Quek Swee Hwa

{{short description|Singaporean pastor and theologian (born 1941)}}

{{family name hatnote|Quek|lang=Chinese}}

{{Infobox clergy

| image =

| name = Quek Swee Hwa
郭瑞华

| nationality = Singaporean

| birth_name = Quek Swee Hwa

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|6|15}}

| birth_place = Singapore

| death_date =

| resting_place =

| years_active = 1970-present

| occupation = Pastor

| education = BA Shelton College
BD, Faith Theological Seminary
MA, University of Pennsylvania
PhD, University of Manchester

| ordained = 31 October 1970

| religion = Christianity - Bible-Presbyterian

| spouse = Esther Cheng

}}

Quek Swee Hwa (born 1941) is a Singaporean pastor and theologian. He was the founding principal of the Biblical Graduate School of Theology. He served as the General Secretary of the International Council of Christian Churches (ICCC), succeeding his father Quek Kiok Chiang in the office.{{cite web|title=Conference Speakers|url=http://www.pccconline.org/speakers.php|publisher=Philippine Council of Christian Churches|access-date=13 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117020535/http://www.pccconline.org/speakers.php|archive-date=17 November 2015}} He went on to become the Second Vice President of the ICCC until its 21st World Congress in June 2023 but remains as a member of its Executive Committee.{{cite web|title=ICCC Executive Committee |date=30 March 2020 |url=https://iccc-churches.org/iccc-executive-committee/|publisher=International Council of Christian Churches|access-date=10 October 2023}}

Education

Quek studied at Shelton College, Faith Theological Seminary, and the University of Pennsylvania. He received a PhD from the University of Manchester. Working under the supervision of F. F. Bruce, his thesis was Adam and Christ: An Exegetical Study of the Pauline Analogy in the Light of the History of Interpretation (1970).{{cite web|title=Dr Quek Swee Hwa|url=http://www.bgst.edu.sg/faculty/35-dr-quek-swee-hwa|publisher=Biblical Graduate School of Theology|access-date=13 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117023337/http://www.bgst.edu.sg/faculty/35-dr-quek-swee-hwa|archive-date=17 November 2015}}

Doctrine

According to an article published in The Burning Bush, Quek has questioned the literalness of the "years" of Genesis and the universality of the Genesis Flood.{{cite journal|date=2012|title=Three Earlier Crises In the Bible-Presbyterian Church that affected the Far Eastern Bible College|url=http://www.febc.edu.sg/assets/pdfs/bbush/TheBurningBushVol18No2.pdf|journal=The Burning Bush|volume=18|issue=2|page=84|access-date=13 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522122936/http://www.febc.edu.sg/assets/pdfs/bbush/TheBurningBushVol18No2.pdf|archive-date=22 May 2013}}

Ministry

In 1970, Quek was ordained as a minister in the Bible-Presbyterian Church, and installed as pastor of Zion Bible-Presbyterian Church in Serangoon Gardens, succeeding his father in this role.{{cite book|last1=Tow|first1=Timothy|author-link=Timothy Tow|title=The Singapore B-P Church Story|date=1995|page=169|url=http://febc.edu.sg/assets/pdfs/febc_press/The%20Singapore%20B-P%20Church%20Story.pdf|access-date=13 November 2015}} In 1989 he became founding principal of the Biblical Graduate School of Theology. He served as principal until 2011, when he was succeeded by Philip Satterthwaite.{{cite web|title=Milestones|url=http://www.bgst.edu.sg/welcome-message/milestones|publisher=Biblical Graduate School of Theology|access-date=13 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002072400/http://www.bgst.edu.sg/welcome-message/milestones|archive-date=2 October 2015}} He continues to serve as Pastor Emeritus of Zion Bishan Bible-Presbyterian Church.{{cite web|title=Leaders & Staff|url=http://www.zionbishan.org.sg/info/staff/|publisher=Zion Bishan Bible-Presbyterian Church|access-date=13 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115183426/http://www.zionbishan.org.sg/info/staff/|archive-date=15 November 2015|url-status=dead}}

Quek also leads groups on Bible Land tours.{{cite web|last1=Quek|first1=Swee Hwa|author-link=Quek Swee Hwa|title=A Word from the Principal|url=http://bgst.edu.sg/media/files/20th-anniversary/05-word_from_Dr_Quek_Swee_Hwa.pdf|publisher=Biblical Graduate School of Theology|access-date=13 November 2015}}{{cite web|title=Upcoming Events|url=http://www.biblechurch.sg/cms/storage/2011/12/UpcomingEvents-1507-2526.pdf|publisher=The Bible Church, Singapore|access-date=13 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117074411/http://www.biblechurch.sg/cms/storage/2011/12/UpcomingEvents-1507-2526.pdf|archive-date=17 November 2015}}

Festschrift

Quek has been honoured with two Festschriften: Serve the Lord with Gladness: Essays on the Life and Mission of the Church in Honour of Quek Swee Hwa (1991) and The Joy of the Lord: Essays in Honour of Quek Swee Hwa On His 70th Birthday (2012).

References

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-aca}}

{{Succession box

| before = New Office

| title = Principal of the Biblical Graduate School of Theology

| years = 1989-2011

| after = Philip Satterthwaite

}}

{{s-end}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-rel|Conciliar offices}}

{{s-bef|before=Quek Kiok Chiang}}

{{s-ttl|title=General Secretary of the International Council of Christian Churches|years=2005 – present}}

{{s-aft|after=Incumbent}}

{{s-end}}

{{Bible Presbyterianism|state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quek, Swee Hwa}}

Category:1941 births

Category:Living people

Category:Singaporean Presbyterians

Category:Singaporean Christian clergy

Category:Faith Theological Seminary alumni

Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni

Category:Alumni of the Victoria University of Manchester

Category:University and college founders

Category:Seminary presidents