Authors & Affiliations: Au Y.-P., Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Pages: 7 - 42

Abstract: From a countercultural perspective, this paper will examine how Henri de Lubac interprets the Eucharist in order to address cultural issues in his time, viz., individualism, totalitarianism and also hierarchical culture. First, an analysis of the interpretation of the Eucharist in de Lubac's theology will be conducted in order to position the significance of the Liturgy in his theology. Second, the paper will identify the cultural issues that concern de Lubac and the reasons behind his concern. Third, the paper will analyze how in a countercultural perspective, de Lubac employs his interpretation of the Eucharist to reproach the cultural misgivings that he identifies Finally, an evaluation will be made on the validity of de Lubac's deployment of the Eucharist to counter these cultural issues. It is hoped that both the analysis and the method of this research can contribute to the growing interest in studying the liturgy from the perspective of counterculture. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Counterculture; Eucharist; Henri de Lubac; Liturgy; Sacrament

Authors & Affiliations: Pa C.K., Department of Philosophy, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

Pages: 43 - 64

Abstract: Touching on many of the issues central to liberation theology and Christian socialism, W T. Chu's (Zhu Weizhi, 1905-99). The Proletarian Jesus is full of political implications, for which reason it has received little notice in Communist China. However, this little-known book has major implications for our understanding and evaluation of Chu himself. It also has implications for our understanding of Christian socialism in pre-Communist China, especially the social and cultural milieu in which it developed and its influence on how Christians of the time understood the Bible. This paper discusses how Chu applies the Marxist perspective to his portrayal of Jesus, as well as his ideas on how Christianity was misappropriated into a tool of capitalist and imperialist aggression. Also covered in this paper are the reasons why this portrayal of Jesus as a liberator of the oppressed was published in 1950′ China, only to fall into obscurity soon thereafter. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Chinese marxism; Class revolution; Empire; Liberation; Proletarian

Authors & Affiliations: Ting F.-N.P., Department of Philosophy, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

Pages: 65 - 104

Abstract: The ideas of the image of God and the immortality of soul are what concern, and subsequendy become the two cornerstones of Christian anthropology. In creating man, God said: "Let us make humans in our image, in the likeness of ourselves." And humanity is endowed by God with the spiritus which symbolizes the likeness of God's spirit The biblical view of humans is a holistic concept of man. Augustine, influenced by Platonic dualism, considers only the mens (intellect) to be the image of God, the body is not included. Such an interpretation is in contrast to the Hebraic idea of psychophysiological organism His purpose is to ensure the immortality of soul. Since the God of Christianity is the Triune God, Augustine takes the Trinity as presenting a key feature of the human image. Aquinas distinguishes the essence of image and the subject of image. He states that the intellect is the essence of a human being, but only a part of that essence. The subject of the image is the whole person; a subsistent substance of rational nature, namely, a person, an individual, or a complete substance. Intellect is a substance in its own right, though not a complete substance. God creates a whole person: an embodied spirit The whole person is the subject of the image of God. Therefore, the intellect is the essence of the image. God exists analogically in a Personal way: humans also exist in a personal manner, whenever their intellectual activities are practiced. In speaking the intellect is a substance in its own right it has being, which is the being of the composition of body and soul. Hence, Aquinas provides a metaphysical foundation for the immortality of soul, and at the same time confirms the bibliocal view of the holostic human being. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Aquinas; Body; Person; Soul; The imago Dei

Authors & Affiliations: Tao W., Holy Spirit Seminary College of Theology and Philosophy, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Pages: 105 - 140

Abstract: St. Thomas Aquinas elaborates his own theory of virtue by applying the four cardinal virtues of Aristotle and the three Christian theological virtues Aristode by which true perfection and the ultimate end of human life are achieved. "The intellectual and moral virtues," which can be subsumed under the category of cardinal virtues, are also called pagan virtues (yirtutes gentilibus) proportionate to human nature apart from divine assistance by the infusion of Christian sanctifying grace. According to some traditions, all forms of excellence or perfection qualified to be virtues should be informed by charity and point to the ultimate blessed happiness in afterlife rather than the ostensible happiness obtained in this earthly life. Thus Aristotle "pagan virtues" are by no means virtues at all. In recent times the question, "whether St Thomas believes that the belief that pagans could acquire genuine virtues" is under ardent debate within English-speaking academic circles. Aristode's basic proposition that "the pagan can possess true but imperfect virtues (vera virtus, sed imperfecta)" has been concentrated upon by most of the academic discourses addressing the issue. This article attempts to investigate in what sense St Thomas articulates the theory of pagan virtues as being "true but imperfect" by some academic contributions on this philosophical perspective. Pagan virtues as acquired virtues, with their indwelling orientation towards the divinity, can be goodpreparation for the transformation by infused virtues and unification with them. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Acquired virtues; Infused virtues; Pagan virtues; St. Thomas Aquinas

Authors & Affiliations: Yi H., Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China

Pages: 141 - 164

Abstract: What true context does Schleiermacher's On Religion assume has always been a research focus in the academic circle. Taking a different stance from the traditional view, this paper studies the key influence of Johann Joachim Spalding-who was the spiritual leader and key exponent of Neology in On Religion-on Friedrich Schleiermacher. When Schleiermacher came to Berlin in 1797, he formed close bonds with Spalding and regarded the latter as his spiritual mentor. Comparing Spalding's Religion, a Human Affair of 1797 with Schleiermacher's On Religion of 1799, we find that they share many similarities. What is more important, however, is that they share two important themes. The first is their understanding of reality as a system of interdependence, and the second is the goal of community which is the inevitable result. Only in the context of Spalding can scholars gain a true understanding of On Religion. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: On religion; Schleiermacher; Spalding

Authors & Affiliations: Lu M., School of Languages and Communication Studies, Beijing Jiaotong University, China

Pages: 165 - 200

Abstract: In the year before the Revolution of 1911, American missionary Young J. Allen and his Chinese assistant Van Yi co-translated Renxue to challenge modern thought of social evolutionism introduced by native intellectuals. Though both the original and the translated works proposed Organism Philosophy and Christianity against Spencer's social Evolutionism, Remotes viewpoints toward social issues were different from the original. This generated different responses from clergy in America and in China to similar issues, such as social Evolutionism, organism philosophy, science, moral restructuring and religion Though both the writer and the translator were clergymen, their different responses epitomized their different adjustments to their own social issues, whether in America or in China. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Late Qing missionaries; Response to social issues; Social evolutionism; Translation of The Miking of a Man