The Henry Center sponsored an international conference in Hong Kong, China from May 29-31, 2008. An inter-cultural theological conversation, the conference centered on the theme "Beyond Our Past: Bible, Cultural Identity, and the Global Evangelical Movement." The purpose of the conference was to work internationally on the challenge of contextualizing evangelicalism in China and the U.S., balancing our desire to live as one, holy, catholic and apostolic church with the need to flesh out our witness and our ministries in culturally relevant ways. Speakers from TEDS included Dean Tite Tienou, Dr. Robert Priest, Dr. Douglas Sweeney, Dr. Miriam Parent, Dr. K. Lawson Younger, Jr., and conference organizers Dr. David Pao and Dr. Rick Cook. New Testament scholar Frank Thielman of Beeson Divinity School and Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III of Westmont College presented at the conference, as did professors and practitioners from Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and India .

The sessions featured high-level academic discussion on a variety of arresting themes. On the first day, historians Douglas Sweeney of TEDS and Kevin Yao of China Graduate School of Theology (CGST) covered the nature of evangelical identity as related to history. In the evening, Longman and Pao considered the idea of "holy war" from both the Old and New Testaments. On the second day, Drs. Tite Tienou of TEDS, Paul Lai of China Evangelical Seminary (CES), and Carver Yu of CGST considered issues related to theological education. That night, Dr. Leung Ka Lun of Alliance Bible Seminary (Hong Kong) and Rick Cook presented on the modern missions movement in China, touching on its strengths and weaknesses, seeking a proper conception of the controversial movement. The final day of the conference featured a stimulating session with Drs. Robert Priest of TEDS and David Lee of Evangel Seminary in which Priest advocated for insightful theological contextualization and Lee demonstrated how it might be done in a Chinese setting. The president of Evangel Seminary, Maureen Yeung, closed the conference in the evening with an insightful study of New Testament texts that touch on the question of ancestor worship in China.

The Center had a very fruitful week in Hong Kong. A daylong tour provided opportunity to witness the stunning growth and unique beauty of Hong Kong. Christians from East and West enjoyed sweet fellowship together. We heard from expert scholars and learned from saints from across the world. The Hong Kong conference was a resounding success, drawing hundreds of students, laypeople, and pastors from the local area for each session, many of whom engaged the speakers in the question-and-answer sessions. A book project from the conference is currently in production.

If you are interested in attending the conference, please contact Henry Center Director, Owen Strachan, at ostracha@tiu.edu.

Conference Schedule

May 29-31, 2008

May 29 Morning Session - Church History

Devotion
Ken Chan - The Evangelical Free Church of China

Presenters
Doug Sweeney - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Kevin Yao - China Graduate School of Theology

Moderator
Andrew Lam - Evangel Seminary

May 29 Afternoon Session - Old Testament

Presenters
Lawson Younger - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Timothy Wu - China Evangelical Seminary

Moderator
Fook Kong Wong - Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary

May 29 Evening Session - Biblical Theology

Presenters
Tremper Longman III - Westmont College
David Pao - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Moderator
Gregory Wong - Evangel Seminary

May 30 Morning Session - Theological Education

Presenters
Tite Tiénou - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Carver Yu - China Graduate School of Theology
Paul Lai - China Evangelical Seminary

Moderator
Maureen Yeung - Evangel Seminary

May 30 Afternoon Session - Christian Education

Presenters
Colleen Yim - Christar
Robin Fung - Evangel Seminary

Moderator
Suk-Ming Tam - China Graduate School of Theology

May 30 Evening Session - History and Intercultural Studies

Presenters
Richard Cook - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Leung Ka Lun - Alliance Bible Seminary

Moderator
Samuel Chiow - China Evangelical Seminary

May 31 Morning Session - Contextual Theology

Presenters
Robert Priest - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
David Lee - Evangel Seminary

Moderator
Alfred Suen - Evangel Seminary

May 31 Afternoon Session - Pastoral Counseling

Presenters
Miriam Parent - Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Joshua Mak - China Evangelical Seminary

Moderator
Elaine Cheung - Evangel Seminary

May 31 Evening Session - New Testament

Presenters
Frank Thielman - Beeson Divinity School
Maureen Yeung - Evangel Seminary

Moderator
Paul Cheung - Alliance Bible Seminary