A Christian Social Vision For Nation Building

By Ng Kam Weng

(This article originally published in the Kairos Magazine, issue September 2007, and at Ng Kam Weng's website Krisis & Praxis, 10 October 2007.)

A Christian Philosophy for the Common Good

“The Church must exercise prophetic witness towards wider society and to government,” exclaimed the young man as he urged his friends to join a candlelight vigil in front of the High Court to express their concerns over a recent High Court judgment that was seen to be in conflict with fundamental liberties.

Asian Human Rights: A Critique

By Ng Kam Weng

(This article originally published at Ng Kam Weng's website Krisis & Praxis, 25 June 2007.)

Asian critics offer more sophisticated arguments than expediency in their resistance against demands for greater implementation of human rights policies. Of the various arguments voiced by Asian governments I shall focus on four: 1) that human rights are culture specific; 2) that community takes precedence over individuals; 3) that social-economic rights have priority over civil political rights, and 4) that the implementation of human rights should be respected as a matter of national sovereignty.