wfn.org | Taiwan's Presbyterians Divided over Partnership with Church that Left

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2771, 4 to 10 April 2005

Reported by Li Hsin-ren. Written by David Alexander

When the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) met
late in March mission partnerships were signed with the Independent
Presbyterian Church of Brazil and the Taiwan Holiness Church.  That led
some delegates to question why the PCT has not yet concluded a similar
agreement with the Formosan Evangelical Church (known as the "Tai-hok" in
Taiwanese).

The question was raised during the afternoon session when delegates divided
into sub- groups to hear and review reports of various church committees
and agencies. Some delegates spoke strongly for a relationship based on
goodwill, but others cited the principle of patience and urged that nothing
be done hastily.

The report of the church¡¦s ecumenical committee included mention of some
PCT clergy who have gone for overseas continuing education at the Tai-hok
Theological Seminary in California. This introduced the topic of a formal
relationship into discussions.

The Tai-hok came into being in the 1970¡¦s during a time of political
tension in Taiwan. Many Taiwanese people had emigrated to North America and
desired to establish their own churches.  In 1989 the Tai-hok established
its own theological school in Los Angeles. Out of that came a mission
project to evangelize the homeland, Taiwan.  Eventually the Tai-hok sent
personnel and resources to establish its own ministry to Taiwan¡¦s
university youth.

During the later half of the 1990¡¦s some overseas Taiwanese members of
Tai-hok churches in North America and Oceania determined to return to
Taiwan and establish Tai-hok congregations here. This led to conflict with
the PCT. A plan was proposed wherein the Tai-hok missionaries would
recognize the neighbourhoods where the PCT was already engaged in
evangelistic outreach and do their work where there would not be
competition. But some Tai-hok clergy were unhappy to abide by this so
cooperation became impossible.	Eventually the attitude taken by the PCT
was that the Tai-hok was to be regarded as a separate denomination of
Protestants with whom friendly relations should be maintained, but no
formal partnership was concluded.

The Rev. Tan Seng-cheng, pastor of Ta-shuen Presbyterian Church in
Kaohsiung, said, "The PCT and the Tai-hok have certainly had their
differences over the years. But the relationships between our members and
clergy are good.  We have domestic mission partnerships with the New Life
Churches Association and the Taiwan Holiness Church, why not move into one
with the Tai-hok?¨

Outgoing General Secretary William J. K. Lo responded, "Nothing is
impossible with the Lord," but went onto say that a partnership requires
two willing partners.

Nonetheless, some clergy were opposed. The Rev. Kho Thian-hen, chaplain at
Sin-lau Christian Hospital in Tainan, counseled patience and caution. He
mentioned that some Tai-hok clergy originally held ordained status in the
PCT, and that a partnership agreement would have aspects involving both
churches¡¦ pensions and welfare schemes.

Outgoing PCT Moderator Chen Tao-hsiung said that in the past clergy had
been forced to choose between membership in the PCT or the Tai-hok. Joint
credentials were not allowed. Now that some who had chosen for Tai-hok were
returning to their homeland, the issue of transfer of credentials needed
discussion. He said that for clergy over the age of 60, those who had not
previously been part of the PCT were not likely to be accepted because of
pension and welfare considerations.

For more information: ecu@mail.pct.org.tw

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.

Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw