Description

Christians are called to live as the “salt of the earth” and “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). How does this translate into practical daily living and working for the welfare of our nation and fellow citizens? The essays in this book discuss what living as “salt” and “light” means and how Malaysian Christians can contribute to nation-building in a multiethnic and multireligious society. The subjects include biblical, Catholic and Protestant teachings on our socio-political responsibility, issues like building a compassionate society, corruption, religious liberty and political engagement, as well as distinctive Sabah and Sarawak concerns. This book challenges Christians to take seriously the teachings of the Bible and our faith, and to work with all of integrity and goodwill to build our nation firmly on the foundations of compassion, equality and justice. Effective nation-building requires participation by all.

About the Editors

Bishop Emeritus Hwa Yung was the bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia from 2004 to 2012. He studied science in Tasmania, theology in London and missiology at Asbury Seminary, USA. He has served as a pastor and Principal of Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, and taught at Trinity Theological College, Singapore. Over the years he has been involved with various ministries, including being a former member of the Council of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies and the International Board of the Lausanne Movement. Presently he maintains an active freelance ministry of preaching and writing and chairs the Kairos Dialogue Network.

Dr Helen Ting Mu Hung is an associate professor at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). She was a visiting scholar at Humboldt University, Berlin (2012–2013), as a recipient of the Erasmus Mundus Post-doctoral Fellowship. Between 2014 and 2017, she was a member of the International Pluralism Advisory Group of the Global Centre for Pluralism, Ottawa. She is currently a non-resident Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute of Malaysia Studies, Xiamen University, Xiamen. Her research interests include issues related to national integration, politics of national identity, history education, interethnic and inter-religious relations. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Sciences Po, Paris, and is a member of the Catholic Church.