Chinese Churches Remember Timothy Keller's Legacy on Interpretation of the Gospel, Response to Contemporary Culture

6月10日，一场由公共神学协会筹委会主办的“走进提摩太·凯勒”线上交流会举行。

多位华人学者、神学研究者、牧师包括世界华福中心总干事董家骅、新加坡神学院副教授戴永福、使者协会门徒培训中心主任陆尊恩、BCC双语社区教会牧师江慕理等从不同的角度分享提摩太·凯勒的生命带给的启发。

2023年5月19日，美国著名的基督教演讲家、作家、神学家、护教学家，纽约救赎主教会创始人提姆·凯勒牧师安息主怀，享年72岁。

在第一场讲座中，董家骅以“提摩太·凯勒对福音的诠释以及福音回应当代文化的应用”为主题进行分享。

董家骅观察到，当教会或基督徒群体在谈论基督信仰的时候，会出现一个不接地气的现象。比如，过去教会所坚持的牧养理念、布道和呼召的方式、捍卫信仰与应用信仰等方面，与现今所面对的对话人群有着越来越大的距离。

他认为，在提摩太·凯勒牧师的事奉生涯中，在他对当下时代诸多问题如基督教如何在社会中活出影响力等回应中，或许可以找到一种典范。

凯勒牧师对福音的诠释其实是既传统但又创新的，福音不单单是一个主题，它还是一个叙事，但是它并没有把福音作为叙事和其中的原则主题切割开来，而是他把它们糅合起来，凯勒让神学的主题不仅仅是一种论述，它更可以是一个有温度的故事。

董还列举说，牧师需要意识到要在二种处境中诠释福音的果效：第一，牧师需要观察和了解信众的处境，不能生搬硬套，对福音的诠释要接地气。当基督徒会觉得真理是一回事，生活当下又是另一回事的时候，其原因在于牧师没有深入地理解信众的真实的处境。第二，相信福音可以回应每一种文化的处境。他列举到凯勒牧师的观点：“在每一个处境当中，福音足以回应每一种文化，每一个人的特殊的盼望、恐惧和偶像，而且能够在不同的文化处境当中以不同的方式表达出来。”

讲员随后谈到从凯勒牧师的服事中可以看到福音更新和应用的重要性。首先，凯勒牧师强调教会需要重视福音更新的必要性，更需要不断指出和辨认出这个时代的偶像。其次，在应用基督真理和福音回应文化应用的方面，董家骅引用了提摩太·凯勒曾举过的例子说到：“ 如果今天有一座山，你试着要用炸药一点一点的把这山炸平，你在山脚上一点一点的炸，你其实要炸很久，这个山才会炸平。但是最有效率的方式是，你找到一个地方，挖了一个洞，挖到这个山的最中心的地方，把炸药放在那里引爆，爆炸才带来的影响会远比你在山脚放炸药一点一点的炸来得更快更大。”

因此，凯勒牧师认为教会要先进入文化，其次是理解文化，再找到文化里面的核心追求，最后才是引爆，也就是揭露我们所在的文化当中的核心渴望，然后指出唯有基督和跟随基督，才能够真的达到文化核心追求的事物。

随后，董从凯勒牧师的服事中谈福音对文化的回应应该站在怎样的立场上。他认为，凯勒牧师的神学观和对文化的回应同样在今天这个意识形态撕裂的时代是一种公共见证的典范。在一位教会历史学者的书Destroyers of Gods中，他描述了初代教会的五个特色，讲到第一个特色是多元文化和种族；第二个特色是怜悯帮助贫穷者；第三个特色是，不报复，强调饶恕；第四个特色是，反对堕胎和弃婴；第五个特色是，反文化的性伦理。如果光看前两个特色，人们会觉得初代教会站在左派的立场，但如果看后面两个特色，又会觉得初代教会站在右派的立场。但凯勒牧师认为，无论是左派，还是右派，其实我们都忽略了中间的那一个：强调饶恕、不报复。

“凯勒牧师给我们的提醒是，不论是左派还是右派，任何一种意识形态来回应公共领域，不应该把基督文化来为我们的意识形态背书，我们需要回到基督耶稣的福音……不管在怎样的议题当中，教会应当站在彼此学习和好，饶恕、接纳而不报复的立场。”董强调说。

他举例说，在凯勒的文章和作品中，他几乎从不恶意攻击或谩骂他的对手，始终保持一种风度，而且在没有理解对方立场的时候，他不轻易的去批判和评价他人，包括那些公开批评他的人，而这是许多教会牧师可以学习的风度。

最后，董总结到：“我们在伦理层面、信仰神学方面，可能大家无法认同凯勒牧师的所有观点，但是他的温柔和谦卑是值得每一个人学习的。而这样的谦卑才是改革宗神学的核心。改革宗神学强调的是上帝的主权，而一个真正认识上帝主权，高举上帝主权的神学信仰者，应该是最容易谦卑下来的，承认自己是会犯错的人。因为人没有握有终极的主权，只有上帝才有完全的绝对的主权。”

On June 10th, an online exchange meeting titled “Understanding Timothy Keller,” sponsored by the Public Theology Association Organizing Committee which was initiated by overseas Chinese Christian theologians, was held among the Christian community. 

Chinese academics, theologians, and pastors shared the inspiration that Timothy Keller's life had brought from various angles, including Rev. David Doong, Secretary-General of the Chinese Coordination Centre of World Evangelism; Associate Professor Dr. Leonard Sidharta of Singapore Bible College; Director Tsun-en Lu of the Ambassadors for Christ Training Center; and Pastor Pastor Andrew Chiang of Bilingual Community Church.

On May 19, 2023, Pastor Timothy Keller, a renowned American Christian speaker, writer, theologian, apologist, and founder of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, passed away at the age of 72.

In the first lecture, David Doong shared the theme of “Keller’s Interpretation of the Gospel and How the Gospel Responds to Contemporary Culture.”

Doong observed a disconnect in certain churches or Christian groups when discussing the Christian faith. For instance, the pastoral care philosophy, preaching, and calling methods, defense of the faith, and application of faith that churches previously adhered to have increasingly distanced themselves from the dialogue groups they encounter today.

He believes that Pastor Timothy Keller's ministry career and his response to numerous contemporary issues, such as how Christianity can effectively influence society today, may provide a potential model.

Pastor Keller's interpretation of the gospel was simultaneously traditional and innovative. He viewed the gospel not merely as a theme but as a narrative, without separating the narrative from its core themes. Instead, he integrated them, transforming theological themes into a form of discourse infused with warmth and storytelling.

Doong also emphasized the need for pastors to interpret the fruitfulness of the gospel in two contexts: First, pastors must attentively observe and understand the circumstances of believers and avoid employing a one-size-fits-all approach. The interpretation of the gospel should be grounded in reality. When Christians perceive a discrepancy between truth and life, it often stems from pastors lacking a profound comprehension of the real situations faced by believers. Second, Doong maintained that the gospel, when embraced, has the capacity to respond to every cultural situation. He cites Pastor Keller's perspective: "In any circumstance, the gospel is sufficient to address every culture and the unique aspirations, fears, and idols of each individual. It can be expressed differently within distinct cultural contexts."

The speaker proceeded to elaborate on how we can recognize the significance of gospel renewal and application in Pastor Keller's ministry. Firstly, Pastor Keller emphasized the need for churches to prioritize gospel renewal and, more importantly, consistently identify and expose the idols prevalent in this era. Secondly, concerning the application of Christ's truth and the response to cultural contexts through the gospel, Dong quoted an example given by Keller: "Suppose there is a mountain today, and you attempt to dismantle it gradually with explosives at its base. It would take a considerable amount of time before the mountain is leveled. However, the most effective approach is to locate a strategic point to dig a hole, reach the core of the mountain, and place explosives there for detonation. This method would have a far greater impact than gradually dismantling the mountain at its base."

Consequently, Pastor Keller believed that churches should first engage with culture, then seek to understand it, identify the core pursuits within the culture, and ultimately expose them. By highlighting that only through Christ and following His teachings can our culture truly attain its desires.

Subsequently, Dong talked about what position we should stand on when responding to culture through the gospel in Pastor Keller’s ministry. He believes that Pastor Keller’s theological view and response to culture were also models for public witness in this era of ideological division. A church historian's book, Destroyers of Gods, lists five characteristics of early churches. The first characteristic is multiculturalism; the second is mercy for helping poor people; the third is taking no revenge, with an emphasis on forgiveness; the fourth is against abortion and abandonment of children; and the fifth is against sexual immorality in a culture. If we only look at the first two characteristics, people will think that early churches stood on left-wing positions, but if we look at the latter two characteristics, people will think that early churches stood on the right. However, Pastor Keller believed that whether it was left or right, we had ignored the middle: forgiveness and non-retaliation.

Subsequently, Dong discussed the appropriate stance to adopt when responding to culture through the gospel, as evident in Pastor Keller's ministry. He asserted that Pastor Keller's theological viewpoint and response to culture also serve as models for public witness in this era characterized by ideological divisions. In the book Destroyers of Gods, a historical account of THE early church, five characteristics are outlined. The first characteristic is multiculturalism; the second is demonstrating mercy towards the impoverished; the third refers to refraining from seeking revenge and emphasizing forgiveness; the fourth is opposition to abortion and the abandonment of children, and the fifth speaks about the resistance against sexual immorality prevalent in the culture. By solely considering the first two characteristics, some might perceive the early church as leaning towards left-wing positions. However, focusing on the latter two characteristics might suggest a right-leaning perspective. Nevertheless, Pastor Keller believed that regardless of left or right, we have overlooked the middle ground, which encompasses forgiveness and non-retaliation.

"Pastor Keller reminds us that irrespective of political ideologies, none should endorse our Christian culture solely in response to public matters. Instead, we must return to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Regardless of the challenges we face, the church should position itself as a community of mutual learning, practicing reconciliation, forgiveness, acceptance, and non-retaliation," emphasized Dong.

He exemplified Pastor Keller's approach of rarely resorting to malicious attacks or insults towards opponents, consistently maintaining a composed demeanor in his articles and works. When encountering positions he did not comprehend, he refrained from hasty criticism or judgment of others, even those who publicly criticized him. This demeanor serves as a valuable lesson for many church pastors.

- Translated by Charlie Li