Book Review

Review by: Daniel John
Author: Tong Suit Chee
Publisher & year of publication: Graduates’ Christian Fellowship, September 2025

This book Understanding Our World: Christian Perspectives is worth reading as we enter into another year. As Graduates’ Christian Fellowship’s (GCF) president Mr Joel See writes in his Foreword: “There are many voices in the world today, especially with the prevailing social media and Internet swamping us with their alternative, unhelpful and disruptive worldviews incessantly … how can we be more discerning to hear, see and read positive, life-affirming voices amidst the crowded digital and non-digital space?”

Of course, one way is to read a book which explores various issues in depth, for example, Issues Facing Christians Today by the respected late Rev John Stott. Or closer home, to read the collection of sermons of our well-loved late Dr Bobby Sng collated by those near and dear to him. The drawback, however, is having to set aside good chunks of time needed to go through such books, which many of us struggle with due to our very busy schedules.

So, the GCF’s seasoned writer and editor Ms Tong Suit Chee, came up with an additional route — a physically small-sized gem of a book (Readers’ Digest’s size and thickness), which contains 20 separate articles. The reader can keep it in a backpack and pull it out to slowly read and mull over one subject at a time, say, on a bus or train journey.

Helping Christians to live out their faith in society

Her source? She scoured the GCF newsletters of the last 20 plus years to reproduce the perceptive thoughts of GCFers and other evangelical Christians, which had been published in the GCF Bulletins. These included transcripts of talks which were delivered by speakers at annual dinners, seminars and conferences organised by the GCF, its sectional groups and ministries as well as the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. The overarching aim of the articles is clear — to help concerned Christians understand, relate and live out their faith in relation to particular issues, which society and Christians are facing.

Take for example, the one by our Singapore’s former Foreign Affairs and later, National Development Minister, S. Dhanabalan, who hails from a Brethren church. As some may know, the Brethren had their origins in Plymouth, United Kingdom (UK) in the mid-1800s. At the GCF Annual Thanksgiving Dinner on 5 September 2003, he gave a talk with the rather provocative title — The Church in Singapore: Time to Distance from the West? He asked some hard questions like whether Christians in Singapore, and Asia in general, faced difficulties sharing the good news with the unchurched because the latter viewed Christianity as a Western religion and product.

He noted: “With very few exceptions, all the Christian denominations in Singapore, and even the so-called independent churches trace their origins to the non-scriptural traditions that identify them with the churches in the West.” (the underlining is mine). He attributed the problem largely to the church itself: “The way we celebrate the special days in the Christian calendar, and our rites of passage, rituals and practices in the church have not much to do with the Bible, but more to do with the cultural setting of the people who brought the gospel to us. The core of our faith is biblical but we present it in a very elaborate wrapping and packaging which is European or American in culture and tradition.” Mr Dhanabalan did not spare the Brethen either, and accepted that they too exhibit aspects of the problem. He ended off with some practical ideas, which though delivered 22 years ago, are still relevant today.

At the other end of the time spectrum, we have an excellent and insightful article by Dr Daniel Fung, chief executive officer of the Institute of Mental Health, delivered in January 2025 on Mental Health and Religion in Singapore. He leads us into his topic in this interesting way:

“Let me first define spirituality and religion. Spirituality is defined as inner subjective awareness… concerned with matters of meaning and purpose in life, truth and values (Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK).

In the case of religion, it is a system of faith and worship, and a basis of life that ties us to God. I believe that spirituality changes mood, but religion changes life.

We are aware that man comprises the body, soul and spirit. The body is physiological and world-conscious, the spirit is spiritual and God-conscious, while the soul is psychological and self-conscious. We see this reference to spirit, soul and body in the Bible. The concept of the “triune man” in Christian theology refers to the idea that human beings are composed of three distinct yet interconnected parts — spirit, soul, and body. This understanding is derived from a few key passages in the Bible.”

After referring to Scripture, Dr Fung goes on to delve into mental health proper, mental illness, stigma in Singapore, schizophrenia, Christian perspectives and so on.

Wealth of topics discussed

I set out the index to the 20 chapters, which shows the wealth of topics touched upon:

1. Mental Health & Religion in Singapore — Dr Daniel Fung (January 2025)

2. Climate Change: A Theological Primer — Rev Dr Jarred Jung (January 2024)

3. Woke Ideology: A Christian Perspective — Darius Lee (July 2023)

4. Honouring Governing Authorities & Political-Cultural Engagement — Ronald J.J. Wong (July 2022)

5. Census 2020: Parsing the Trends, Pondering the Future — Tong Suit Chee (January 2022)

6. Census 2020: Insights from Youths & Young Adult Leaders — Tong Suit Chee (January 2022)

7. Peace & Conflict: Theological Resources — Dr Vinoth Ramachandra (January 2017)

8. Christians in Business — Douglas Guen (January 2014)

9. Christians & non-Christian Society: Discernment & Engagement — Dr Philip Satterthwaite (January 2013)

10. Just How Different Are We? — Dr Mathew Mathews (January 2013)

11. Reflections on Good Governance — Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee (January 2012)

12. Has Insurance Replaced God’s Assurance? — David Choo (July 2011)

13. Building A Strong Future — Benny Bong (January 2011)

14. The Practice of Law & the Practice of Grace & Truth — Richard Magnus (July 2009)

15. Christian Disciplines in Times of Economic Challenges — Dr Lee Soo Ann (December 2008)

16. Being in the World But Not of It: Christian Response to the Liberal Agenda — Professor Dr Thio Li-ann (December 2007)

17. Is Our Public Square Naked? — Richard Magnus (December 2006)

18. Changing Times, Unchanging Vision — Dr Bobby E.K. Sng (June 2006)

19. Powered by Faith — Professor Lim Pin (September 2005)

20. The Church in Singapore — Time to Distance from the West? — S. Dhanabalan (November 2003)

One can see how each article, though not as long as a chapter in a book, can be a rich introduction to topics that we hear mentioned every day, but often feel we understand inadequately.

As editor Suit Chee says in her preface: “Many articles touch on the public square and the roles we as Christian professionals and citizens can and should play in being salt and light to a watching world. We need to offer our Christian worldview and perspectives to counter the alternative ideologies and discordant noises surrounding us. If we do not the salt will lose its flavour and the light will dim, and the world will remain confused and unenlightened.”

I heartily agree and commend the book to like-minded Christians desiring to be like the men of Issachar who were “men who also understood the times and knew what Israel should do”. (1 Chronicles 12:32 NIV)

This book is vailable at GCF office (gcfsing@gcf.org.sg), SKS Books Warehouse, Sower Essentials (Bible House), and other bookshops. Retail price: S$20 (E-book S$24)