Titus Chung Explained

Type:Archbishop
Honorific Prefix:The Most Reverend
Titus Chung Khiam Boon
Archbishop of the Province of South East Asia
Bishop of Singapore
Church:Church of the Province of South East Asia
Diocese:Singapore
Term:2024–present (as archbishop)
2020–present (as diocesan bishop)
Predecessor:Melter Tais (as archbishop)
Rennis Ponniah (as diocesan bishop)
Ordination:1997 (priest)
Consecration:2020
Consecrated By:John Chew
Kuan Kim Seng
Birth Date:1964 or 1965
Birth Place:Singapore
Spouse:Mrs Connie Chung
Children:2
Previous Post:Vicar of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit (1997-2005)
Priest-in-Charge of St. Andrew's Cathedral's Mandarin Congregation (2005-2020)
Religion:Anglican
T:章劍文
S:章剑文
P:Zhāng Jiànwén

Titus Chung Khiam Boon (Chinese: 章剑文) is the archbishop of the Anglican Church of the Province of South East Asia and the 10th Bishop of Singapore. He is a systematic theologian who serves at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore. He was ordained in 1997 in the Diocese of Singapore after graduating from Trinity Theological College.[1] [2] Chung was installed for a four-year term as the seventh archbishop of the Province of South East Asia at St Andrew's Cathedral (Singapore) on 23 January 2024.

Early life and education

Chung studied at Trinity Theological College; and then University of Edinburgh. He received a Doctorate in Philosophy from the latter and his doctorate dissertation was on the Scottish theologian, Thomas F. Torrance's theory of divine revelation.[3] [4]

Priesthood

Prior to Chung's ordination in 1997, he graduated from Trinity Theological College, Singapore. Thereafter, he became a priest and later, Vicar of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit from 1997 to 2005, before being Priest-in-charge of St Andrew's Cathedral’s Mandarin congregation.[5] [6] [7]

Before Chung's installation as the Bishop of Singapore, he taught part-time at his alma mater, Trinity Theological College and at the same time, was the Convenor of Continuing Ministerial Education for Clergy and Deaconesses of the diocese and a member of the Senior Clergy Planning Team.

On 18 October 2020, Chung was installed as the 10th Bishop of Singapore at St Andrew's Cathedral.[8] [9] [10] [11]

As the Diocesan Bishop of Singapore, Chung holds office and chairmanship in various organisations and institutions of the Anglican Church such as the training institute of the diocese, St Peter's Hall and Anglican schools such as St Andrew's School, Singapore.[12]

Archbishop of the Church of the Province of South East Asia

At the Extraordinary Provincial Synod of 2023, Chung has been elected as the next Archbishop of the Church of the Province of South East Asia.[13] [14] He will succeed the incumbent Anglican Primate of the province, the Most Reverend Datuk Melter Jiki Tais in 2024. Chung's installation service as the 7th Archbishop of the Province was held on the 23rd January 2024 at St Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore.

Views

Evangelism

In an official statement on 12 November 2022, Chung emphasised evangelism.[15]

Sexuality and same-sex marriages

In a pastoral letter, Chung, along with all other bishops in the Church of the Province of South East Asia affirm a conservative theological stance on the issue of same-sex unions.[16] They assert that marriage, according to Scripture, is solely between one man and one woman. They expressed disagreement with the recent decision of the Church of England to permit blessings for same-sex civil unions.[17]

Personal life

Chung is married to Connie Chung and they have two sons their twenties, Theodore and Thaddeus.

References

  1. Web site: Release . Press . 2020-10-23 . Titus Chung consecrated Bishop of Singapore . 2022-12-12 . Anglican Ink © 2022 . en-US.
  2. Web site: SIN . YUEN . 2020-10-19 . Titus Chung becomes 10th bishop of Anglican Church in Singapore . 2022-12-12 . The New Paper . en.
  3. Web site: Bishop of Singapore – The Diocese of Singapore . 2022-06-12 . en-GB.
  4. Web site: Alumni . 2023-09-30 . Trinity Theological College . en-US.
  5. Web site: SIN . YUEN . 2020-10-19 . Titus Chung becomes 10th bishop of Anglican Church in Singapore . 2022-06-14 . The New Paper . en.
  6. Web site: Rt Revd Dr Titus Chung . 2022-12-12 . ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity . en-US.
  7. Web site: All by God’s Grace and All for God’s Glory – St. Andrew's Mission Hospital . 2022-12-12 . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2020-10-19 . Titus Chung formally succeeds Rennis Ponniah as 10th Bishop of Singapore . 2022-12-12 . Salt&Light . en.
  9. Web site: 2020-02-10 . Chung Chosen Bishop of Influential Singapore Diocese . 2022-12-12 . The Living Church . en-US.
  10. Web site: Paper . The New . 2020-10-19 . Titus Chung becomes 10th bishop of Anglican Church in Singapore . 2022-12-12 . Head Topics . en.
  11. Web site: Anglican Communion . Diocese - South East Asia - Singapore .
  12. Web site: Search Profile . 2023-09-30 . www.charities.gov.sg.
  13. Web site: Woerman . Melodie . 2023-09-27 . Singapore Bishop Titus Chung Khiam Boon elected new primate of the Church of the Province of South East Asia . 2023-09-30 . Episcopal News Service . en-US.
  14. Web site: Release . Press . 2023-09-27 . Titus Chung elected new archbishop of South East Asia . 2023-09-30 . Anglican Ink © 2023 . en-US.
  15. Web site: Chung . 12 November 2022 . RENEWAL OF HEARTS, REVIVAL IN CHURCH . 30 September 2023 . Anglican Diocese of Singapore.
  16. Web site: Jiki Tais . 18 February 2023 . Pastoral Letter (Provincial) . 30 September 2023 . St John's-St Margaret's Church, Singapore.
  17. News: Liew . Isabelle . 2023-02-18 . Anglican Church in S’pore ‘deeply disappointed’ by Church of England’s blessing of same-sex couples . en . The Straits Times . 2023-09-30 . 0585-3923.