(This article is originally published by the Centre for the Development of Christian Ministry of Trinity Theological College, Singapore, in periodical Church and Society, issue 1.1 [1998], pp.7-11, and reproduced at Church and Society in Asia Today website.)
Christianity as an avowedly missionary religion seeks converts. To prevent Christianity from performing missionary work is tantamount to denaturing it. This may sound offensive to some but when it is borne in mind that such a characteristic is not unique to it, the offence is somewhat lessened. Many religions do have such an agenda, especially when they claim to have the Truth and the principles to bring about the greatest happiness to a human being. Hence, Christianity, like some other religions, understands itself as helping to bring about something eternally significant and blissful to someone when it invites him to be converted. However, when this happens, there often comes with it a potentially thorny problem: intrafamilial conflicts brought about precisely by conversion. Such conflicts are often most complex, exasperating and traumatic. A new convert, especially a young one, may find it rather difficult to cope with these. The questions he may need answering could well be those which are Biblical, theological or practical in nature. It is the purpose of this article to look at this problem from some perspectives provided by the New Testament (NT) and it is hoped that some strategies may be found for pastors to alleviate the pain brought about by such conflicts [1]. By so doing, it also hopes modestly to demonstrate the importance of drawing resources from theology (and Biblical studies) to address societal norms, trends and concerns.
