More information on the Installation of the 3rd Archbishop of SEA Province on 5th Feb 2006

28th Jan 2006

The Installation of the Rt Revd Dr John Chew Hiang Chea as the 3rd Archbishop of the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia

Bishop John Chew will succeed Archbishop Datuk Yong Ping Chung as the third Archbishop of the Province of South East Asia. He will be installed in St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Singapore, on Sunday 5th February 2006 at the 5.00 pm Service. In April 2000 he was consecrated and installed as the 8th Bishop of Singapore by Archbishop Yong, being the first Chinese educated Bishop of Singapore. The term of office of the Primate of South East Asia is 4 years. As the Primate of South East Asia, the Archbishop-elect, like his predecessors, will provide leadership for the Anglican work and mission in the Dioceses of Kuching and Brunei, Sabah, Singapore and West Malaysia.  The Province has ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Malaysia and Singapore as well as in Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Nepal.  Altogether these have a population of 450 million consisting of many races, languages, cultures, religions and customs.

Over 30 Anglican Primates (Archbishops) and Bishops from countries of ASEAN and Asia, Africa, Melanesia, England, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will be arriving for the Installation Service and other related events.  It is by far one of the largest gatherings of global senior Anglican clerics for a Primatial Installation in this part of the world.  Altogether they represent over 50 million Anglican members in the world. The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Rt Revd Dr Rowan Williams, will be represented by the Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill (Bishop of Lichfield).  Also present will be another senior Anglican cleric, the Most Revd Dr Peter Akinola, the Primate of All Nigeria and Chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa as well as the Global South Movement in the Communion. Archbishop-Elect John Chew is the General Secretary of the Global South Movement, a grouping of non-Western Provinces within the Anglican Communion.

In addition to church leaders of other denominations from Singapore and Malaysia, senior church leaders of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will also be arriving.  Other notable religious dignitaries include Presbyter Ji Jianhong, Chairman, Three-Self Patriotic Movement of Protestant Churches in China and Rev Cao Shengjie, President, China Christian Council.  It is also significant that the Director General of the State Administration of Religious Affairs of China, Mr Ye Xiaowen and also Dr Jason Lase, the Director General, Department of Religions, Indonesia, will be present. Many local ministers, politicians and civil leaders are also expected to grace the occasion.  

During the weekend of the Installation Service, the Diocese of Singapore will be hosting a by-invitation only lunch at Fullerton Hotel on Saturday, 4th Feb, with the theme “Blessed to be a blessing.” The Province of SEA will also be celebrating its 10th anniversary on the same day at a dinner at Suntec City.  Various side meetings on regional and global ministry partnership will also be conducted.

When formed on the 2nd of Feb 1996, the Province of SEA became the 37th Province of the world-wide Anglican Communion with the then Most Revd Dr Moses Tay being the first Archbishop.  The four Dioceses in the Province work together through its missions arm, the Province of South East Asia Mission Services (PROSEAMS) and its youth arm, the Provincial Youth Network (PYNET).  They are also united in worship through a common Provincial Prayer Book and Song Book.

GUEST LIST

Primates, Bishops and other special guests

From ASEAN and Asia:

1. Primate of South East Asia and Bishop of Sabah, Most Revd Datuk Yong Ping Chung


2. Primate of Myanmar and Bishop of Yangon, Most Revd San Si Htay


3. Primate of Philippines rep. by Rt Revd Alexander Wandag


4. Moderator of Church of South India and Bishop in Medak, Rt Revd Dr Sughandar


5. Bishop of Kuching and Brunei, Rt Revd Datuk Made Katib


6. Bishop of West Malaysia, Rt Revd Tan Sri Dr Lim Cheng Ean


7. Bishop of East Kowloon (Hong Kong, China), Rt Rev Louis Tsui


8. Bishop of West Kowloon (Hong Kong, China), Rt Rev Thomas Soo


9. Bishop of Taejon (Korea), Rt Revd Andrew Shin


10. Bishop of Taiwan, Rt Revd David Lai


11. Bishop of Toungoo (Myanmar), Rt Revd John Wilme


12. Bishop of Hpa’an (Myanmar), Rt Revd Stephen Than Oo


13. Bishop-Elect of Sabah, Archdeacon Albert Vun


14. Asst Bishop, Diocese of Kuching, Rt Revd Bolly Lapok


15. Asst Bishop, Diocese of Sabah, Rt Revd Yong Chen Fah


16. Asst Bishop, Diocese of Singapore, Rt Revd Rennis Ponniah


17. Asst Bishop, Diocese of West Malaysia, Rt Revd Moses Ponniah

Non-Asian Countries:

1. Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England, rep by Bishop of Lichfield, Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill 


2. Primate of All Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja, and Chairman of Council of Anglican Primates of Africa, Most Revd Dr Peter Akinola


3. Primate of Central Africa and Bishop of Malawi, Most Revd Dr Bernard Malango


4. Primate of Rwanda and Bishop of Kigali, Most Revd Emmanuel Kolini


5. Primate of Burundi and Bishop of Matang, Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi


6. Primate of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, and Bishop of Aotearoa, Most Rev Vercoe Whakahuihui


7. Primate of Australia and Archbishop of Brisbane, Most Rev Philip John Aspinall


8. Primate of Melenesia, rep.  by Bishop of Ysabel, Rt Rev Naramana


9. Moderator of Anglican Communion Network in the ECUSA and Bishop of Pittsburgh, Rt Revd Robert Duncan


10. Moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada, Rt Revd Donald Harvey


11. Archbishop of Sydney, rep. by Bishop of Central Sydney, Rt Revd Ivan Lee


12. Bishop of Egypt, Rt Revd Dr Mouneer Anis


13. Bishop of Lagos (Nigeria), Rt Revd Dr Peter Adebiyi


14. Bishop of Nelson, (New Zealand), Rt Revd Derek Eaton

Ecumenical Guests:

1. Presbyter Ji Jianhong, Chairman, Three Self Patriotic Movement of Protestant Churches of  China


2. Rev Cao Shengjie, President, China Christian Council


3. Gen-Sec, Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia, Rev Heng Cheng


4. Senior Pastor, Lao Evangelical Church, Rev Khamphouvieng


5. Secretary, Evangelical Church of Thailand, Rev Dr Manot Jangmuk


6. Gen-Sec, Communion of Protestant Churches of Indonesia, Rev Dr Richard Dauley

Government Religious Affairs Officials:

1. Mr Ye Xiaowen, Director General, State Administration for Religious Affairs, China


2. Dr Jason Lase , Director General for Protestant Affairs, Dept of Religions, Indonesia

------------------------------------------------------

Biographical data

The Rt Revd Dr John CHEW Hiang Chea Archbishop-Elect and Primate-Elect of Province of South East Asia.
Born: 4 Oct 1947
Nationality: Singapore
Wife: Christina CHEW Swee Kin (Singaporean), Married in 1972
Children: Ernest Chew Chih Ern (born 1975)
Education:  B.A., B.A. Hons., M.A (1969, 1970, 1977, Nanyang, Singapore) B.D. Hons (1977, London), Ph.D (1982, Sheffield)
Employment: 
Assistant Director, Ministry of Defence, 1971-73

Administrative Assistant, Ministry of Science and Technology, 1973-74

Lecturer, Trinity Theological College, Singapore, 1982-1999

Dean of Studies, Trinity Theological College, Singapore, 1985-88

Principal, Trinity Theological College, Singapore, 1991-1999

Ecclesiastical Appointments:
Ordained Deacon at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Diocese of Singapore, 1977
Ordained Priest at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Diocese of Singapore, 1978
Collated as Hon Canon of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Diocese of Singapore, 1985
Consecrated and installed as 8th Bishop of Singapore on 25th April 2000

Presently serving as:
President, St Andrew’s Mission Hospital (2000 --)
President, Fellowship of Evangelical Students, Singapore (2000 --)
President, National Council of Churches of Singapore (2004 --)
Hon President, Bible Society of Singapore (2005 --)
President, Singapore Anglican Community Services (2005 --)
Chairman, Board of Governors, Trinity Theological College, Singapore (2006 --).