LIVE TALK: ANSWERING COVID-19 QUESTIONS TO CHRISTIANITY

APOLOGETICS DISCUSSION ON CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO COVID-19

TOPIC: Intelligent Design VS Irrational Disease?
Join Dr. Mark Boone, Rev. Luther Li,Dr. (Sr.) Mudita Sodder, Dr. Joseph Hiwale, Bro. Keneth Pervaiz, Dr. Domenic Marbaniang, and Dr. J. B. Jeyaraj on a Live Conversation on Covid-19 questions for Christianity that rage across the globe.

Posted by Faith and Philosophy on Friday, August 28, 2020

Moderator: Dr. Domenic Marbaniang
Panelists:
Dr. Mark J. Boone (Hong Kong Baptist University)
Rev. Luther Li (Emmanuel Christian Church)
Dr. (Sr.) Mudita Sodder (RSCJ, Sophia College, Fellowship of Indian Missiologists)
Bishop Dr. Joseph Hiwale (Koinonia College of Theology, Koinonia Church Fellowship)
Bro. Keneth Pervaiz (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
Dr. Domenic Marbaniang (Hong Kong Baptist University)
Dr. J. B. Jeyaraj (Jubilee Institute)

QUESTIONS:
1. Did God create malevolent viruses?
2. Should we consider COVID-19 as God's judgment of international sin in the world?
3. What does the Bible say about suffering from natural causes?
4. Are Christians immune to the virus, provided they have "strong faith"?
5. What does God expect of Christians in the midst of such a crisis as the present one?
6. Should Christians regard laws forbidding public worship at churches (though not shutting down supermarkets) as a problem of "obeying God or man"? How do Catholics and Protestants respond to this?
7. In a preface to a book, Pope Francis wrote: "“The presence of the Risen Lord in His Word and through the celebration of the Eucharist will give us the strength we need to resolve the difficulties and challenges that we will face after the coronavirus crisis.” Yes, but if Christ is risen, why do Christians need to go through suffering? Is Christian hope only about the hereafter or the coming world? How do we experience Christ's resurrection power in this life?
8. N.T. Wright has written a book "God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and its Aftermath". He explains that when natural disaster hit the early church, they didn't ask theological questions but focused on collecting and sending help to the ones in need. How would you comment on that?
9. There are many ways in which Churches have gone online (Zoom, Google Meet, Livecast, FB streaming, etc). How do explain its theological significance in light of the New Testament?
10. How can a pastor fulfill his pastoring ministry during a lockdown situation?

POST-SCRIPT:
Cremation of bodies by government. What does the Bible say about funeral and resurrection?

Don Richardson at University of the Nations, Kona

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Don Richardson (born 1935) is a Canadian Christian missionary, teacher, author and international speaker who worked among the tribal people of Western New Guinea, Indonesia.[1] He argues in his writings that, hidden among tribal cultures, there are usually some practices or understandings, which he calls "redemptive analogies", which can be used to illustrate the meaning of the Christian Gospel, contextualizing the biblical representation of the incarnation of Jesus. [Wikipedia]

Usha Ke Kirane (The Story of Peter) - Hindi Song by Domenic M

This is My Father's World - Hymn Lyrics (w/ Hindi Translation)

ENGLISH This is my father's world And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheresThis is my father's world The birds their carols raise The morning light, the lily white Declare their maker's praise This is my father's world I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas His hand the wonders wrought This is my father's world Oh, let me never forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong God is the ruler yet This is my father's world Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is king, let the heavens ring God reigns, let the earth be glad This is my father's world He shines in all that's fair In the rustling grass, I hear him pass He speaks to me everywhere In the rustling grass, I hear him pass He speaks to me everywhere

HINDI ये मेरा पिता का जहां और मेरे सुनते कानों में सारी कुदरत गाती झूमती है सरगम वो रचना कीये मेरा पिता का जहां पक्षियां भी गाती है सुबह का तेज, और सोसन श्‍वेत उसकी महिमा सुनाते है ये मेरा पिता का जहां मेरा मन अब चैन में है की चट्टानें, पेड, समुद्र और गगन उसके हाथों की अचरज है ये मेरा पिता का जहां मै कभी नही भूलूं ये की चाहे दुष्‍ट अकसर लगते वीर परमेश्‍वर शासक है ये मेरा पिता का जहां मेरा दिल क्‍यूं हो उदास प्रभु राजा है, स्‍वर्ग गाती है पृथ्‍वी मगन हो जाए ये मेरा पिता का जहां उसकी चमक हर भलाई में है सरसराहट घास में गुजरते हुए वह हर जगह मुझसे बोलता है सरसराहट घास में गुजरते हुए वह हर जगह मुझसे बोलता है (Hindi Translation by Domenic M.)

Skendrowell Syiemlieh

The great Khasi singer Skendrowell Syiemlieh was posthumously awarded the Padmashri award in Art this year. He breathed his last on October last year. A gospel composer and singer and recepient of several state awards, he began his debut as a playback singer for Khasi films (the first, Manik Raitong), but later switched to full-time Gospel singing. He also composed several songs and published albums on Khasi cultural themes.

A few of his songs can be found here: Skendrowell's Music.