No. 23 (2022): Celebrating Adjunct Professor David Jenkins’ (Ph.D., Th.D., M.Div.) Contributions on the Ethical Dimensions of Current Social Issues

Miaphysitism, originating from the well-known phrase used by St Cyril of Alexandria, mia physis (or mia hypostasis) tou Theou logou searkomene, is most basic, central, and important conversations in the dialogue between the Oriental Churches, that is Non-Chalcedon Churches,  and Chalcedon Churches under the Ecumenical Movement, and is the theological basis for theological reconciliation and reunification of the two sides after more than ten centuries of separation since the Council of Chalcedon. After investigating the meaning and usage of the key words “physis” and “hypostasis”, this article will analyze the basic connotations of mia physis (natural union) and mia hypostasis(hypostatic union) in detail, as well as the connection and distinction between them, and explore the reason of the theological reconciliation and reunification between the Oriental Churches and Chalcedon Churches. In the last part, this article will try to discuss the significance of Miaphysitism to Construction of Chinese theology.

In Hegel's system of religious philosophy, fetishism is considered religion’s starting point, representing the beginning of the objectification of self-consciousness. Fetish can be subdivided into direct and indirect witchcraft. Hegel analyzes in detail the African religions representing plain witchcraft and the Chinese religions of the Qing dynasty representing indirect witchcraft. Hegel revealed the structure of the emperor's sacrifice to heaven in Chinese indirect mysticism in the Qing Dynasty and used the "religion of degree" to explain the moral connotation of "Tian" and "Dao.” On the one hand, Hegel's fetishism represents a very integrated reflection on the significance of "fetish worship" in the history of philosophical thought. On the other hand, because it is confined within the methodological framework of Hegel's spiritual, intelligent system, it has the boundaries of an innovative design with an intense color of "Eurocentrism.”

This study examines the versions of Buddhism Initial Dissemination in China. Chinese and foreign scholars focused on the time, path and truth or fiction of this issue from the perspective of documentation, history and phonology. As a unique model of foreign religious culture localization, the version research of Buddhism Initial Dissemination in China was ignored. According to this study, the version development of the topic, as communication textual content, is expressive of the gradual maturity and evolution of communication strategies in the process of Buddhism Chinization, localization in China. The universal significance of this study is that the discrimination of Buddhism communication strategies provides reference and guidance for Intercultural Communication Strategy.

In the first half of the 20th century, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Nankai University and other famous universities in China, as the source of resistance to Japanese imperialism, emphasized academic service to the national mission. Therefore, the Japanese army carried out a special retaliation against them. On July 29, 1937, Japanese aircraft bombed Tianjin Nankai University. The following day, Japanese artillery destroyed the remaining campus. Tsinghua University was plundered by the Japanese army. War forced higher education to give way to military work, but they continued their quest for academic purposes. Tsinghua University, Peking University and Nankai took refuge in Changsha, Hunan Province at first, then moved to Kunming, Yunnan Province and established the Southwestern Associated University. In the early days of the Southwest United University, faced with such problems as soil and water acclimation, lack of funds, lack of equipment and living difficulties, the professors of SWU continued to consider themselves as both modern academic freedom and model of political ethics in China, thus initiating a Kunlun also became the center of the "terrorist world" of Kunming intellectuals and had successively witnessed the tragic events of Li Gongpu and Wen Yiduo. The political morality formed by the love and hate relationship with the government has always been the theme of the era of debate and struggle for intellectual elites in Southwest United University.

Feng Yingjing (1555-1606) and Cao Yubian (1558-1634) are two figures who have been studied a lot in the research on the interactions between Chinese scholar-officials and missionaries in the late Ming Dynasty. However, in the past, the academic circles discussed the relationship between the two and the missionaries separately. In fact, Feng and Cao were good friends as well as metropolitan graduates of the same year. The ideological exchange between the two, especially the discussion on practical learning and the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, provided a rational basis for them to take a praising stand after contacting Western learning. Therefore, this paper investigates the ideological exchange between the two in religious philosophy, and brings the mutual influence of the two into their communication with the missionaries, so as to find out the reasons for their friendly attitude towards Westerners and Western learning.

Zha Changping saw the lack of true belief in traditional culture from the group loss of intellectuals and the humanistic spirit aphasia phenomenon of artistic criticism. He transformed the Christian humanistic tradition and founded the contemporary art criticism theory of "Humanist Criticism".This paper summarizes the ideological characteristics of the Christian humanism tradition after the Reformation and the core attention of the contemporary Christian humanism tradition.The article points out that the Humanist Criticism  shows the tradition of Christian humanism after the Reformation, and its theme "the renewal of human nature" properly responds to the core concerns of the contemporary Christian humanism tradition.On this basis, this paper holds that "Humanist Criticism" is an attempt to transform the tradition of Christian humanism in the Chinese intelligentsia  (especially in the field of contemporary art criticism).

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Catholicism spread from foreign countries to China. Missionaries conformed to women’s role of "Social Marginality" at that time and adopted  adaptive women's group missionary strategy, which provided suitable soil and favorable conditions for the formation of "Half the Sky" phenomenon of female believers. With further investigation, it is found that female believers are the main basis for the prosperity and sustainable development of the "Half the Sky" phenomenon, which is closely related to the special religious space that ancient women had under the positioning of "Social Marginality". Among the female believers in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the most exemplary character is "Female Pillar" Candida Xu, who is well-known in both China and the West. Her historical records are the most comprehensive and detailed, making up for the collective "Aphasia" of female believers in the Ming and Qing Dynasties to a certain extent. Candida Xu made full use of her different kind of free religious activity space, built a women's religious network with herself as the axis, and promoted the establishment of a sizable nursery for girls, which became a key part and an important support of "Half the Sky", and finally made outstanding contributions to the formation of "Half the Sky" of Catholicism in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the expansion of its religious space.

From 1895 to 1900, American Christian and Missionary Alliance missionary John Woodberry and his wife carried out missionary activities in Tianjin, China. They preached among students and established churches, and then extended their missionary scope to the whole country, which was different from the missionary mode of other parishes and did not limit their missionary scope to a certain region. This paper discusses the Gospel movement carried out by Tianjin Beulah Church in a short period of five years, and explains their experience and logic of the universal Gospel spirit, thus proving that Tianjin Beulah Church is one of the early local evangelical groups of Chinese Christianity.

This lecture offers a new a new comparative analysis of the Chinese pre-Qin supreme god "Shangdi" and the "God" in the Bible with the following findings: the two have the same six attributes (the only creator, the supreme ruler, the righteous lawmaker, God of Love, invisible transcendent, willing intervenor), but with one different attribute (incarnate savior).

I think Mr. Yang Peng's lecture has made a great contribution to our understanding of the similarities and differences between the God in ancient Chinese books and the God in the Bible. It is very specific and real. The "seven characteristics" he summarized, summed up the attributes of God in the Bible or Christianity into seven characteristics, which I think is quite accurate: an adjective in front, a noun in the back, and adjectives are indispensable (if I have time later, I will explain it ), and the nouns are also very accurate (if I have time, I will also say my improvement opinions on his summary, which is more important in my opinion). He has done in-depth research on ancient Chinese books, such as paying attention to how many times "God" and "Heaven" appear in oracle bone inscriptions. This is a very real academic work, which I admire very much.

On 31 October 2018, Paul Huang of Shanghai University and Professor Huang Yusheng of Tsinghua University had an academic dialogue. They recalled and reflected on the "Second Enlightenment" in China that began in 1978. Then they reflected on the Absoluteness, modernity and freedom in Chinese context from the perspective of comparative Chinese and Western philosophy. By a review of their academic research, they exchanged ideas on current hot topics in Chinese philosophical research, how the development of Chinese philosophy in the context of globalization can be adapted to Chinese society. Issues of temporality, freedom, individual subjectivity and the Absolute are discussed in the context of modernity, liberalism and the revival of Chinese classical studies. The two scholars call for attention to Luther and the advent of the Third Enlightenment as a way of rectifying the flaws left by the beheading of Western and Eastern philosophical thought. In particular, they suggest that the absoluteness of truth should be protected by sorting out the distinction between anthropology and theology within Western studies.

This is a dialogue between Paulos Huang (Professor at Shanghai University) and Xianglong Zhang on the cooperation in the Filial Piety of Family between Confucianism and Christianity. It includes the following issues: How has Professor Lin HE influenced Zhang to study philosophy? Zhang’s study on Phenomenology and Daoism in USA. How has Zhang changed his study focus from Phenomenology into Chinese traditions after he returned to China from USA? The cooperation potentiality between Confucianism and Christianity on the filial piety of family. How has Amish in Pennsylvania influenced Zhang to promote similar Confucian special zone in China? The aim of education to study so as to become a real human being in Confucianism and Finland.

Aquinas' religious ethics is one of the important topics in the study of medieval philosophy, but at present, there is still a lack of relevant research monographs in the Chinese academic community. The publication of Professor Wang Tao's An Ethical Study of St.Thomas Aquinas has filled in the research in this field to some extent. The book discusses the connection and integration of natural nature and transcendental grace, the axial spirit of Aquinas' religious ethics, and conducts a comprehensive and in-depth study of Aquinas' religious ethics in the perspective of multi-disciplinary dialogue. It also pays attention to theory and practice. This book not only helps us to further understand the panorama of Aquinas' religious ethics, but also helps us to understand its cross era, cross culture, cross discipline practical significance and contemporary value.