Compiled by Michael Poon
Trinity Theological Journal was launched in 1989 to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the College. The first editorial team consisted of Dr Choong Chee Pang, Principal and senior editor, Dr Walter Hansen, English language section editor, and Dr Symond Kock, Chinese language section editor.
The editors wrote in the Preface of the first issue:
It is our privilege to present this inaugural issue of a new series of our Theological Journal. We are presenting this issue in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of our College. Our chosen theme is "Excellence for Christ".
All the articles in this issue are presented by our own faculty members. In the English language section Dr David Wu guides our thinking about difficult moral decisions by reflecting on the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer; Dr Scott Sunquist provides a model for Asian theological education from the 5th century Asian church; Miss Mary Gan challenges us to think more biblically and theologically about our use of music in worship; Dr Daniel Bloomquist presents Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom of God as a basis for relating our evangelical commitment to our social concern; and Dr Walter Hansen points to the important social and missiological dimensions of Paul's doctrine of justification.
In the Chinese language section the principal Dr Choong Chee Pang reflects on the question of modernization in China from four theological prospectives: creational, anthropological, ethical, and eschatological; Dr John Chew leads us in a careful biblical study of the narrative of Isaac (Gen. 26:1-33) by using the method of structural analysis; and Miss Mary Gan presents a Chinese version of her work on music in worship.
All these articles point to our shared perspectives (biblical, theological, ethical, social, historical, and practical) in our journey towards "Excellence for Christ". Trinity Theological College plans to publish annual issues of the Theological Journal. All potential contributors are invited to send manuscripts to the Principal of the College.
Over the years, the Journal provides a forum for College faculty to share their theological reflections. The following are written by former and present faculty members from the first decade of the Journal's publication (1989-2000). They are a testimony to the theological concerns that shaped the College and churches in Southeast Asia at the close of the 20th century.
I am grateful to the present Editor, Dr Simon Chan, Earnest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology of the College, for his kind permisison to reproduce these articles on-line. I thank also Mr Michael Mukunthan, College Librarian, for his technical support in reproducing the articles.
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