2017 • Issue No. 2 FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY 500th Anniversary of Protestant Reformation Sharing of Lives in Pastors’ School Take-away From Preach Sharp Session Led By Rev Dr Gordon Wong Jeremiah School Ecumenical Solidarity Service held on April 04, 2017 Seated from Left to Right : Rev. Dr. Ng Swee Ming, Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, Rev. Dr. T. Jeyakumar, Bishop Dr. Ong Hwai Teik, Archbishop Julian Leow Beng Kim, Archbishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing. From the President’s desk PASTORS’ WIVES 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF RETREAT PROTESTANT The Haven Resort, Tambun, Ipoh 1 REFORMATION 12 6th - 8th of June 2016 TRAC Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Arminianism and Calvinism: MISUNDERSTANDINGS Brigade CAMP ABOUT ARMINIAN BELIEFS CONCORDIA 3 3 at Kem Lubok Manggis, 13 Hulu Langat Selangor SHARING OF LIVES IN 6 PASTORS’ SCHOOL QUOTABLE QUOTES 7 by Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon TAKE-AWAY FROM PREACH SHARP SESSION 8 Led By Rev Dr Gordon Wong JEREMIAH SCHOOL 9 – Excerpts from Participants Berita TRAC is a newsletter of the Trinity Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in Malaysia. We welcome articles, contributions, comments and feedbacks that will edify the TRAC churches. The editor reserves the right to edit and publish selected submissions. Please forward all enquiries, comments and contributions to: [email protected] or call 03-7954 2836 website: www.trac.org.my FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK 1 500th Anniversary of Protestant Reformation This year all around the world Protestant communities will be celebrating 500 years of Reformation. The Augustinian monk Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on the 31st of October 1517. Here are some samples of the Theses translated into English from Latin: 1. When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, says “Repent ye,” etc., he means that the entire life of the faithful should be a repentance. Rev. Dr. T. Jeyakumar 2. This statement cannot be understood of the sacrament of President, TRAC penance, i.e., of confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priesthood. 27. They preach human folly who pretend that as soon as money in the coffer rings a soul from purgatory springs. 62. The main treasure of the church should be the Gospels and the grace of God. 95. And so let them (Christians) set their trust on entering heaven through many tribulations rather than some false security and peace. Traditionally the Sunday closest to 31st October has been set apart as Reformation Sunday. It is my hope that our churches will not miss this opportunity to commemorate this great event in history by setting aside 29th of October this year as Reformation Sunday. The Protestant Reformation is important amongst other things for the following reasons: 1. The Reformation taught us that we are justified by faith (put in a right relationship with God). We are saved by believing in Jesus Christ and not by our good works. This is offered to us by the grace of God. 2. The Reformation helped the people to realize the supreme authority of the Bible – sola Scriptura. The Bible derives its authority from the Holy Spirit who inspired human writers to pen down what God was saying to them (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, man-made tradition cannot supersede the authority of the Scripture and neither can it have equal authority with Scripture. 3. The Reformation also helped people settle the dispute on which books constituted the Scripture. The Reformers rejected the Apocryphal books from which the Christians then derived 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK (CONT’D) many of their traditions and practices. One of the main Article V. -Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures reasons the Apocryphal books were rejected was for Salvation because the Jews consistently did not accord canonical status to these books. The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor 4. Owing to the Reformation the Bible was translated may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man to the language of the people and made available to that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be the laity. Additionally Bible commentaries were thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name written by the Reformers and made available of the Holy Scriptures we do understand those canonical together with the Bible to help even the laity books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority understand the Bible. was never any doubt in the Church. Without the Reformation wrong teachings which gave rise Article IX. - Of the Justification of Man to wrong practices, like absolute power and corruption within the Church then, would have continued. The We are accounted righteous before God only for the Reformation helped create a restraint on these.Today merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and as in yesteryears we need to remind ourselves that if not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we the Church is not careful then we too will fall into the are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, same trap as that of the Medieval Church. Money, sex and very full of comfort. and power are as dazzling and tempting today as they were during the pre-Reformation era. Interpretations Article X. - Of Good Works of the Bible without any regard for the original context will destroy the hard-fought efforts of the Reformation. Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and Extra-biblical visions of church leaders that can override follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and the content of Scripture will ruin the Church of Christ. endure the severity of God’s judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out In commemorating 500 years of Reformation we are not of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively praising the efforts of certain men. We are aware that the faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned Reformers were not perfect and in their enthusiasm they by its fruit. overreacted on certain issues. Personally I am saddened by the countless number of Protestant denominations Article XIII. -Of the Church (and non-denominations) and the many self-appointed popes that have arisen because of the Reformation. In The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful spite of that, I am glad for the Reformation for pointing men in which the pure Word of God is preached, and us to: the Sacraments duly administered according to Christ’s i. The need for faith and personal relationship with the ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are Lord Jesus Christ. requisite to the same. ii. The authority of the Scripture that is above man- made traditions and councils. My appeal is that we hold fast to the spirit of the iii The need to become biblically literate. Reformation, being guided by the Holy Spirit of God iv. The need to faithfully interpret and preach the word through the Holy Bible to be the Church that God has of God. meant for us to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ the Son of God. The Methodist Church follows the Reformation understanding of Scripture, Justification, Grace and the Soli Deo Gloria! supremacy of Christ seriously. So much so in the Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church the following are mentioned amongst others: ARMINIANISM AND CALVINISM 3 Arminianism and Calvinism: How should Arminians (and Calvinists!) Respond. By Rev. Andrew Tan and Mr. David Tan INTRODUCTION amounts to “I chose God of my own free will,” without the acknowledgement in Arminian theology that it is This is the fourth and final article in a series written God’s grace that enables any choice at all. This faulty to assist Methodist members to be aware of their understanding claims human credit for God’s gift, and own doctrinal position which is Arminian. In the first can lead to pride and a misplaced sense of worthiness. article, we explained how the “Young, Restless, and Going back to the Scriptures for biblical teaching on Reformed” movement has brought Calvinism back onto salvation will quickly lead to passages that discuss the theological centre-stage, and raises challenges both the divine and the human role in the process of to our Arminian beliefs. We discussed issues of God’s salvation. Any effort to form a coherent and consistent sovereignty, human free will, and the problem of evil and understanding on the subject will lead to Arminianism, unbelievers. In the second article, we examined some of Calvinism, or some other position. Thus, it is not possible the key Scriptural passages in this debate. In the third to study salvation deeply (and to the degree that the article, we looked at some common misunderstandings writers think we ought to) without grappling with the about what Arminians actually believe. Here, we put issues at stake in this theological debate. forth our suggestions about how to address differences and disagreements in our church communities and Given that this is such an important yet divisive issue, in wider Christian circles. We hope that this series of we need to know how to work out our differences in a articles will help us not only to understand our doctrinal loving manner without pretending that these differences position and the Scriptures that support it but also to do not matter. In the remainder of this article, we provide see it as credible, and be able to articulate and defend some suggestions for our interactions with individuals, it – and with this article, to work out our differences in a in our churches, and in interdenominational spaces.