wfn.org | University President Considers the Religious Atmosphere on Taiwan's

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Campuses
Taiwan Church News 2752, 22 to 281 November 2004
Reported by Yang Shu-hao.  Trans. & rewritten by David Alexander

Alerted to the fracas at Chang Jung Christian University, Yeh Neng-jer,
president of Aletheia University in Tam-sui (affiliated, like Chang Jung,
with
the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan), responded.	He said that the students who
complained to the Ministry of Education and the mass-circulation Apple Daily
News regarding an unexcused absence put on their records had drawn negative
attention to Christian schools.  (The students had not attended a mandatory
beginning of term assembly without obtaining prior permission. Some
complained
that Chang Jung was forcing them to take part in a religious activity.)

He affirms the faith position of Chang Jung Christian University but also
notes that since Chang Jung and Aletheia are governmentally accredited they
must comply with regulations which say that attendance at activities of a
religious nature cannot be mandated. Facilitating and inviting attendance of
faculty and students who desire to hear the gospel at meetings where it is
preached is one way of avoiding problems.

His own school promotes many gospel related activities, assemblies and
fellowship groups.  It was the first university in the nation to appoint
pastoral care experts for each dormitory. But all such activities, he
asserts,
are "invitational in nature and designed to match the needs of those who are
on campus."  "The Spirit of Christ," he says, "must naturally and positively
pervade the campus so that faith can make a deep and lasting impression on
the
lives of students."

For More Information: Yeh Neng-jer hchou@email.au.edu.tw
Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.
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