Church Relations Expert on Christianity and Nation-Building

Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 Posted: 4:20:02AM HKT

(Photo: CP)

There is a dominant perception among members of the public that Christians are a section of society that needs to be reined in and co-opted to prevent damage to the social fabric, particularly in an avowedly secular context such as Singapore.

Is Christianity really an opponent of the state, as most totalitarian regimes have thought? And is it necessarily collaborationist and untrue to Christian conviction to submit at all times to political authority? Where are the ‘OB’ markers?

In this interview, United Bible Societies China Partnership Coordinator and veteran in regard to dealings between the Church and the State Mr Kua Wee Seng shares how the Christian faith can be firm yet flexible, truthful without being judgmental and sensitive without jettisoning conviction.

The Christian Post: What would you say is the relationship between the Christian faith and nation-building?

Mr Kua Wee Seng: I was involved in the “Seek the Welfare of the City” Conference held by TTC and NCCS about four years ago. We invited church leaders and government officials from China. We emphasised that Christians are asked to seek the welfare of the city, to be good citizens, and to contribute to the wellbeing of society and nations just as the Jews were exhorted to do during their exile (Jeremiah 29:7).

This is something that the Chinese government and Church have been trying to promote - to help Chinese Christians realise that to be a good Christian is to be a good citizen.

The prophetic role of the Church in Asia is a greater challenge. The Church has to be the conscience of the nations. We should seek to bless the nations, but blessing the nation also involves trying to stop the moral decay of society. How to do so is a challenge.

In the West the people can take to the streets and protest, but we cannot do so in Singapore or in China. If we adopt the practice of the West unthinkingly in Singapore or in China, it may be counter-productive and may result in a backlash. We need to find more acceptable and effective ways of being salt and light, of being a prophetic voice, in our contexts.

CP: Do you see any place for Christian laypeople speaking up?

Kua: There is a place for that. I have friends who are good at writing to the Press when they see certain things in society or some government policies which are not right. But the challenge is to stay within the OB marker, and to do it in such a way that you don’t irk the government or evoke a backlash. I feel there is a place for Christians to speak up on issues affecting the society. But, it has to be done judiciously, it has to be done carefully. We don’t want it to be counter-productive.

Sometimes it is more effective to do it quietly, like speaking to our MPs about it, rather than to confront the Government publicly.

The Bible says that we should obey those in authority (Romans 13: 1). But, the Lord also exhorts us to be the salt of the earth and light of the world – to act against the moral decay of society and to let the light of truth shines into the darkness of our world.

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Edmond Chua
edmond@christianpost.com