Article in Asian Journal of Comparative Law

I have just been alerted on the journal article, "Law of Apostasy and Freedom of Religion in Malaysia" by Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil, MARA University of Technology, Shah Alam, Malaysia.

The abstract of this article is reproduced below:

The right to freedom of religion is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed in Islam. This is emphasised in verse 256 of Sura al-Baqara: "Let there be no compulsion in religion". However, the majority of classical Muslim jurists opine that the right to freedom of religion is not applicable to Muslims, that Muslims who intend to leave the Islamic faith or who have apostatised should be condemned to the death penalty. In reality, punishment for apostasy is not prescribed in the Qur'an and had not been practised by the Prophet (S.A.W.). Instead, the Prophet (S.A.W.) had imposed the death penalty upon apostates because their acts were contemptuous of, and hostile towards, Islam. Muslims who merely renounced the Islamic religion were only required to undergo a process of repentance (tawba). The right to freedom of religion is guaranteed in Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. However, as Islamic matters belong to the state jurisdictions, most provisions in relation to apostasy are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Shari'a Courts. Apostates are subject to punishments such as fine, imprisonment and whipping. This article makes an in-depth study of the right to freedom of religion and the issue of apostasy from the Islamic law perspective, and argues that Muslims who intend to leave the Islamic faith are only required to undergo a process of repentance (tawba), and any punishment prescribed for apostasy is contrary to the right to freedom of religion.

The full text of this article may be accessed electronically through the Asian Journal of Comparative Law, 2/1 (April 2007). Check it out.

Answered Prayer?

It was my turn to speak at the chapel service at 8am this morning. But, at about 7.50am , there was a complete blackout in the entire campus.

In view of my earlier post commenting that STM students always pray fervently for rain at 5pm on every Thursday so that they could be spared of gardening activities (see "God Is So Good...") , someone asked me whether I prayed for blackout this morning so that chapel service could be cancelled, and I could be spared of preaching this morning (well, quite a number of people know that I always struggle in my sermon preparation).

Well, I did not pray for blackout. But if I did pray, it was not an answered prayer. The chapel service continued on as usual, despite the blackout.

By the way, the electricity came back just before chapel ended....Another sense of humour of the Almighty?

The Cry of A Seminarian

Over the past couple of weeks, there has been much discussion on the relationship between the quality of theological education and spiritual formation/character building (for previous discussion, see my posts on "Another 'Sick Project'" and Follow-Up on 'Another Sick Project: Character Formation and Theological Education"; and also see the post on "Does Theological Education Produces Character?" by Alex Tang).

I have offered my views as a seminary lecturer, but I wonder what would be the persepctive of a seminary student? What is the experiece or expectation of a seminary student as far as his/her theological education in relation to spiritual formation is concerned?

I think it is important also to listen to the voice of a seminary student. After all, as a theological educator, my ultimate concern should not simply be my personal career development, my research interests and the publication of my scholarly discoveries (although all these are important and I must qualify that I am not discounting any of these), but also the education, equipping and empowerment of the students for whatever Christian vocation that they might be called to.

So I thought it would be good to read some of our students' blogs. This does not disappoint me, and I did not have to go far in my quest, as one seminary student blogged a very penetrating and soul-searching article on The Cry of A Seminarian.

In her post, Rccnlj pours out her heart as she struggles as a seminarian, reflects on her journey in her theological education, raises many questions concerning the various aspects of spiritual formation in theological education, and expresses her desires for lecturers to journey alongside her as she is being equipped for Christian ministry. This captures the essence of the questions I raised earlier on whether we could balance excellence in scholarship and spiritual formation in theological education.

Reading the post of Rccnlj set me thinking and reflecting on my role as a seminary lecturer and the expectation placed by the students. I think I will pick up this issue in next week's Tuesday chapel where it will be my turn to speak, or perhaps I will provide a response later.

1000 Hits!

The Sitemeter has just registered 1,000 hits! And this is acheived in less than a month since I decided not to be "left behind" in blogdom.

I just want to say thank you for all your support and encouragement. Thank you also for taking the time to visit my blog, read my posts, offer your comments, and engage in conversation with issues that are close to my heart.

I look forward to your continuous support.

A New Book by Helmut Koester: Paul and His World

Fortress Press announces a new book by Prof Helmut Koester: Paul and His World: Interpreting the New Testament in Its Context, Vol 1.

This book is described as "the first of two volumes of landmark essays in New Testament interpretation from one of the most renowned scholars in the field. This volume presents critical essays on theology and eschatology in Paul's letters, the apostle's religious and cultural context, and the interaction of early Christianity with its Greco- Roman environment, as reflected in ancient literature and archaeological remains."

Helmut Koester is John H. Morison Research Professor of Divinity and Winn Research Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Chair of the New Testament Board of the Hermeneia commentary series. He is editor of numerous volumes in the Hermeneia series as well as Cities of Paul: Images and Interpretations from the Harvard New Testament and Archaeology Project on CD-ROM.

From its description, this book appears to be interesting enough to catch my attention. I look forward to engaging Prof Koester in his latest book.

Celebrating Our Cultural Heritage in Chapel

Every year, STM dedicates a special East Malaysian thanksgiving chapel service to celebrate our cultural and ethnic diversity within our community.

In Malaysia (comprising Peninsular Malaysia, or West Malaysia and East Malaysia which is part of the Borneo Island - see map above), there are more than 100 different ethnic groups speaking different languages and celebrating diverse cultural practices.

This year's celebration on 28 June is not only colourful but also informative as well. One of our students provided an interesting account of the history and growth of the Methodist, Anglican, and the Sidang Injil Borneo church in the two states of East Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

One of our Iban students also presented a special item at the end of the chapel service - the ngajat dance. This is a unique dance as it serves many purposes depending on the occasion. During Gawai (the Harvest Festival), it is used to entertain the people who in the olden days enjoy graceful ngajats as a form of entertainment.

We are thankful the the colourful diversity within our community.

Goodbye, SBL International Meeting in Vienna

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I have to cancel my participation in the upcoming Society of Biblical Literature International Meeting in Vienna, scheduled from July 22-26, 2007. I am going to miss meeting up with friends this year in beautiful Vienna. In addition, I am going to miss the two special sessions on the Theology of 2 Corinthians (an area of my interest) presented by members of the European Association of Biblical Studies.

I have always enjoyed SBL meetings in the past, having participated in the Singapore (click here for the abstract of my paper) and Edinburgh Meetings (click here for the abstract of the paper) where I presented aspects of my thesis and received constructive criticism and encouraging feedback.

This year, I am scheduled to read my paper on July 24 in the Paul and Pauline Literature session. The title of my paper is “I Will Boast of the Things That Show My Weakness:" The Function of Paul’s citation of Jeremiah 9:22-23 in 2 Corinthians 10:17 in light of his apostolic sufferings in 2 Corinthians 10-13. If I were to make it, it would have been a real privilege to have my doktorvater presiding over the session.

Perhaps next year I might be able to make it to the Annual Meeting 2008 in Boston (would be nice to visit my alma mater as well, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and to taste once more the delicious and creamy New England clam chowder). Perhaps the International Meeting 2008 as well...

We'll see...keeping my fingers crossed...

Follow-up on "Another Sick Project": Character Formation and Theological Education

In my earlier post on June 24, 2007 (Another "Sick Project"), I raised the issue concerning the quality of some of the Malaysian government building projects and the quality of theological education. In subsequent discussions, Alex Tang raised the issue of Christian formation as the goal of theological education, and I responded by raising the following two questions:

1. Is there a close correlation between quality theological education and character building?


2. The better the quality of theological education, will this translate to better spiritual formation and character building?

Alex subsequently picked up these questions and did some reflections on the correlation between quality theological education and character building. Read the rest of his post, "Does quality theological education produces character?"

I think Alex is right on target in his reasoning. I do agree that theological education is not merely about impartation of knowledge for the sake of knowledge or simply an exercise in intellectual stimulation. The GPA is not everything - as jokingly suggested by someone in the seminary chapel recently that those who get straight As might not make good pastors while those C students turn out to be the best pastors (so, am I a good pastor? hmmmm..).

I guess what is crucial is holistic training - and this raises another question: what constitutes holistic training within a community of believers?

Ultimately, how can we hold the two - excellence in scholarship and christian formation - in balanced tension? Or can we?

Review of Biblical Literature 27 June 2007

New reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature on 27th June 2007.

David Tuesday Adamo, ed.Biblical Interpretation in African Perspective
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5284
Reviewed by Jan van der Watt

Eve-Marie Becker and Peter Pilhofer, eds.
Biographie und Persönlichkeit des Paulus
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5473
Reviewed by Günter Röhser

April D. DeConick
Recovering the Original Gospel of Thomas: A History of the Gospel and Its Growth
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5410
Reviewed by Eric Noffke

David L. Dungan
Constantine's Bible: Politics and the Making of the New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5559
Reviewed by Jean-François Racine
Reviewed by Garwood P. Anderson

Simcha Jacobovici and Charles Pellegrino
The Jesus Family Tomb: The Discovery, the Investigation, and the Evidence That Could Change History
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5934
Reviewed by Jonathan Reed

Leon R. Kass
The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5553
Reviewed by E. Theodore Mullen Jr.

Israel Knohl
The Divine Symphony: The Bible's Many Voices
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5510
Reviewed by Richard S. Briggs

Moisés Mayordomo
Argumentiert Paulus logisch? Eine Analyse vor dem Hintergrund antiker Logik
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5525
Reviewed by Tobias Nicklas

Steven Roy
How Much Does God Foreknow? A Comprehensive Biblical Study
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5606
Reviewed by Craig L. Blomberg

Jeffrey Rubenstein, ed.
Creation and Composition: The Contribution of the Bavli Redactors (Stammaim) to the Aggada
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5470
Reviewed by Steven Sacks

Wolfgang Schrage
Der 1. Brief an die Korinther: 1 Kor 1,1-6,11
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5349
Reviewed by Mark W. Elliott

Blake Shipp
Paul the Reluctant Witness: Power and Weakness in Luke's Portrayal
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5377
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis

Hans Strauß
".eine kleine Biblia": Exegesen von dreizehn ausgewählten Psalmen
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5504
Reviewed by Gert T. M. Prinsloo

James D. Tabor
The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5183
Reviewed by Bert Jan Lietaert Peerbolte

Peter T. Vogt
Deuteronomic Theology and the Significance of Torah: A Reappraisal
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5484
Reviewed by William Morrow

Geza G. Xeravits and József Zsengellér, eds.
The Book of Tobit: Text, Tradition, Theology: Papers of the First International Conference on the Deuterocanonical Books, Papa, Hungary, 20-21 May, 2004
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5118
Reviewed by Micah Kiel

The Confessions of A Biblical Scholar

How does a biblical scholar confess his "sins" to one another (cf. James 5:16)?

Well, this is my 10 confessions as a budding NT scholar.

I confess that there is a BIG difference between a theologian and a biblical scholar. Theologians argue about things in the air and they can never come to an agreement. Biblical scholars argue about things in the text and they can never come to an agreement.

I confess that no matter how hard I tried reading Systematic Theology textbooks by Wayne Grudem and Millard Erickson, I am still not too sure whether theology can be systematic.

I confess that I have read a good bit of N. T. Wright and appreciate much of what he has to say, I am still not too sure whether Wright is right after all.

I confess that I have read James Dunn and learn much of what he has to say on Paul, and I wonder how many people are done with Dunn on the new perspective on Paul.

I confess that Richard Hays provides tremendous help in clearing the haze when I try to make sense of the function of Paul's use of the Hebrew Bible, whether it is an echo, an allusion, a citation, or a quotation.

I confess that Richard Hays, N. T. Wright, Rollin Grams, Stephen Fowl, Ben Witherington, and Michael Gorman have been instrumental in shaping the use of narrative approach in my investigation of Paul's sufferings in 2 Corinthians.

I confess that the two most memorable pilgrimages I took in the UK as a student were the visit to Chester Beatty Library where I finally had a glance of the P46 and the visit to British Library where I finally had a glimpse of the Codex Sinaiticus.

I confess that the highlight of my doctoral studies is the visit to ancient Corinth where I saw, felt, walked the Corinth that St Paul saw - not to mention the short visit to Acrocorinth (long gone were the 1,000 prostitutes that made the hill famous).

I confess that the Almighty has a very humorous way of dealing with a city boy like me when he sent me to two RURAL settings (I mean really ulu kampung) for my theological studies - in Massachusetts and Wales (ever wonder how a city boy survived that)?

I confess that many people in the seminary are confused about my personality - some think I am a sanguine, some think I am a melancholic, and some seriously think I am confused (or perhaps they are confused), and some question how I can be both at the same time (well, let's keep the guessing game on).