们，透过credo500@gmail.com 联系我们。会议期间，亦欢迎公开的评语或讨论。

在这里，特别转载赵惠聪(Daniel Chew)弟兄所翻译的短文，愿神纪念他在主里的劳苦！

http://puritanreformed.blogspot.com/2009/02/credo500-short-article.html

The 16th century Reformation is undoubtedly the greatest watershed movement in the last 500 years of the history of the Church. In its contribution to theology, it ranks near the 4th century Council of Nicea which codified the foundational doctrine of the Trinity and of the two natures of Christ, and also the Great Schism of 1054 between the Eastern and Western churches due to disagreement on the doctrine of the Procession of the Spirit from the Son.

This movement of reformation however can be traced back even to the early Church Fathers, especially to the 5th century where Augustine puts forward a mature view of sin and grace. Similarly, Martin Luther build upon that Augustinian foundation in coming to understand the true doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone, while John Calvin followed through with the setting up of a system of theology centered on the Sovereignty of God. Through their efforts, the way of reforming and returning back to the Orthodox truth of Scripture has been opened up for churches both then and now.

However, with the rise of Humanism, Libertarianism, Anti-intellectualism, Evangelicalism, Postmodernism, Charismatism, Ecumenism, Revivalism, Neo-Orthodoxy, the New Perspective on Paul and many other religious reform and restoration movements, the precious legacy of the Reformation has been slowly but surely neglected. Such results in the obscuring of certain foundational Christian doctrines which took center stage in that era, to the detriment of the Church.

On the other hand, the theocentric thread of theology runs through 17th century English Puritanism, the 18th century Great Awakening, early 20th century Westminster Seminary with its contention for the faith and the late 20th century revival of the Reformed faith in Chinese congregations around the world. All of these work together to link the modern Church to Reformation theology and the Historic Orthodox traditions of the Church.

With the advent of 2009, Reformed communities around the world are commemorating the 500th birthday of John Calvin. CREDO500 was started by a group of web-friends who are all impacted and nurtured by Reformed theology. God willing, through walking in the old paths, we will discuss under the theme "Calvin in perspective on today's Chinese congregation" the papers prepared by the contributors in the blog conference scheduled for May 4th-8th.

三月一日交初稿

16世纪宗教改革的贡献, 相当于4世纪尼西亚会议中所奠定有关三位一体和基督二性的信仰基础, 以及1054年东西教会在和子论争议上的神圣分裂, 无疑是基督教教义史在近500年最重要的分水岭.

显然，改教运动可以追溯至早期教父，特别5世纪奥古斯丁对罪与恩典之成熟的观念。马丁路得在其根基上特然醒悟到因信称义之真理, 加尔文跟着建立起神主权的教义系统, 为当时及往后的教会开辟了一条回归圣经之正统路线.

然而, 随着人本主义的崛起, 自由主义, 反智主义，福音主义, 后现代主义, 灵恩运动, 普世合一运动, 新兴教会运动, 新正统神学, 新保罗神学云云后宗教改革现象的发展顺流而出, 逐渐地绕过宗教改革的宝贵信仰遗产，因而模糊了当时一些关键的核心教义.

另一边厢, 以神为本的思想路线随着17世纪英国的清教徒运动, 18世纪北美的属灵大醒觉运动, 20世纪初西敏斯神学院的护教运动, 以及20世纪末海内外华人教会兴起的归正福音运动, 则一脉相承地把今日教会与改教神学及历代正统基督教传统联系起来.

欣逢2009年, 全世界归正群体在纪念加尔文诞辰500周年之际, CREDO500由一群受归正神学造就的网友发起, 志在依循神本体系之旧路上继承发扬，故以<从加尔文看今日华人教会>的主题, 将在5月4-8日, 于部落格会议中发表并讨论参与者所呈上的一系列文章.


留意: 参与者须在三月一日内交上初稿.

部落格会议参与者名单

部落格会议将在明日(15/10)截止招搞。目前，已收集15位参与者所建议的文稿，程度参差不齐，然而仍寄望一个好的开始。有关先前所计划，安排各类分题指导的意愿，由于导师不够而决定取消，以较简化的方式进行。陈佐人牧师(schan401@msn.com)及王志勇牧师(onelaw1@yahoo.com)仍继续担任会议顾问，任何写作技巧或信仰立场等问题，欢迎询问。参与者须在2009年3月1日交上文章，好让顾问们给予整体性的评语或总结性的反思。

注意事项：

1.有关个人简历，若有需要更改者，尽请通知我们。

2.至于系列题目，未明确者亦有待尽快明朗化题目。

3.若有其他朋友仍愿加入，欢迎联系我们以待商权。


邮址：credo500@gmail.com


I. 圣经神学

1. 王俊才，神迹与方言的分析与批判(古晋恩典浸信会牧师，古晋归正团契及吉隆坡归正福音教会创办人，东马)

2. David Chong，评估保罗新观对唯独因信称义的教义诠释[Evaluate the "New Perspective" on Paul's Exposition of the Doctrine of Justification by faith alone](Agora网络事工及KAIROS中心同工，西马)

3. Daniel Chew，评估标竿之代模，重新规范福音核心的异象[Evaluating The Purpose Driven Paradigm : Recapturing The Vision of The Centrality of The Gospel](CERC圣约福音归正教会，新加坡)


II. 教义神学

4. J.J.Lim，信条和宣言在现代教会的地位和重要性(PCC圣约朝圣者教会主理传道，新加坡)

5. 韩江平，论教父与加尔文的释经观(PCC圣约朝圣者教会会友，印尼)

6. 许如辉，加尔文的预定论(卫理公会主恩堂代理传道，东马)


III.历史神学

7. 黄耀兴，加尔文的生平简介和历史定位(马里兰州立大学宗教哲学学士，东马)

8. 郑天鸣，清教徒典范论华人教会复兴(卫理公会马当堂代理传道，东马)

9. 邓福祥，从加尔文的<基督教要义>论敬虔操练(卫理公会准传道，东马)


IV.实践神学

10. 陈亦君，加尔文崇拜神学理念的探究：灵火焚心、负爱一生－走出仪文的敬拜(音乐硕士，教会音乐教育工作者，新加坡)

11. Linus Chua，宗教改革与教育[Reformation And Education](PCC圣约朝圣者教会助理传道，新加坡)

12. 吴盈盈，浅论圣经辅导与世俗心理学(中国信徒布道会同工，西马)


V.福音文化

13. 刘惠清，改革宗的宣教神学与华人文化处境(卫理公会新生堂代理传道，东马)

14. 江锦顺，加尔文的经济观(卫理公会传恩堂代理传道，东马)

15.周顺煌，比较路德与加尔文的政治观(卫理公会芦恩堂及侨恩堂代理传道，东马)

文章题目建议的最后呼吁！

感谢神，为2009年之部落格会议，预备一群对加尔文神学有热忱的朋友，针对是次的会议提出相关论文题目的建议，在此向他们致意。目前参与者所建议的文章共计十二篇。愿在十月十五日之前，收齐各类文章题目，并确定不同分题的指导，以开始作准备的工作。因此，笔者在此作出最后的呼吁！

为更全面达到纪念加尔文的目的，笔者列出以下题目范围，便于考虑加入此会议的朋友们参考：加尔文与诗篇、加尔文的政治观、加尔文与解经讲道、加尔文与教牧反思、改革宗与辩道学、评估巴特神学的正当性、圣经辅导与世俗心理学。另外，以下是两位朋友的文章题目修改，以及两位朋友加入会议。

修改题目：

黄耀兴，加尔文的生平简介和历史定位

David Chong，评估保罗新观对唯独因信称义的教义诠释(Evaluate the "New Perspective" on Paul's Exposition of the Doctrine of Justification by faith alone)

加入朋友：

邓福祥，从加尔文的<基督教要义>论敬虔操练

Daniel Chew，评估标竿之代模，重新规范福音核心的异象(Evaluating The Purpose Driven Paradigm : Recapturing The Vision of The Centrality of The Gospel)

联系：credo500@gmail.com