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The Early Church in China: a Case Study of an Insider Movement

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The Early Church in China: a Case Study of an Insider Movement Frontier Theologizing The Early Church in China: A Case Study of an Insider Movement by David G. Cashin he concept of reaching people within their cultural and religious con- texts is a biblical one. Indeed, the incarnation of Jesus provides the pri- T mary example for reaching mankind in his context. What that means for us in Christian mission has been tried and tested throughout history. Th is paper is one more historical case study of contextualization which gives focus to the missional adaptation of the Church of the East in China to the Taoist school at Da Qin beginning in the 7th century. It should off er perspective to the debate regarding one type of adaptation known today as “insider movements” (hereafter abbreviated IM).1 Th ere are now insider movements and their advocates within peoples who identify with Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, African tribal religions, and indeed, probably any religious identity. Th ere are diff erent types of IMs in Christian history,2 and this article will attempt to supplement the broader his- torical record by giving further illustration to adaptive eff orts that tend towards syncretism and an unfaithfulness to God and his revealed Word. The Church of the East Kenneth Scott Latourette, in his foundational work on the history of Christianity, mentions the arrival of “Nestorian”3 missionaries in China under the leadership of Alopen in 635 ad. Alopen led a mission to China that was positively received in the court of the Chinese Emperor. Latourette notes their spread, the coming of persecution in 835 ad, and that the movement had entirely vanished by 980 ad.4 Over roughly a 200-year period this Christian mission eff ort was able to establish itself in the epicenter of China. Th is article is primarily an analysis of the Jesus Sutras, early Christian documents of this movement and of the commentary and David G. Cashin is professor of translation provided in the groundbreaking work of Martin Palmer in Th e Jesus Intercultural and Muslim Studies at Sutras: Rediscovering the Lost Scrolls of Taoist Christianity. Columbia International University. After serving in South Asia in church Th ree preliminary observations are in order as we begin to evaluate the stra- planting and international develop- tegic eff orts of this church movement, and particularly the characteristics of ment he obtained a doctor of philosophy in Indology at Stockholm University. these Jesus Sutras. International Journal of Frontier Missiology 33:4 Winter 2016•175 176 The Early Church in China: A Case Study of an Insider Movement First, the movement was dependent on Th ey are relevant to the issues of this compassion of Christianity–the Path state support, and one of the rea- Chinese context and eras but, as you will of the Buddha and the Way of Jesus.11 sons for its downfall was when state see in my analysis, are less than faithful to Th is fusion appears to have been a de- 5 support was fi nally withdrawn. Th is the transcendent message of the gospel. liberate strategy by the Church of the approach involved building the central East at the epicenter of Chinese Tao- Christian monastery on the site of The Translation of ism from its earliest Christian sutras Lou Guan Tai, the Taoist monastery (dating between 640–660 ce). where Lao Zi supposedly wrote his the Jesus Sutras classic work, the Tao Te Ching: I would like to focus most of this case Th e earliest sutra is entitled the study on the work of Martin Palmer. Sutra of the Teachings of the World- The signifi cance of the Christian infl u- In his book, Th e Jesus Sutras, he both Honored One (hereafter referred to ence in this Taoist stronghold would translated and revised earlier transla- as STW). It borrows a title from a be comparable to a new religion be- tions of Chinese Christian docu- translation of a text called the Teach- ing allowed to build a temple within ments of that period and examined ings of the Apostles.12 Palmer considers the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral in the Middle Ages, or a new faith be- archeological evidence (which includes this text to be both the most crudely ing given fi nancial aid and support to the famous stone stelae and ruins translated and yet also the most or- build a monastery on the grounds of of the central Christian monastery thodox theologically. Th e second sutra, the White House today.6 in China).9 He suggests that these entitled the Sutra of Cause, Eff ect, documents and archeological evidence and Salvation (hereafter abbreviated Later documents from the 10th and SCES) presents Christian ideas in the 14th centuries seem to indicate that light of Buddhist thought and parallels segments of the Church survived a popular Buddhist text of the time. underground and experienced some- Th e third sutra, entitled the Sutra of thing of a revival in the time of the Origins (hereafter abbreviated SO) 7 Mongols. All the texts we will use in Th is text is is indeed concerned with origins, but this case study were hidden in a cave both the most crudely also utilizes Taoist terminology in around 1005 AD, so clearly Christian- describing the spirit of life (qi) and the ity was still extant at that time. But, as translated and “way” of Christianity (Tao).13 Th e fi nal you will see in this study, its form was book from this early period is entitled so similar to Taoism that Christian the most orthodox the Sutra of Jesus Christ (hereafter travelers to the area during this period theologically. abbreviated SJC), is “Buddhist in (and later) would perhaps not have tone” and borrows ideas from Tibetan recognized followers of this “religion” Christianity and Hinduism.14 as distinctively “Christian.” Secondly, this movement was also de- The World-Honored One indicate that this Christian approach pendent on secondary literature and did Adaptations of a theological nature virtually became a new school of Tao- not have the New Testament in Chinese. are apparent from the beginning in Th e fi rst copies of the New Testament ism. It is this corporate sense of iden- these texts. In the earliest sutra, the reached China perhaps in either 719 or tity that distinguishes this movement Christian writers relate the teachings 742,8 but these texts were in Syriac and as a certain type of insider movement. of Christ in Mt. 6:26 and God’s provi- do not seem to have been translated into With regard to the Christian docu- sion to the birds of the air by adding: Chinese (as were the earlier documents ments discovered from this period, Palmer states: At birth everyone is given a heavenly we will examine here). soul and the Five Attributes and at These scrolls were Christian books Th irdly, another aspect to these early the appropriate time food, drink or written in Chinese, telling a story of 15 documents is that they are essentially clothing is provided. Christianity that is unique and surpris- philosophical treatises. Th ere is no ing . The best way to describe these Th ese “Five Attributes” are a clear ref- historical narrative of the coming of Jesus books is collectively, with the term erence to the fi ve Buddhist skhandas or and his teachings as presented in the they themselves use: the Jesus Sutras.10 “aggregates” that lead to consciousness. New Testament. Without a strong his- Montalvo states, “the fi ve aggregates torical record of an authoritative scripture In Palmer’s opinion these early Chris- present a comprehensive typology these teachings are de-contextualized (or tian books of experience,” and this leads to the de-historicized), and they can become united the wisdom and moderation desire for material goods and meet- primarily expressions of any local culture. of Taoism and the humanism and ing physical needs.16 In Buddhism International Journal of Frontier Missiology David G. Cashin 177 this experience creates the original n a manner quite foreign to Buddhism, the text sin of desire. STW cleverly connects this desire for material goods to Jesus’ is thoroughly ontological with God at the center teaching concerning the birds which neither sow nor reap but are provided as the “World-Honored One.” I 19 for (Matt. 6:26). Th ere is an appeal to things that are wrong for you.” Th ere by this. While his Five Attributes Buddhist conceptions here. is a relational component here that is passed away, he did not die but was absent in Buddhism. released again after his death. Thus it Th is concept of “fi ve qualities” seems is possible for even those who fail to also to be related to the Buddhist idea One may also note the format of these live after death.25 of “conditioned arising.” Th rough these refl ections. Th ey are proverbial adapta- Th us the body that died on the cross fi ve attributes consciousness arises and tions from the teachings of Jesus that with it desire. Another portion of the was not God but merely a manifesta- bear a strong resemblance to the Ana- tion through which the divine nature text also refers to Jesus’ teaching on lects of Confucius. Th e resemblance of taking the log out of your own eye, was revealed. Th is seems to be an Proverbs in the Old Testament to the intentional bridge to Buddhism, but a stating, “Be aware of your own quali- Analects has been noted20 and Jesus ties and how they relate to others.” heretical one. Jesus did not really die; often follows that literary pattern in his resurrection was merely a further Th ese “qualities,” which are a by- his teaching.
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