Church History and Public Policy Today

I have a new found respect for Singapore's Foreign Minister, BG George Yeo as i read his recent speech he delivered at the LKY School of Public Policy on 5 Feb this year. This speech was delivered as part of a workshop organised by the school on "The Future of China: Global Perspectives and Strategic Lessons” . While it is admittedly not a short speech for reading, i believe it gives great insight to all who'd like to see the direct link of history and the implementation of public policy in the world.

What I was most impressed with, was the breadth and depth of knowledge that our Foreign Minister had with regards to the various nations AND their histories. His speech also allowed me an insight into the continuum of the impact of history in the way countries are governed today and how policies relating to the various countries need to be drawn with the consideration of the impact history has had on them.

China, being undoubtedly one of the largest economies rising in Asia has been on the radar of many nations in the region and now the West for some time. It's decisions and actions has multifold impact on the economies around, so it serves no wonder that this Pearl of the East will remain the subject of headlines for some time to come.

BG George Yeo is a Roman Catholic and his knowledge of church history and in relating the governance of the church and the nation of China illuminated me on the importance of understanding the past.

While we do not have to live in the past, it is vital we understand the past in order to move into the present. The Bible shares the same view... how many times has God reminded His people to "remember" what He has said and He has done in order to be successful and prosperous in our generation and the generations to come? And very often, it is in the history of the nations that we see the hand of God moving.

Coincidentally enough, i was just teaching the ENLI 2 class on Church History a couple of weeks back and i was pleasantly surprised to see BG George Yeo also mention Charlemagne and his crowning by the Pope as the Head of the Holy Roman Empire as part of a monumental time in history in even how China would look upon foreign policies of governance and how she has learnt her lessons from even looking at world history, especially that of the Roman Empire. The ManChurian empire has at been compared and held in parallel to the Roman Empire so it is no surprise that China will look and learn from what she's seen in the Roman Empire.

I wonder if Apostle Paul realised the impact that he, or rather the gospel, would make when he set out in full obedience to Rome to preach the gospel.

There is still much i have to learn and I will need to apply myself to an understanding of the times, both the past and the present. I can be honest that i am no history buff, and since the beginning of time, had always categorised it into a topic of dates and facts and another way in which rote learning was being imposed on me as a student in the Singaporean education system. I do hope that schools will also continue to highlight the importance of the understanding of history on present day, and not just say that, but to show tangible examples of how that has happened.

As the scope of the impact of policy making widens from families, to societies, to cities, to nations, so also must the scope of knowledge of the times before and present.

I'm beginning to see that public governance and policy requires such vital ties to history. In the same way that the birth, upbringing and experiences of an individual impacts his current behavior and future, so too, that of a country.