Kairos Spiritual Formation

Citation: Amar-Singh HSS, Lim Swee-Im, Matthew Ling Ung-Hiing, Alex Tang Tuck-Hon, Low Chai-Hok, David Bok. 2020. Guidance for Churches in the Coronavirus Era. Malaysia. Version 1, 2nd May 2020. Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0

The Metaverse is Web 3.0, the next step in the development of the Internet. The evolution of the Internet as a private data sharing network for scientists with its clumsy modem to its user-friendly browser user-friendly interface has been very rapid. Web 1.0 is when the webpages are static and we can only read off them. We cannot interact with them by adding or subtracting. Then came Web 2.0 which was a marvellous interactive experience. We can edit, produce, and chat using that technology. There was a proliferation of chat groups that lead to blogs, personal websites, add sound and video, and social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Web 2.0 for all its benefits is still 2-D. It still remains on the screen. Web 3.0 or Metaverse is 3-D. Content with which we can interact is no longer flat. It is now 3-dimensional. The movie Ready Player One is a good visualization of what Metaverse is. In the first half of this article, I will describe what Metaverse is and then I will share some implications this will have on Christians and the Church.

The Gift of Listening: Spiritual Direction. Webinar organised by KLCentre, Seminari Theologi Malaysia (STM) on 24 August 2021. Fundamentals of soul care, listening, discernment and spiritual direction.

Christians and Christian faith communities are facing a new dilemma. Should they and the families receive the COVID-19 vaccination? This is not about being anti-vax or vaccine resister. This is about making a choice.

Webinar for healthcare professionals by Medical Dental Christian Fellowship Malaysia and supported by ICMDA

There is a state of fear in people of many countries which are far from the epicentre of the 2019 nCoV epidemic in Wuhan and Hebei provincial, China. Even though there are only a handful of patients in their countries, and most of these patients have been to the epicentre, or being in contact with people from there, the state of fear of being infected by the coronavirus is extremely high.

Spiritual formation inventory is a spiritual assessment tool to obtain a snapshot of our spiritual life at a certain moment in our spiritual journey. This tool will help us to discover what areas in our spiritual practices are strong and what the weaknesses are. For effective spiritual formation or spiritual growth, a balanced spiritual life and practices is essential. Too much emphasis on one aspect of our spiritual practices at the expense of others may lead to an unhealthy spirituality.

We need a framework to look at the rapidly advancing challenges of emerging new technologies. Technologies such a genome science, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and the Digital Person will redefine the structure and nature of our civilization within the next few years. Are these technology helpful or harmful? What should be the Christian faith communities� respond to them? These new technologies would not be found in the Bible, a text that was written more than two thousand years ago. Where then are Christian to seek guidance for their discernment? A framework to guide our thinking is needed.

Published in Biblical Graduate School of Theology (BGST), Singapore March 2019 Newsletter

The subject of artificial intelligence is an area of concern and even fear among computer scientists, sociologists and theologians in the last couple of years. Artificial intelligence as self-learning and self-improving software has beaten chess grandmasters and recently human computer gamers in a complex online game named Starcraft II. The AI software was actually learning from both its successes and mistakes. Initially called machine learning, now it has a better name of deep learning.

Biotechnology is both a blessing and a curse to modern man. But, how do we, as Christians, tackle this ethical dilemma? Are we playing God when we use Biotechnologies to manipulate life? Listen to this interview by Alexa Ho

Two men were walking towards the town of Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were discussing animatedly about the events of Jesus� claims, his death, and reports of his resurrection when a third man joined them. This man explained the significance of the events through the Scriptures. During the evening meal at Emmaus, the two men recognized the third man as Jesus! (Luke 24:13-33). They were enlightened both by the dialogue and Jesus� explanation of the Scriptures until they feel their hearts burning within them. The Truth turned their despair to joy when they beheld the risen Christ.

Wang Ming Tao, a famous Chinese Christian taught us to always check our life with a spiritual thermometer so that we will be spiritually healthy when the Lord comes.

Writing is hard and gruelling work. It is incubated amidst blood, sweat, and tears. No, these aren�t the ink I write with. I just want to express that it not just physically challenging, but mentally too. The thought of all the work frightens me, as it involves transferring all those ideas that I carry with me in my mind, into words. Ideas brew and form, and run ahead of writing�writing about them is akin to playing �catch up�. Such imagery is enough to make me feel breathless. Writing, especially in an authentic voice, makes me exceptionally vulnerable, as my inner thoughts and aspirations are made bare to the world. Such glaring spotlight is not easy on me�an extreme introvert.

A wonderful painting of the scene at Emmaus where the two travellers recognised Jesus as the Resurrected Christ (Luke 24:13-32) is a favourite theme of Rembrandt. He frequently returned to this scene in his sketches and paintings. This oil painting titled The Supper at Emmaus completed in 1648 during his so-called �mature� years was in complete contrast with another painting one the same theme that was done during his �younger� years.

This is often what happens when we are hit with some catastrophes in our lives. In such situation, we are full of an urgency to act. An urgency to do something to get us out of the situation. Anything at all, even though the action may not be beneficial or at times may cause harm. An alternative option is to sit idly by and ride out the storm.

Delphi is an interesting place to visit in Greece. It is famed for its Oracle and being the centre of the ancient Greek world. There are numerous legends as to its origin. One is that of Apollo. Apollo when he was only an infant shot an arrow which killed Python �a dragon�. Python was the son of Gaia (mother earth or goddess). Apollo had to atone for this by suffering a period of menial labour. Python was guarding the navel of the world. The location was Delphi.

The Biblical and Theological Foundations of Spiritual Formation

Christian spiritual formation is a process grounded on the biblical and theological concepts of restoration, relationship, and shalom. These key foundational concepts are as follows:

1. Restoring the imago Dei

2. Relationship with the triune God

3. Shalom and the kingdom of God

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The Nature of Spiritual Formation

Writing to the Christians in Corinth about spiritual transformation (2 Corinthians 3:18), Paul notes that �we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord�s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.� It is Paul�s intention to emphasize (1) that in spiritual transformation Christians (individuals and the Christian faith community) will be transformed into a likeness of Christ, (2) that this transformation is an ongoing process, (3) that it is Trinitarian, (4) that the Holy Spirit is involved in this transformation, and (5) that God�s glory is thereby restored.

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