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Sino-Christian Theology. a Theological Qua Cultural Movement in Contemporary China

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Sino-Christian Theology. a Theological Qua Cultural Movement in Contemporary China STUDIEN ZUR STUDIES IN THE ETUDES INTERKULTURELLEN INTERCULTURAL D’HISTOIRE GESCHICHTE HISTORY INTERCULTURELLE DES CHRISTENTUMS OF CHRISTIANITY DU CHRISTIANISME Pan-chiu Lai / Jason Lam (eds.) Sino-Christian Theology A Theological Qua Cultural Movement in Contemporary China 152 PETER LANG Europäischer Verlag der Wissenschaften “Sino-Christian theology” usually refers to an intellectual movement emerged in Mainland China since the late 1980s. The present volume aims to provide a self- explaining sketch of the historical development of this theological as well as cultural movement. In addition to the analyses on the theoretical issues involved and the ar- ticulations of the prospect, concrete examples are also offered to illustrate the charac- teristics of the movement. www.peterlang.de Sino-Christian Theology STUDIEN ZUR INTERKULTURELLEN GESCHICHTE DES CHRISTENTUMS ETUDES D’ HISTOIRE INTERCULTURELLE DU CHRISTIANISME STUDIES IN THE INTERCULTURAL HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY begründet von / fondé par / founded by Walter J. Hollenweger und/et/and Hans J. Margull† herausgegeben von / édité par / edited by Richard Friedli, Université de Fribourg Jan A. B. Jongeneel, Universiteit Utrecht Klaus Koschorke, Universität München Theo Sundermeier, Universität Heidelberg Werner Ustorf, University of Birmingham Vol. 152 PETER LANG Frankfurt am Main · Berlin · Bern · Bruxelles · New York · Oxford · Wien Pan-chiu Lai / Jason Lam (eds.) Sino-Christian Theology A Theological Qua Cultural Movement in Contemporary China PETER LANG Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Bibliographic Information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available in the internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de. Publication of this volume has been supervised by Professor Werner Ustorf ISSN 0170-9240 ISBN 978-3-631-60435-9 (Print) E-ISBN 978-3-653-00165-5 (E-Book) DOI 10.3726/978-3-653-00165-5 © Peter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Frankfurt am Main 2010 This book is an open access book and available on www.oapen.org and www.peterlang.com. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 which means that the text may be used for non-commercial purposes, provided credit is given to the author. For details go to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ www.peterlang.com Contents Acknowledgement vii Notes to Contributors ix Retrospect and Prospect of Sino-Christian Theology: 1 An Introduction LAI Pan-chiu & Jason T. S. LAM PART I: HISTORICAL REVIEW The Emergence of Scholars Studying Christianity 21 in Mainland China Jason T. S. LAM Historical Reflections on “Sino-Christian Theology” 35 LI Qiuling The “Cultural Christians” Phenomenon in China: 53 A Hong Kong Discussion Peter K. H. LEE Conceptual Differences between Hong Kong and Chinese 63 Theologians: A Study of the “Cultural Christians” Controversy CHAN Shun-hing PART II: THEORETICAL REFLECTION Theological Translation and Transmission between 83 China and the West LAI Pan-chiu v The Value of Theology in Humanities: 101 Possible Approaches to Sino-Christian Theology YANG Huilin Sino-Christian Theology: The Unfolding of “Dao” 123 in the Chinese Language Context ZHANG Qingxiong The Paradigm Shift: From Chinese Theology to Sino-Christian 139 Theology – A Case Study on Liu Xiaofeng CHIN Ken-Pa PART III: REREADING TRADITION Sino-Christian Theology, Bible, and Christian Tradition 161 LAI Pan-chiu Messianic Predestination in Romans 8 and Classical Confucianism 179 YEO Khiok-khng Reflection on Enlightenment: A Proposal of the 203 Focus of Sino-Christian Theology LIN Hong-Hsin APPENDIX Preliminary Survey on the New Generation of Scholars 225 of Christian Studies in Mainland China GAO Xin vi Acknowledgement The editors would like to take this opportunity to thank those who contributed significantly to the publication of the present volume. The Research Grants Council (Hong Kong) provided the necessary financial support to the research project directed by Lai Pan-chiu on the Cultural Christians (project no. CUHK445207H). Mr. Daniel Yeung, Director of the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies, and his colleagues assisted the publication of the present volume. Alison Hardie, Faith Leong (research student of Edinburgh University) and Prof. Fredrik Fällman (Chinese Department of Stockholm University) translated Li Qiuling’s “Historical Reflections on Sino-Christian Theology”, Yang Huilin’s “The Value of Theology in Humanities: Possible Approaches to Sino-Christian Theology” and Zhang Qingxiong’s “Sino-Christian Theology: The Unfolding of “Dao” in the Chinese Language Context” from Chinese into English respectively. Dr. Gao Xin and Dr. Sha Mei, research staffs of the Chinese University of Hong Kong as well as visiting scholars to the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies during the composition of this book, assisted the survey on the younger generation of Chinese scholars of Christian Studies. Rev. Ambrose Mong, O. P., research student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, polished the English style of the papers, especially the papers translated from Chinese into English. Some chapters of this volume are reproduced from different journals or books. We are grateful to the different parties for their permission to include materials and chapters which are listed below: Chapter 1: “The Emergence of Chinese Scholars Studying Christianity in Mainland China” by Jason Lam from Religion, State and Society 32 (2004), pp.177-186 (Taylor & Francis Group). Chapter 2: “Historical Reflections on ‘Sino-Christian Theology’” by Li Qiuling from China Study Journal Spring/Summer 2007, pp.54-67 (Churches Together in Britain and Ireland). Chapter 3: “The ‘Cultural Christians’ Phenomenon in China: A Hong Kong Discussion” by Peter Lee from Ching Feng 39/4 (Dec 1996), pp.307-321 (Christian Study Centre on Chinese Religion and Culture). Chapter 4: “Conceptual Differences between Hong Kong and China's Theologians: A Study of the ‘Cultural Christian’ Controversy” by Chan vii Shun-hing from Asia Journal of Theology 12 (1998), pp.246-264. Chapter 5: “Theological Translation and Transmission between China and the West” by Lai Pan-chiu from Asia Journal of Theology 20.2 (2006), pp.285-304. Chapter 6: “The Value of Theology in Humanities: Possible Approaches to Sino-Christian Theology” was translated with modifications from Yang Huilin, Jidujiao de Dise yu Wenhua Yanshen [Basic Features and Cultural Extensions of Christianity] (Harbin: Heilongjian Renmin chubanshe, 2002), pp.34-60. Chapter 7: “Sino-Christian Theology: The Unfolding of ‘Dao’ in the Chinese Language Context” was translated with modifications from Zhang Qingxiong, Dao, Shengming yu zeren [Dao, Life and Responsibility] (Shanghai: Sanlian shuju, 2002), pp.3-13. Chapter 8: “The Paradigm Shift: From Chinese Theology to Sino-Christian Theology – A Case Study in Liu Xiaofeng” was abridged and translated from Chin Ken Pa, “Shenme shi hanyu shenxue” [What is Sino-Theology], Hanyu jidujiao xueshu lunping [Sino-Christian Studies: An International Journal of Bible, Theology and Philosophy] 1 (June 2006), pp.125-158 (Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan). Chapter 9: “Sino-Theology, Bible and the Christian Tradition” by Lai Pan-chiu from Studies in World Christianity 12/3 (2006), pp.266-281 (Edinburgh University Press). Chapter 10: “Messianic Predestination in Romans 8 and Classical Confucianism” by Khiok-Khng Yeo from his edited book Navigating Romans through Cultures: Challenging Readings by Charting a New Course (New York: T. & T. Clark, 2004), pp.259-289. Chapter 11: “Reflection on Enlightenment: A Proposal of the Focus of Sino-Christian Theology” was translated with modifications from Lin Hong-Hsin, Shui qi meng shui [Who Enlightens Whom?] (Hong Kong: Logos & Pneuma, 2008), pp. 127-150. viii Notes to Contributors CHAN Shun-hing is Associate Professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy of Hong Kong Baptist University. CHIN Ken-Pa is Professor in the Graduate School of Religion of Chun Yuan Christian University in Taiwan. GAO Xin is Research Associate and Associate Program Officer of the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies in Hong Kong. Peter K. H. LEE is Professor of the Hong Kong Lutheran Theological Seminary. LAI Pan-chiu is Professor of the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies and Associate Dean of the Arts Faculty, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Jason T. S. LAM is Research Fellow and Publication Officer of the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies in Hong Kong. LI Qiuling is Professor in the School of Philosophy of Renmin University of China in Beijing. LIN Hong-Hsin is President and Professor of Taiwan Theological Seminary. YANG Huilin is Vice-Principal as well as Dean and Professor in the School of Humanities of Renmin (People’s) University of China, Beijing. Khiok-Khng YEO is Harry R. Kendall Chair of New Testament Interpretation at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary and Graduate Faculty at Northwestern University in USA. ZHANG Qingxiong is Professor in the School of Philosophy of Fudan University, Shanghai. ix Retrospect and Prospect of Sino-Christian Theology: An Introduction LAI Pan-chiu & Jason T. S. LAM Several years ago Yang Huilin and Daniel H. N. Yeung (Yang Xinan) edited the first English source book on Sino-Christian Studies in China, collecting 22 essays authored by contemporary Chinese scholars covering many related areas, including not only Christian theology in contemporary China, but also
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