Patrick Tan

ATS closes its two-day forum in Union Church of Manila entitled "Naming the Unknown God, 2nd ATS Forum" Overall the sessions were great, learned a lot. I was able to listen to great theologians presenting their papers about cross-cultural missions, discipleship and witnessing to New Religious Movements (NRMs) such as Iglesia ni Cristo and Ang Dating Daan. Listening to them inspires me to write papers in the future. Hm, kuya, you might be right. Hehe.

It was a great time of fellowship with my fellow ASCM schoolmates. Also the location was awesome. It was the first time I went to Union Church of Manila and I really appreciated its architecture inside and out.

Closing ceremonies was also inspiring. The program was obviously conservative baptist, but I felt that even in the midst of solemnity and conservatism, God's presence was so POWERFUL in our midst. Singing hymns and listening to oriental numbers from Asian Institute of Liturgy and Music was a break from the charismatic loudness of the pentecostal. I learned to appreciate denominational liturgy.

While this was taking place, outside people were rallying to oust for the Nth time our president GMA, who (arrogantly, I thought) declared herself as the best person to lead the nation. Earlier she declared a state of national emergency. A while ago in the news a newspaper office was raided by the government. Are these foreshadowing the dawn of Martial Law 2?