Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T01:32:45.275Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Anglican National Identity: Theological Education and Ministerial Formation in Multifaith Malaysia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2009

Albert Sundararaj Walters
Albert Sundararaj Walters
Affiliation:
[email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Malaysia became an independent nation in 1957 and has grown dramatically in prosperity since that time. The main groups in this ethnically diverse nation are Malays (65 per cent) Chinese (26 per cent) and Indians (7.7 per cent). Sixty per cent of the population are Muslim which is the official religion of the nation. Christians represent about 9 per cent of the population and there are 80,000 Anglican members. There has been political pressure against Christians in recent years and there is growing concern about the position of minority religious groups. Anglicans came with the British, though indigenous mission was the work of Indian and Chinese Christians. Theological education is mainly focused on the Seminari Theoloji Malaysia where a holistic curriculum has been developed. A sense of Anglican identity is developing in relation to the context in Malaysia but this has hindered clarity on the nature of the Anglican heritage. The challenges facing the Anglican Church in Malaysia are identified.

Keywords

MalaysiaAnglicantheological educationidentityIslam
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Anglican Studies , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , June 2008 , pp. 69 - 87
Copyright
Copyright © SAGE Publications (Los Angeles, London, New Delhi and Singapore) and The Journal of Anglican Studies Trust 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Poerwowidagdo, Judo, Towards the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities for Theological Education (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1993), p. 21.Google Scholar

2. Statistics based on Population Distribution and Basic Demographic Characteristics Report: Population and Housing Census 2000. Putrajaya: Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2001. Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.my/English/PageDemo.htm (6 November 2001).

3. Statistics for Folk/Tribal Animistic Religionists and Others are based on Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 1991 (Kuala Lumpur: Department of Statistics, 1991).

4. Cf. Walters, Albert Sundararaj, ‘Issues in Christian–Muslim Relations: A Malaysian Christian Perspective’, Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations, 18.1 (2007) pp. 67–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

5. Harris, Ian, Mews, Stuart, Morris, Paul and Shepherd, John (eds.), Contemporary Religions: A World Guide (Harlow: Longman, 1992), p. 439.Google Scholar

6. Phoon, P.O., ‘Malaysia-Singapore’, in Hooke, D.E. (ed.), The Church in Asia (Singapore: Moody, 1975), pp. 411–33 (411).Google Scholar

7. Cf. Walters, , ‘Issues in Christian–Muslim Relations’.Google Scholar

8. Cf. Walters, Albert Sundararaj, We Believe in One God? Reflections on the Trinity in the Malaysian Context (Delhi: ISPCK, 2002), pp. 44–47Google Scholar; Diocesan website http://www.anglicanwestmalaysia.org.my/aboutus.php. See also Sadayandy, Batumalai, A Bicentenary History of the Anglican Church of the Diocese of West Malaysia (1805–2005) (Melaka, Malaysia: Diocese of West Malaysia, 2007).Google Scholar

9. William Huskisson addressing the House of Commons in 1828, cited by Warren, Max, The Missionary Movement from Britain in Modern History (London: SCM Press, 1965), p. 30.Google Scholar

10. This figure has been computed from estimates of total membership of all baptized persons according to returns to the Synod of the Diocese of West Malaysia, Taiping, August 1987 cited by Northcott, Michael S., ‘Two Hundred Years of Anglican Mission’, in Hunt, Robert, Lee, Kam-Hing and Roxborogh, John (eds.), Christianity in Malaysia: A Denominational History (Petaling Jaya: Pelanduk Publications, 1992).Google Scholar

11. This figure has been computed from details of membership according to the five archdeaconry reports presented at the Synod of the Diocese of West Malaysia, Ipoh, 9–11 September, 1998.

12. Council of Churches of Malaysia, Celebrating 50 Years of United Witness and Service: 1947–1997 (Petaling Jaya: CCM, 1997), p. 107.Google Scholar

13. Athyal, Saphir (ed.), Church in Asia Today: Challenges and Opportunities (Singapore: Asia Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, 1996), p. 265.Google Scholar

14. The Province of the Anglican Church in South-East Asia, Canons of the Anglican Church in South East Asia (PAC-SEA, 1st edn, 1998), p. 1.Google Scholar

15. See http://www.stm.edu.my/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=29

16. See http://www.stm.edu.my/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Itemid=49

17. Kok, Ezra, ‘Enlightening the Mind’, Berita STM 24.1 (03 2007), p. 1.Google Scholar

18. Cf. http://www.anglicanwestmalaysia.org.my/aboutus.php#obj

19. Ng Moon Hing, ‘Presidential Address’, Diocesan Synod, Diocese of West Malaysia, St Mark, 's Church Butterworth and Pearl View Hotel, Prai, 23–25 08 2007, p. 5.Google Scholar

20. Cf. D.T. Niles, as quoted in Devanesen, Chandra, The Cross is Lifted (New York: Friendship Press, 1954), p. 11.Google Scholar

21. Hunt, Robert, ‘Christian Theological Reflection and Education in the Muslim Societies of Malaysia and Indonesia’, Studies in World Christianity 3.2 (1997), pp. 202–25 (212).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

22. Hunt, , ‘Christian Theological Reflection’, p. 213.Google Scholar

23. Cf. Kam-Weng Ng, Challenging Public Ideals, Occasional Paper published by Kairos Research Centre, n.d.

24. Becker, Elaine, ‘Theological Education at the Crossroad’, Christian Education Journal, 3.1 (1999), pp. 49–53 (50).Google Scholar

25. Cf. http://www.christianitytoday.com/1e/2005/002/10.105.html

26. Howard, Phil, ‘Theological Education: Perspectives from the Literature’, Christian Education Journal, 3.1 (1999), pp. 9–27 (24).Google Scholar