Book Review by Rev. Lai Moo Him

Book Review on "Exposing Chinese Ancestor Worship"
by Rev. Lai Moo Him, Executive Secretary for National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF)

The author of this book states his intention, in the preface, of wishing to 'mark out a conclusive line of division between what is ancestor worship, what is culture, and what is the stand from a Christian perspective.' He has succeeded admirably in this. In doing so, he has done a great service to the Christian community in Malaysia by giving a comprehensive introduction to the intricacies of Chinese culture and the difficulties that so often beset Chinese Christians in their dealings with staunchly traditional families.

The chapters are well thought out and well presented. While it is not meant to be an exhaustive study of all aspects of ancestor worship, the author provides practical, and more importantly, Biblical, treatments of topics such as conduct during funerals and weddings (Chapter 5), and the question of filial piety – all of which are extremely relevant in Malaysian Chinese culture. Another valuable resource is to be found in Chapter 10, which gives Christian substitutes for ancestor worship – something that has, thus far, seldom been addressed by the Christian community at large, and which is becoming more and more necessary as time goes on.

The multicultural melting pot of Malaysian society raises a great many complex questions for local Christians, especially with regards to various cultural practices. This book makes a start by addressing some of these concerns. It is indeed timely, and an essential reference for anyone wishing to seek sound Biblical perspectives and practical guidelines on dealing with Chinese ancestor worship.