Academic Integrity vs Pastoral Care

Where does one draw the line between upholding academic integrity and exercising pastoral care? I have been pondering over this question for some time now. For me, the emotional agony always surfaces when the complex issue of exercising academic integrity and providing pastoral care collide.

Sometimes, I wish these two issues are mutually exclusive. This makes decision making much easier. If I am a pure academician, it is easy for me pass or fail a student's paper or thesis simply based on objective academic judgement. But it has always been said that a seminary is not purely an academic institution. It is also a place for the training of pastors and church workers, and as such, the duty of pastoral care is naturally demanded and expected from the students. As such, the role of a lecturer in a seminary is not simply the impartation of knowledge resulting in passing or failing a student. A seminary lecturer is expected to coach the students and be a role model or example to the students to be like Christ.

What if students turn in a piece of work that does not meet the basic academic requirement? If I fail them, I would be said to judge them purely based on their academic capabilities and ignore their divine calling to be a minister of the gospel. If I pass them, I would be said to compromise my academic integrity.

I know the real issues are always much complex. But where do one actually draw the line?

STM 30th Anniversary Celebration

Today marks the seminary's 30th Anniversary celebration. The celebration begins with tea reception at 4pm, followed by a thanksgiving service at 4.30pm. A dinner celebration will be held at 7pm. For further details of the celebration, please visit the seminary's website.

There Goes My Research Too....

Tony Siew, my good friend at Trinity Theological College, Singapore, recently lamented, "There goes my research." This is one lament that I can fully identified with, and it is my present cry too. As I look at my work load this year, I think I am not only overstretched, overloaded, but also overworked.

This is just a snapshot of my workload this year in terms of the classes/modules that I have taught or currently teaching (and this excludes all other administrative duties):

1) Exegesis of Romans - 3 credit hours
2) Exegetical Method (co-teach) for Semester 1 - 3 credit hours
3) Exegetical Method (co-teach) for Semester 2 - 3 credit hours
4) TEE Course in PJ/KL Centre: Biblical Interpretation - 3 credit hours
5) Doctor of Ministry module: Advanced Hermeneutics and Homiletics - 4 credit hours
6) Guided study on Readings in Greek Using Bible Works for 2 M Div Students
7) Supervision of 3 M Div theses for both semesters
8) Supervision of 2 M Theol theses (full time) for both semesters
9) Supervision of 1 full time M Theol candidate
10) Supervision of 1 module of a D Theol candidate
11) Examination of 1 D Theol thesis currently sitting on my desk

How could one possibly find time to do research and writing in the midst of all these extraordinary teaching load? My book on Paul's Use of Images that I have started working on last year has not made any progress since I returned from my 4-week research leave in Trinity Theological College last December 08. This is very appalling indeed for an academician.

I have asked for a lighter teaching load next year. I am not sure whether this request will be granted. I really do hope to go back to do some research and writing before I perish!

SBL International Meeting in Rome: A Great Reunion

I did not blog much about my experience in presenting my paper at SBL International Meeting, hosted by the Pontifical Biblical Institute and held at the Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana, Rome. This is partly due to the fact that from the very moment I touched down at KL, I was literally swamped with work, having to work through all the 5 theses submitted by my students.

From Left: myself, William Campbell, Kathy Ehrensperger,
Anthony Cogliolo and Edward Pillar.

One the moments that I treasured in Rome is the opportunity to meet up with friends from my alma mater, in particular my doctoral supervisor Dr William Campbell and his lovely wife, Dr Kathy Ehrensperger. University of Wales Lampeter had a very significant presence at SBL International Meeting this year, with a total of 8 papers being presented. It was great catching up with these wonderful people who are so supportive of my research work. Bill and Kathy have always gone the extra mile in providing all the necessary assistance that I need in my professional development.

What A Sight to Behold at St Peter's Basilica

I was amazed at this sight during my visit to St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

Coffee...Ice Cream...and Book - Even Better

In my previous post, I blogged about coffee and book. I think my experience in my recent SBL International Meeting trip to Rome is even better: Coffee, ice cream and book!

Coffee and Book...This is Life!

I must say this was what I really enjoyed last week while I was in Singapore: Having a nice cup of coffee and reading a book at the same time.

The aroma from the coffee stimulates the brain...and the book energises the thought process....However, I went away disappointed by Seyoon Kim's work as reviewed by Warren Carter here.

But the coffee at The Coffee Connoisseur was great!

Eagles Leadership Conference

I was at the Eagles' Leadership Conference in Singapore last week. On one of the days, I was staring at this board, wondering which workshop I should attend. It was a little bit difficult to make a decision where there were so many great topics to choose from. In the end, I opted for the seminar on "Coaching Underperformers, Changing Lives."

Someone asked me whether I have any specific situation in mind in choosing this particular seminar. I am not sure whether my experience is any indication. Based on my observation and involvement in a number of non-profit Christian organisations, one of the inherent problems is having an above-average number of underperforming staff. I am not sure whether I am fair in my observation here, and I stand corrected.

Having said that, I enjoyed the seminar - but to be fair to the engaging speaker, she only had 2 hours to cover the topic, and this certainly limited her in what she could possibly do in such a short period of time.

Review of Biblical Literature, 30th July, 2009

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature. Noteworthy is the fair and useful review by Warren Carter on Seyoon Kim's Christ and Caesar: The Gospel and the Roman Empire in the Writings of Paul and Luke. Another review that deserves attention is Tat-siong Benny Liew's What Is Asian American Biblical Hermeneutics? Reading the New Testament.

Keith Bodner
1 Samuel: A Narrative Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6924
Reviewed by Tim Bulkeley

J. Bretschneider, J. Driessen, and K. van Lerberghe, eds.
Power and Architecture: Monumental Public Architecture in the Bronze Age Near East and Aegean
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6793
Reviewed by Aren Maeir

Adela Yarbro Collins and John J. Collins
King and Messiah as Son of God: Divine, Human, and Angelic Messianic Figures in Biblical and Related Literature
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7034
Reviewed by Stephen Reed

Stacy Davis
This Strange Story: Jewish and Christian Interpretation of the Curse of Canaan from Antiquity to 1865
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6532
Reviewed by David M. Whitford

Michael B. Dick
Reading the Old Testament: An Inductive Introduction
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6512
Reviewed by George C. Heider

Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Andrea L. Weiss, eds.
The Torah: A Women's Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6637
Reviewed by Yael Shemesh

Friedhelm Hartenstein
Das Angesicht JHWHs: Studien zu seinem höfischen und kultischen Bedeutungshintergrund in den Psalmen und in Exodus 32-34
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6916
Reviewed by Mark W. Hamilton

Brad E. Kelle and Frank Ritchel Ames, eds.
Writing and Reading War: Rhetoric, Gender, and Ethics in Biblical and Modern Contexts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6887
Reviewed by Pierre Johan Jordaan

Seyoon Kim
Christ and Caesar: The Gospel and the Roman Empire in the Writings of Paul and Luke
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6957
Reviewed by Warren Carter

Tat-siong Benny Liew
What Is Asian American Biblical Hermeneutics? Reading the New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6869
Reviewed by Jae Won Lee

Evan Powell
The Myth of the Lost Gospel
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5230
Reviewed by Sarah E. Rollens

Moses Taiwo
Paul's Rhetoric in 1 Corinthians 10:29b-30
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6983
Reviewed by Mark A. Jennings

James W. Thompson
Hebrews
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6966
Reviewed by Alan C. Mitchell

Jason A. Whitlark
Enabling Fidelity to God: Perseverance in Hebrews in Light of Reciprocity Systems in the Ancient Mediterranean World
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7027
Reviewed by Ryan D. Chivington

STM Southern Roadshow

Over the last weekend, we had our Johor Bahru roadshow in conjunction with the seminary's 30th anniversary celebration.

The celebration started with a thanksgiving service held at St Christopher's Church on Saturday, followed by a dinner celebration at the Grand Straits Restaurant.



On Sunday, we held STM Sunday services at various churches. I preached at Good Shepherd Anglican Church in the morning and Holy Light Presbyterian Church in the evening.


For me, it has been a good trip, albeit a very tiring one, catching up with friends and partners of the seminary. We have been blessed by the churches who opened their doors to us and friends who opened their hearts.