A Christian think tank formed by the National Council of Churches of Singapore, Trinity Theological College and The Bible Society of Singapore.
National Council of Churches of Singapore Letters/Statements
- NCCS Statement on Social Egg Freezing. Click here to read the statement.
- NCCS' Statement on Surrogacy. Click here to read the statement.
- NCCS Statement on the Christchurch Mosque Attacks. Click here to read the statement.
March 2019 Feature Article
Book Review - Through the Valley: the Art of Living and Leaving Well
Gilbert Lok
This book, as the author himself notes, draws its title from the Twenty-Third Psalm: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil”. Appropriately, this slim, readable volume does not merely address fears of ageing or of death. It speaks instead of journeying through the valley to age well and die well.
The author, Dr William Wan, is eminently qualified to write on this topic. He won the Active Ageing Award in 2011, and still serves as the General Secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement – a position he took up at age 64, when many others are beginning to enjoy a laidback retirement. Dr Wan, now in his early 70s, continues to keep 15-hour work days, preaches regularly at different churches, and is a frequent contributor to the Straits Times. This book was fittingly written while he was on sabbatical for his 70th birthday.
March 2019 Credo
"Once Saved Always Saved" and Other Controversies
Dr Leow Theng Huat
Question: How can a believer reconcile the doctrine of "Once Saved Always Saved" with Hebrews 6:4-6?
This question raises the important larger issue of how the formation of Christian doctrines and the interpretation of the Bible are related to each other. I hope the person who raised this question will forgive me if I dwell on this issue, instead of answering his or her question specifically. I do this because I am convinced that, if we see the larger picture, many issues of the Christian faith, including the question of whether we are able to lose our salvation, would fall into their proper place.
Many Christians probably hold on to such an understanding of the relationship between Christian doctrines and biblical interpretation: Christians begin by studying the Bible, and then distilling and systematising its teachings, which then constitute the doctrines of the faith. In this rather simplistic account, Christians are assumed to approach the Bible with a tabula rasa (blank slate), and derive all their content and conclusions purely from what the Bible says.
March 2019 Pulse
Big Data, Ethics and Society
Dr Roland Chia
We live in an age where we witness a truly unprecedented explosion of data – its collection, sharing and analytics. The phenomenon that came to be known as Big Data has impacted every sector of society – economics, politics, policing, security, science, education, policy, health care, public health, etc – in profound ways.
Although definitions vary, Big Data can refer to (1) the data or information collected, known as datasets, and (2) the process of analysing these ‘big’ datasets. ‘Big’ points either to the quantities and the electronic sizes of the data accumulated (gigabytes, terabytes, petabytes, etc) or to the techniques and technologies employed to analyse the data. As Brent Mittelstadt and Luciano Floridi explain, ‘The latter approach defines “big” in procedural rather than quantitative terms, by connecting the size of the dataset to its complexity, understood in terms of computational or human effort necessary for analysis.’
SUGGEST A TOPIC!
Dear Readers,
Every month the ETHOS Institute publishes five articles on a variety of topics on its website. These articles have attracted many readers who find them informative and engaging.
However, we realise that although our articles cover a wide range of subjects, some issues and themes may not have received the attention they deserve.
If you would like us to address a topic or issue that is of interest to you, please write to us by clicking here. We will try our very best to post an article on that topic on our website.
Thank you for supporting the work of ETHOS Institute!
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Dr Roland Chia
Theological and Research Advisor
ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity
TESTIMONIES
Very well and needfully stated, Dr Leow (Theng Huat). Exactly the very same concern I have deep in me.
... your writings and works have built up many aspects of my interior foundation as relating to God’s words and also the meaning of being a Christian.
The article “Divine Genocide” is extremely helpful and insightful to aid me in my understanding regarding Joshua 's 'brutal' military actions against the Canaanites - in relation to the 'occasional' and 'general' command. Something I will share with my cell members tomorrow evening.
Very interesting topics and relevant issues in today’s generation.
Excellent overview of ideas and views from all sides of the debate.
Upcoming Events
- 7 May 2019: ETHOS Lecture: The Threat of Transnational Terrorism to Southeast Asia: A Christian Response
Speaker: A/Prof Kumar Ramakrishna from S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University
Venue: Bible House
Time: 7.30pm - 9pm
Click here for details and registration. - 16 July 2019: ETHOS Lecture - Trinitarian Ethics: Implications for Christian Formation
Speaker: Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon
Venue: Bible House
Time: 7.30pm - 9pm
More details coming soon. - 5 September 2019: ETHOS Lecture - The Old Testament as Asian Contextual Theology
Speaker: Rev Dr Jerry Hwang, Singapore Bible College
Venue: Bible House
Time: 7.30pm - 9pm
More details coming soon. - 28 Sep 2019: Seminaries Conference 2019 : Dei Verbum: The Bible in Church and Society
Speakers: Dr Lee Chee-Chiew (SBC), Dr Lai Pak Wah (BGST), Dr Daniel Wu (BTS) and Dr Lewis
Winkler (EAST)
Venue: Bible House
Time: 9am – 5pm
More details coming soon. - 24 Oct 2019: ETHOS Annual Lecture 2019 : The Internet Age and Plastic Self: Reshaping Personal Identity through Christian Practice
Speaker: Rev Dr Simon Chan from Trinity Theological College
Venue: Bible House
Time: 7.30pm – 9pm
More details coming soon.