Basic Knowledge of Chinese Christianity

Author: Zhuo Xinping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: This is a popular book on Christianity, divided into four main parts, analyzing, organizing, and researching the "history and doctrines," "classics and figures," "sacraments and institutions," and "culture and arts" of Chinese Christianity. It provides a rough understanding and macroscopic overview of various aspects of Chinese Christianity, helping you grasp what Christian believers believe and how they believe. As one of the three major branches of Christianity (Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism) and one of the five existing religions in China (Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Christianity), Christianity holds an important position in the development and exchange of Chinese and Western thought and culture. Christianity emerged during the 16th-century European Reformation, but as a significant branch of Christianity, it both inherits the intellectual and cultural traditions and spiritual heritage of Hebrew and Greek civilizations, spanning over 1,500 years of Christian thought, while also shaping the modern development of the West. It has had a profound impact on the rise of Western industrial society and the emergence of modern thought, playing a crucial role in the global spread and development of Christian culture. Christianity was truly introduced to various parts of China in the early 19th century, with a history of less than two hundred years in China. However, its spread was rapid, and its influence was far-reaching. It made historic contributions to the development of modern Chinese education, healthcare, sanitation, journalism, publishing, and other cultural sectors. Moreover, its "indigenization" and "Sinicization" movements have given Chinese Christianity a new face, and in the context of globalization, it has become an important channel for the dialogue, exchange, and integration of Chinese and Western thought and culture.
Research on Chinese Christianity has long been initiated by both the religious community and academia. However, due to various historical reasons, it remains insufficiently in-depth and systematic, leaving many gaps. Therefore, correctly understanding and comprehensively grasping the history and current state of Chinese Christianity, as well as clarifying its connections and relationships with Chinese and Western thought and culture, remains an extremely challenging yet necessary task for us. To review historical progress, observe global changes, understand the Chinese context, and actively guide the adaptation of religion to contemporary Chinese society, we have organized the writing of this book to objectively introduce and study Chinese Christianity. We hope readers will gain a rough understanding and macroscopic overview of various aspects of Chinese Christianity through this work. More importantly, we hope this preliminary exploration can serve as a stepping stone to inspire more comprehensive and refined research in this field.
This book is divided into four main parts, analyzing, organizing, and researching the "history and doctrines," "classics and figures," "sacraments and institutions," and "culture and arts" of Chinese Christianity. Wang Meixiu, Zhou Weichi, Zhuo Xinping, and Duan Qi from the Christian Research Office of the Institute of World Religions at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, as well as Mr. Wen Yong from Beijing Foreign Studies University, participated in the writing of this book. Duan Qi is responsible for writing the first chapter, "The Historical Background of the Emergence of Christianity," in the first part "History and Doctrines." Zhuo Xinping is responsible for writing the second chapter, "The History of Chinese Christianity," in the first part, as well as the fourth part "Culture and Arts." Zhou Weichi is responsible for writing the third chapter, "Basic Christian Doctrines," in the first part. Wen Yong is responsible for writing the first chapter, "The Emergence and Influence of Christian Classics," and the third part "Sacraments and Institutions" in the second part "Classics and Figures." Wang Meixiu is responsible for writing the second chapter, "Christian Missionaries in China," and the third chapter, "Figures in Chinese Christianity," in the second part. Zhuo Xinping served as the chief editor, responsible for the overall framework design and overseeing the entire manuscript.