Alum profile: Christopher Lim
Christopher joined Trinity College as a Foundation Studies student in 2009, not realising that he'd return to Trinity many years later to undertake theological study.
Christopher Lim wants to “encourage everyone who has the heart and desire to learn and understand more about the nature and existence of the Christian God to truly consider pursuing theological studies”.
Christopher completed a Master of Theology at Trinity College Theological School at the end of 2018. He also has a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Politics and a Master of Teaching (Secondary Level) from the University of Melbourne. He said his long term goal is to teach philosophy at a tertiary level and to use his theological studies as a foundation for this future career.
Born and raised in Singapore in a middle-income Chinese-Singaporean family, Christopher first came to Melbourne in 2009 to join the Trinity College Foundation Studies program, which prepares international students for entry to the University of Melbourne. At the end of that year he went back to Singapore to undertake two years of military service, before returning to Australia in 2012 and commencing his university studies. He has lived in Melbourne ever since and taught part-time while he was studying theology.
'I decided to enrol in the Master of Theology course so I could acquire a broad, theological foundation that [would] inform my personal and professional life. After thoroughly researching all the theological training establishments in Melbourne, I chose to study at Trinity (and the University of Divinity) based upon a recognition of its ability to provide high-quality education and access to a wide range of theological ideas and concepts,' he says.
He was not disappointed. 'I truly appreciated the diversity of thought and discourse that was experienced in class and I benefited from the comparisons and contrasts that occurred between my own ideals and those of my fellow classmates.
'On a personal level, I believe that through theological studies and contemplation, we can continue to learn more and more about God. I fully recognise, too, that given the academically driven society we live in today, we as Christians need to be able, as Peter says, to give a reasonable answer for our faith, and theology gives us the means to do so.'
By Rosemary Sheludko