Come and hear eminent public servant and Methodist Dr Tan Gee Paw, as he shares insights on “Theology in the midst of an InfoComm Technology Revolution – an Asian perspective” at the upcoming ETHOS Institute Annual Lecture 2016.
Dr Tan was appointed Chairman of the PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, in 2001 and is a member of a number of government committees. He has held previous appointments as Principal of Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and Permanent Secretary of the then Ministry of the Environment.
In the midst of unprecedented global changes, the most urgent need for the Asian church is the development of Asian theological leadership. This need cannot be overemphasised in the face of a rising Asia. Asian theological leadership will define the shape and character of the future Asian church, just as Western theological leadership commencing from the Reformation has defined and continues to define the Western church up to today.
Western theological leadership however is ill-suited for the Asian church, due to fundamental differences between the Western social psyche and the Asian social psyche. Looking into the future, Western theology implanted within Asian churches will present an increasing problem to the Asian church that is trying to reach out to Asian communities.
Compounding this problem, the world today is in the midst of an information and communications technology revolution. Deep reflection needed for the development of theological leadership is eroded by the age of social media with its widespread use of shallow clichés and short messages.
A new generation is being inundated with data and information without the means or time for deep reflection. Traditional means of communication have been swept aside. Even if our quest for an Asian theology is successful, communicating deep thoughts with today’s modes of communication will be an enormous problem.
What, then, are the chances that we can succeed in this critical mission for the future of the Asian church?
Register for the lecture at ethosinstitute.sg/events/annuallecture, and explore what we can do in answer to this challenging question.
ETHOS Institute Annual Lecture 2016
18 Oct 2016 (Tuesday), 8 p.m.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, 11 St. Andrew’s Road, Prayer Hall A-C
Organised by ETHOS Institute™ for Public Christianity. For more information, visit ethosinstitute.sg/events
Photo and synopsis courtesy of ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity