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When Tragedy Comes
One of the most besetting questions being asked is “Why does God allow evil and human suffering in this world? How would a loving and compassionate God allow such things?” Some are indeed serious about finding a satisfactory answer to this theological challenge. Others, however, seem to use this question as an excuse to dismiss God, especially the Christian God of the Bible.
The Bible is not clear about the reason why God allows and even includes human suffering in his counsel. All I can say is that it is God’s sovereign design according to his perfect wisdom, which is the penetrating theme of the book of Job. One probable reason we can infer from the Scripture is that the fall, evil, sin, and human suffering are allowed for us to praise God in the fullest possible way—God is not only our Creator but also our Redeemer.
Unfortunately, however, many are not convinced, which, to me at least, is understandable. The notion of God’s sovereignty or perfect wisdom sounds sweet until tragedy hits you. When we suffer and ask for God’s help, we tend to feel as if God were giving us a disease and then giving the medicine for it. That is, we may think that God is playing both sides by being the source of both harm and help. Our bitter thought in such a difficult time is that it is unfair that we should suffer for God’s glory to be revealed as our Redeemer and Savior.
What restores our faith in the eternal goodness of God, however, is the suffering of Christ. It was Christ (who was God) who suffered the most in and through the fall of humankind (see, e.g., Westminster Confession of Faith 8.4). The fall was used in the counsel of God in such a way that God’s glory was enriched when it was overcome, which God did in Christ. Christ faced the indescribably atrocious evil and suffering in our place. Christ was delivered up to the cross and to death (Acts 2:23). Jesus is the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Christ the Son of God knew no sin, and “yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief” (Isaiah 53:10). Jesus took upon himself our sins. What Christ went through was much more than we could ever possibly imagine. Again, it is the cross of Christ that restores and strengthens our faith in God and his fearfully wise counsel. So, let us look at the cross of Christ and remember his suffering when we find ourselves walking through too dark a valley of shadow of death.
Whate’er my God ordains is right
His holy will abideth
I will be still whate’er He does
And follow where He guideth
He is my God though dark my road
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him, I leave it all
And so to Him, I leave it allWhate’er my God ordains is right (yes, it is)
He never will deceive me
He leads me by the proper path
I know He will not leave me
I take, content, what He has sent
His hand can turn my griefs away
And patiently, I wait His day
And patiently, I wait His dayWhate’er my God ordains is right
Though now this cup in drinking
May bitter seem to my faint heart
I take it all, unshrinking
My God is true, each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart
And pain and sorrow shall depart
And pain and sorrow shall departWhate’er my God ordains is right
Here shall my stand be taken
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine
Yet I am not forsaken
My Father’s care is ’round me there
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him, I leave it all
And so to Him, I leave it allSongwriters: Keith Getty / Matthew Sherman Merker
Words: Samuel Rodigast (1676)
Translated by Catherine Winkworth (1829-1878)
Music: Keith Getty and Matt Merker © 2018 Getty Music Publishing/BMI, Matthew Merker Music/BMI (adm at MusicServices.org).
From Together for the Gospel Live IV.(Image: Ksenia Makagonova [Unsplash])
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The Culture of Stupidity
When you hear your own doctoral supervisor–and now your boss–preach about the power of the cross of Christ against today’s culture of foolishness, it is indescribably touching. Yesterday (Apr 2, 2024), Dr. Stanley E. Porter spoke from 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 at McMaster Divinity College’s last chapel service of the Winter term. His sermon really got me thinking how foolish today’s world we’re living in is. Even with all the knowledge that we’ve accumulated, we don’t seem to proceed forward, and we don’t even know what the life is all about. In this video that I came across yesterday, the famous evolutionary biologist and one of the most outspoken atheists of this day Richard Dawkins was interviewed by LBC’s Rachel Johnson. I think he appears to be an example of this world’s “damned stupidity.” I’ve attached the transcript of the initial portion of the talk (00:20 to 2:50) below for your reference.
Dawkins: I was slightly horrified that Ramadan is being promoted instead. I do think that we are culturally a Christian country. I call myself a cultural Christian. I’m not a believer, but there’s a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian. So you know I love hymns and Christmas carols and I, I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos. I feel that we are a Christian country in that sense. It’s true that statistically the number of people who actually believe in Christianity is going down. And I’m happy with that. But I would not be happy if, for example, we lost all our cathedrals and our beautiful parish churches. So I count myself a cultural Christian. I think it would matter if we substituted any alternative religion, that would be truly dreadful.
Interviewer: But which brings me to my supplementary point, which is that, as we know, church attendance is plummeting, but the building, the erection of mosques across Europe I think 6,000 are under construction and there are many more, I mean, are being planned. So do you think, do you regard that as a problem? Do you think that matters?
Dawkins: Yes, I do. Really. I mean, I, might have to choose my words carefully. I mean, if I had to choose between Christianity and Islam, I’d choose Christianity every single time. I mean it seems to me to be a fundamentally decent religion. In a way I think Islam is not.
Interview: I think you’d have to explain why you say that, Professor Dawkins. Why is Islam . . .fundamentally not decent like Christianity?
Dawkins: Yes, I mean the way the women are. Christianity is not great about that. It’s had its problems with female vicars and female bishops and things. But there’s an active hostility to women which is promoted, I think, by the holy books of Islam. I’m not talking about individual Muslims who, of course, are quite different. But the doctrines of Islam, the Hadith and the and the Quran is fundamentally hostile to women, hostile to gays. And I find that I like to live in a culturally Christian country. Although I do not believe a single word of the Christian faith.
The Apostle Paul’s trenchant statement on humanity still holds true: φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν (“claiming to be wise, they became foolish,” Romans 1:22).
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The Salon Concert (Mar 2, 2024)
Lynn and I had an unforgettably wonderful time at the salon concert last night, which was hosted by the violinist Stella Song and her musician friends in her beautiful home. I had been so used to concerts in imposing halls. But according to what Stella Song said before the concert, this kind of small-sized salon concerts were popular in the past. She also mentioned that Chopin, too, hosted salon concerts in his home. In fact, cultural salons were significant venues in Europe where people gathered to share diverse ideas and opinions freely during the Enlightenment.
Jun-Kyu Park (Cello) / Grace Shin (Piano) / Stella Song (Violin) / Simon Miminis (Drums) Grace Shin’s rendering of Chopin’s Nocturne (Op. 62 No. 2) was absolutely beautiful. In her brief introductory statement, she said that this was the very last nocturne piece that Chopin wrote in his lifetime. Chopin was probably suffering and knew that his time was coming when he composed it. Shin said that we would therefore hear a mixture of emotions in this piece, and I did feel Chopin’s agitation in some parts. Jun-Kyu Park and Grace Shin’s Hungarian Rhapsody by David Popper (1843-1913) was a literally breathtaking and seamless ten-minute performance. I think I almost teared up at some point. Park clearly demonstrated what kind of beautiful, stunning, intimidating and yet comforting sounds a cello could make. The cello is such a mysterious instrument that can cover both the deepest and the highest registers in such a captivating way. Song then joined Park to perform Passacaglia (1894) by the Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935). I must say that I was entranced by their performance.
The second half of the concert had three well-known contemporary pieces arranged in a jazz style and with improvisations. That is when the amazing drummer Simon Miminis joined. They played Autumn Leaves, Fly me to the Moon, and Besame Mucho, all of which, of course, were so mesmerizing that I stopped caring about the world outside the salon.
One of the things I appreciate about the concert is that, while Stella Song is a well-accomplished violinist/musician with a doctorate in violin performance from Robert Schumann University in Dusseldorf, Germany, she seems to enjoy and love music itself and be wiling to go the extra mile to invite others to her musical journey in a humble and friendly manner. It was such a beautiful evening full of exquisite music. Lynn and I already look forward to the next concert.
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Christ Alone
“When I look at myself, I don’t see how I can be saved. But when I look at Jesus, I don’t see how I can be lost.”
Martin Luther
“It’s by Jesus’ meritorious life and his substitutionary death that we can stand in the presence of a holy God.”
R. C. Sproul
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A Card from my Daughter (Dec 30, 2022)
Well, my daughter is not joining us for Christmas this year because she is in South Korea for her exchange student program. I am happy for her. But I was saddened when it just occurred to me today that this Christmas (2023) would be the first Christmas without her. That’s why I was suddenly overjoyed when I saw in the drawer this card that she had written for me last year (Dec 30th, 2022). It still warms my heart when I read it. I miss you, Sue. I pray that you’ll have a wonderful (and charitable) time in Korea!
This card is:
for my very huggable dad ♡
Dec 30, 2022
A random appreciation card.
Here you go Dad. It’s lovely being home for the holidays because I get to write this and give this to you in person. I feel so blessed to be able to wake up every day to a father who hugs me every chance he gets, devours every dessert I make, and sends messages to me and drives me places, making sure that I know I’m cared for and loved. Writing this made me realize that maybe I don’t express this to you enough. I hope you know, though, that I think about all this quite often, especially this holiday season! Happy New Year & I love you so much, Dad ♡
Love from Sue, your very happy daughter
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A Need for Closure, Paul, and Judaism
According to Kruglanski and Freund’s interesting article, the notion of “need for closure” refers to “the need to have some knowledge on a given topic, any knowledge as opposed to confusion and ambiguity” (450; emphasis mine). What they claim is nothing new because we human beings, by default, tend to avoid ambiguity. The authors’ contribution is two-fold. First, they have given it a label (“need for closure”) so that we can talk about the phenomenon. Secondly, their work reminds us that we not only tend to avoid confusion but also go so far as to accept any knowledge or answer if that means we do not have to deal with the ambiguity or inconsistency at hand.
So, it begs the question: Is it helpful?
I do not believe it is. I can think of its one deleterious effect: the desire for closure can lead us to various biases. The world is a complex place. Confusions, conflicts, and ambiguities are thus a natural part of our lives. When conflicts or misunderstandings emerge, our deeply-rooted desire for closure keeps us from being willing to be open and work together to navigate through our differences. The result? As the authors warn in their paper, a high desire for closure will make us seek “stereotype-consistent information,” not dispassionate and balanced one.
The same is true when we try to get our head around the Apostle Paul and his relationship with Second Temple Judaism. I wonder, among the current few perspectives on Paul and Judaism, which group(s) has fallen victim to a strong desire for closure.
Kruglanski, A. W., and T. Fruend. “The Freezing and Unfreezing of Lay Inferences: Effects of Impressional Primacy, Ethnic Stereotyping and Numerical Anchoring.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 19 (1983) 448-68.
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就任式礼拝 (2023年7月23日)
On July 23, 2023, in the presence of God, I entered into a covenant relationship with グレーストロント日本語教会 (Grace Toronto Japanese Church). I don’t have words that can describe the ruthless grace God pours upon me, a hideous wicked sinner; he judged me faithful and has appointed me to his service (1 Tim 1:12). So, when the installation commission from the Eastern Canada Presbytery asked the following questions, I gave my serious and solemn answers before God who had called me into his service.
Questions to John Lee
ジョン・リー兄弟への質問1. Are you now willing to take charge of this congregation as their pastor, agreeable to your declaration in accepting its call?
あなたは今、この招聘を受け入れるとの自身の表明に同意して、この会衆の牧師としての務めを負うことを望みますか。Yes, I am.
はい、望みます。2. Do you conscientiously believe and declare, as far as you know your own heart, that, in taking upon you this charge, you are influenced by a sincere desire to promote the glory of God and the good of the Church?
あなたは、この務めを果たすにあたり、自分の心を動かしているのは、神の栄光と教会の益を促進させる誠実な望みだけであると、その良心に従って信じ宣言しますか。Yes, I do.
はい、宣言します。3. Do you solemnly promise that, by the assistance of the grace of God, you will endeavor faithfully to discharge all the duties of a pastor to this congregation, and will be careful to maintain a deportment in all respects becoming a minister of the Gospel of Christ, agreeable to your ordination engagements?
あなたは、神の恵みの助けを受け、按手の誓約に基づき、この会衆の牧師としての務めをすべて忠実に果たすことに努め、キリストの福音に仕える者にふさわしく、すべての点において、一挙手一投足にも注意を払うことを、固く約束しますか。Yes, I do.
はい、約束します。
Two months have already passed since my installation service. The last couple of months felt like two seconds. If I repeat this “two-second” period six times, then it means I have spent one year; a year will feel like twelve seconds. When I’ll have repeated this “twelve-second” period–Lord willing–twenty or thirty times, I’ll be very old and probably be gone from this world. Time is fleeting. Life is cruelly short. I will serve the LORD my God.
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Oppenheimer: The Father of the Atomic Bomb
The photo above (Getty Image) is the view of the mushroom cloud from the atomic bomb nicknamed “Fat Man” dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. This was taken from almost 10 km away on August 9, 1945.
The American theoretical physicist of German-Jewish descent J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) led the Manhattan Project (1942-) as the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during WWII to develop an atomic bomb. Their test of the first atomic bomb (named “Trinity” test by Oppenheimer) on July 16, 1945 succeeded, and less than one month later (Aug 8-9), two atomic bombs were dropped on two Japanese cities, instantly killing 105K people and severely injuring 94K, which was one of the biggest tragedies in human history.
While we know that Oppenheimer later opposed nuclear proliferation and a nuclear arms race with the USSR, it is hard to deny that it was Oppenheimer himself who had opened Pandora’s Nuclear Box. I doubt, however, that Oppenheimer took great pleasure in developing the atomic bomb. He knew more than anybody else did that what he and the team were doing would change the world forever, in a very destructive way. While the atomic world was a constant fascination for him, taking out the immeasurable force of energy and using it to destroy human lives must have placed unendurable pressure and stress upon him. In that sense, when I watched Christopher Nolan’s new film Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures), I thought Cillian Murphy had done an amazing job depicting the agony in which Oppenheimer may have found himself.
(Cillian Murphy; source: imdb) On Aug 8-9, 1945, the world witnessed the first use of atomic weapons. It should also be the last use of nuclear bombs against human lives.
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Thanks and Prayers
Our son, Kyum, is starting his college life in the Engineering Science program at UofT (Class of 2027) this fall. Since our daughter, Sue, is going back to Rhodes for her junior year next Sunday, we had family time after church to celebrate Kyum for beginning a new chapter of his life. We took a short tour of University of Toronto campus (St. George) and enjoyed Japanese ramen dinner. It was a peaceful evening, and Lynn and I thanked God for blessing us with our beautiful children, Sue, and Kyum. I cannot even begin to describe how much joy they have brought to our lives. Lynn and I have shed so many tears, however, because of Kyum’s struggles with faith in God. Our prayers for him will continue until God will give him the precious gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8).
Kyum – UofT EngSci Class of 2027 (2027 is the 200th anniversary of UofT!)
τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8)