Diocesan News
Link With Hong Kong Anglicans Strengthened by Visit
The visitors from Sheng Kung Hui with Archbishop Michael Jackson, the Revd Garth Bunting and Dr Kerry Houston.
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, welcomed 21 members of Sheng Kung Hui, the Province of Hong Kong and Macau in the Anglican Communion on Sunday (30th August).
They attended the Cathedral Eucharist, which was celebrated by Archbishop Michael Jackson, as part of their 10–day study trip. Organised by Ming Hua Theological College in Hong Kong and Dublin University Far Eastern Mission (DUFEM), participants are exploring Dublin, Belfast, Armagh and Enniskillen.
The sermon was preached by the Revd Dr Eric Lau Wing Kai of the Diocese of West Kowloon. Drawing on the Gospel reading (Mark 7: 1–8, 14–15, 21–23), he explained that holiness and purity were equated in many ways to rules on cleanliness.
‘They put up a lot of boundaries between clean and unclean, holy and profane. They drew distinctive boundaries so that they could know whether something was allowed or disallowed by God. They had strong fears of crossing the boundaries,’ he said.
The encounter with the Pharisees who observed that the disciples were eating without washing their hands, Dr Lau explained, was not about hygiene but holiness. While the Pharisees tried to use the rules to be self–righteous and to exclude, Jesus reaffirmed the original idea of holiness. ‘Maybe we have many religious acts and external signs but the most important thing is that we go back to ourselves and look at our inner purity and holiness,’ he stated.
The visit to Ireland is being led by Dr Matthew Jones, Academic Programme Director of Ming Hua Theological College, and coordinated on behalf of DUFEM by Dr Kerry Houston (Director of Chapel Music at Trinity College Dublin).
The Anglican Church in Hong Kong has a very positive relationship with the Church of Ireland. This trip is another example of the warm friendship that exists between the Church in Hong Kong and Ireland that will further strengthen links with both the Church of Ireland Theological Institute and links at diocesan and parochial level. Participants on the visit include Ming Hua staff, students, members of clergy, and members of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui.
Dr Jones will deliver the annual Godfrey Day Memorial Lecture tonight (Tuesday, 1st September), which examines contexts for overseas mission. The lecture takes place in the Trinity Long Room Hub at Trinity College Dublin and will address ‘Christian Belief and Context in Melanesia’.
The Revd Dr Eric Lau Wing Kai (preacher) with Archbishop Michael Jackson.
Diocesan Communications Officer, Dublin & Glendalough
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Lynn Glanville
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