Break Down the Walls of Division

2023 Annual Member's Meeting 

Council For World Mission (CWM) 

Changhua Taiwan, June 10, 2023 

 Huang Po Ho 

 Director of Academy for Contextual Theologies in Taiwan

For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility (Eph. 2.14) 

Introduction 

Rev. Dr. Jooseop Keum, General Secretary of Council for World Mission, Distinguished delegations of CWM member Churches, guests and my dear Taiwanese colleagues: It is a great honor to be invited for this opportunity to talk to this annual member's meeting of CWM in my beloved home country of Taiwan. Many thanks to CWM family and general secretary Dr. Jooseop Keum for the invitation.The theme of this annual meeting is "Break Down the Walls of Division" which is taken from the Biblical passage in Paul's letter to the Ephesians (Eph. 2.14), where Paul had tried to convince the Ephesians that they were brought into the Christian community as equals and one with the Jews. And pointed out that this new status of the Gentiles was the fruit of the work of reconciliation through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 

This theme of "Break Down the Walls of Division" not only brings us back to the central message of the Christian faith, which the theologies of modern ecumenical movement derived from, it also timely reflects our critical contexts in the geopolitical tensions and the threats from the rivalry between two empires, that have forced the world to face a potential world war. The theme also reflects the nature of CWM as a missionary body and its commitment to "Oikomene". The very title of "Council for World Mission" shows the pioneering ecumenism of this group. It was changed from its original name "London Missionary Society (LMS)", a sending organization to evangelize the world, into a common fellowship of all missionary partners. Over the years, CWM has implemented many inspiring programs to combat empires and economic globalization, and to decolonize different sociopolitical hegemonic forces and irrelevant Christian mission. The theme thus is duly and urgent. 

 

The Wall to the Gentiles 

A key phrase in this passage which draws our attention is "Break down the dividing wall", this dividing wall has been further described as a "wall of hostility". A dividing wall is created by hostility. We have to be reminded here that the audients of this passage were the Ephesians Gentiles, who were the recipients of the letter and were treated hostile by the Jews. In the former verses, Paul had counting the inferior status of the Gentiles, he said: 

And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air... Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called“uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. (2.1-2a,11-12) 

According to Paul's perception, gentile Ephesians status were inferior and contrast to that of the Jews:

 1) The Gentiles were called the uncircumcised by those who had claim to that of circumcision.         Here was the first of the great divisions. 

 2) The Gentiles had no hope of a Messiah; 

 3) The Gentiles were aliens from the society of Israel, and was not the holy people (ho hagios'         laos). 

4) The Gentiles were strangers from the covenants on which the promises were based. 

5) The Gentiles were without hope and without God in the world. 

It is to these downtrodden people of gentile Ephesians that Paul address on this topic of Break Down the Walls of Division. The gentile Ephesians were the one to be segregated by the wall of division, which was built by the self justified superior Jews. Ephesians did not have the ability and power to destroy barrier, yet they were granted the opportunity to cross over the wall to join the Messiah community. Paul was here to remind them the fact that their identity of being a Christian, was not attained through their human efforts or achievement by paying their own prices, nor by the grace from the oppressive Jewish party, But "have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

In another word, the message that Paul constructed in these sentences, are not a command nor an instruction for the Ephesians to take actions to break down the wall, instead, he points out that it is the intention of God, and reminded those who have being segregated outside the walls, that this has been realized through the graceful events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The wall here that Paul pointed to was a symbolic expression of the curtain of the holy Temple, which was created by the Jewish community to segregate and preventing the Gentiles to approach closer to the holy sanctuary of the Temple. This curtain according to Paul was the dividing wall of hostility. he said: 

by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Accordingly, for Paul to Break down the wall was not the final purpose, instead the genuine purpose was to overcome discrimination and make peace between the Gentiles and the Jews, and to reconcile both of them to God. 

Walls Are Product of Human Spirituality 

懷念 鄭兒玉牧師 - 一位特立獨行的時代先知

 

鄭牧師與神學院同事

   

黃伯和 台灣本土神學研究中心 主任(前台南神學院院長，前長榮大 學副校長)  【適逢鄭兒玉牧師百歲冥誕，接蔡三雄牧師來信邀稿，謹記數則回憶以茲追念】

 

鄭兒玉牧師對我的神學生涯於公於私都扮演著無法言喻的影響。

作為第一代基督徒，在帶領我信主的傳道人鼓勵下，憑著信心決定在不依靠父母支助下進到台南神學院就讀。本來以為說利用新生訓練以及語言進修期間找個家教、工讀辛苦一點，應該可以撐下去。沒想到一個多月暑期進修時間都過去了，想找的工作卻毫頭緒。就在進修課程的最後一天，同學們都在收拾行旅準備回家度週末，迎接正式開學的神學生生涯。我則掙扎著註冊的學費與開學後的生活費仍無著落，考慮著是否應該放棄這個不成熟的信心抉擇。

就在離校前夕，同宿舍室友邀我到餐廳旁的桌球室打桌球，說是臨別前的交誼。就是這個時候鄭兒玉牧師差人到桌球室找我，說他的互談會需要工讀，問我願不願意幫忙。就這樣一個關鍵讓我留下來，展開了我一輩子的神學與神學教育旅程。在互談會、事工班的工讀讓我有機會向鄭牧師近身學習。幫他寫信(都是他逐句口授抄寫)、寄信(常常是晚上成功路郵政總局要關門前趕去寄送)、檔案整理、資料蒐集，以及事工班的行政協助等。鄭牧師是個急性子的人，跟他工作是隨傳隨到，事必躬親，而且每件事都講究時效，劍及履及。跟他工作雖然很緊張，但卻也養成我扎實的做事態度與成效。工作期間牧師娘的噓寒問暖，時而拿些衣物、食物幫助，在孤單旅外的遊子灰心、喪志時，這往往像針強心劑，讓艱辛的神學院生活得以持續。

鄭牧師是個歷史學者，史學的訓練讓他對週遭環境有過人的洞察力。他的執著、敢言，以及鞭辟入裡的觀點，讓他贏得教會內外人的敬佩與稱頌。他喜歡作詩，他的詩中屢屢使用出頭天的台灣俗語。這也影響了我後來在博士論文撰寫、擇材時受到他的啟發並選用了不少他的資料。鄭牧師在台灣戒嚴的年代，身影單薄卻言辭鋒利，他堅持公義，也關心弱小。在林義雄家遭滅門血案後，他奔走遊說把兇宅變成教會，為台灣歷史的創傷闢劃救贖的希望。他是我的老師，一位特立獨行的時代先知。

台灣學的建構

2009年11月20日，台南長榮大學

回應  李錦旭教授：地方學的形塑：南方經驗的反思

前言：

首先恭喜也謝謝李教授發表這篇論文，內容非常豐富，深具啟發性，並對台灣學的建構提供具有深度及前瞻的意見。長榮大學很榮幸有機會承辦這一次與台灣學的建構相關的研討會。這次研討會在本校舉辦可以說具有深遠的意義。除了因為長榮大學是目前台灣一百多所大學中唯一擁有「台灣研究所」的大學外，這次研討會的主題與本校創校、辦學的宗旨：基督教的，認同台灣本土的，以及普世國際連結的三個面向中的「認同台灣本土」具有密切的關係。因此，能夠承辦這次的研討會可以說讓我們深受鼓舞。

地方VS全球，南方VS北方

李教授的論文題目是：地方學的形塑：南方經驗的反思。單從語意學來看，這個題目就具有強烈的批判性。因為概念上的「地方」與「南方」不但隱含著與「全球」和「北方」相對的立場，從歷史、社會學的觀點，「地方」與「南方」同時代表政治、經濟受壓制的經驗與象徵。因此談地方學的形塑，談南方經驗的反思，本質上具有知識主體性與教育主導權的抗爭意涵。

從認識論的角度說，傳統對知識的含攝，存在著演繹法與歸納法兩個不同的進程（approaches），巴西的解放神學教育家Paulo Freire (Sept. 19, 1921 –May 2, 1997) 很傳神的用「銀行式教育」(banking concept)與「問題提出的教育」 （problem posing）兩種教育概念加以形容。演繹法的知識論與教育法是從上而下的，傾向填鴨式的，Paulo Freire稱之為壓迫型的教育。歸納法則是由下而上，從經驗出發，以問題的提出為開始，他認為這是比較是能帶來受壓迫者解放的教育法。

換句話說，我們從地方學的形塑的觀點，強調南方經驗的反思來做為台灣學建構的研究進程，其所帶來的結果將不只是促成台灣學在學術上的定位，以及強化、充實他的內容，同時這也將無可避免的會涉及台灣學的教育方法論的思考，從而使台灣學的研究與教育成為解放台灣人民的媒介。

台灣學的學術卓越性（academic excellence）

李教授論文中提到兩種地方學的形塑模式，一個是社區大學和公益團體的經驗，強調從地方學發展到台灣學。另一個是學院與文史團體的經驗：從傳統學術到行動學術。兩者雖然出發點不同，但是從李教授的觀察與分析，兩者的共同旨趣是知識與行動的結合。

李教授對台灣學的觀察與期許對台灣學未來的發展具有深刻的意義。如上面所指出，台灣學作為受壓迫者之啟蒙與解放的學問，必須是由下而上（from below），從經驗開始的歸納性學問，而不是從上而下的演繹式知識。這種從日常生活經驗歸納而出的知識與學問，自然是具體而有行動力的，而不是抽象理念的推演，或知識內容的堆積。這種新研究進程所建構起來的學問，無疑的挑戰了傳統界定的學術卓越性規準。拉丁美洲的解放神學家在提出解放神學的同時，主張神學是第二步，是對信仰委身的反省。換句話說，沒有委身的之行動作為反省對象的學問，只是空洞的思辨，無法帶給人熱情與希望。因此真正卓越的學術必須是委身實踐與批判性反省交互作用的學術（praxis）。

我們衷心期望台灣學的建構不停留在知識素材的堆積，知識論、方法論的架構，而是能進而為台灣的學術界提出對學術卓越之意義的再思及重新界說，提供台灣學術工作一個新的指標與方向。

台灣學的形塑與內容

最後談到台灣學的形塑與內容。一門學問的建立當然牽涉到研究目的，研究對象與研究方法，然而從台灣學建構的關懷與角度來看，更重要的形塑條件毋寧是學術主體性的確立。就如沒有中立的歷史一般，學術的建立也牽扯外在複雜的利害關係。這不只關係於一門學問形塑過程中，社會資源分配的問題，同時也牽涉到資料選擇與詮釋的立場與角度。

台灣學到底是一門「有關台灣的學問」（about），或是「台灣人民自我認知的學問」（of），其中的差異無可避免的涉及台灣人民在台灣學中的定位。如果人民是歷史的主體，那麼，他在與之相關連的學術論述中，自然不應該缺席。無論台灣學的建構是為了台灣人民（for）而形塑，或是以台灣人民為主體（by）的論述，台灣學的形塑方向與內容，終究必須服務人民，而不是服務統治者，更不應該服務歷史上的殖民者。這應該是台灣學建構的最基本關懷與依歸。

衷心的祝福本次「第一屆社區大學與台灣學的建構」研討會，能為台灣學帶來豐碩的成果與寬廣的願景。謝謝。