Authors & Affiliations: Wang M.X., Divinity School of Chung Chi Collegie, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Pages: 7 - 39

Abstract: The 1890s saw a rapid expansion of mission schools in China, among which a number of theological seminaries were established or enlarged in order to provide Chinese Christian-workers with a systematic education, rather than traditional short-term training courses. This paper uses the Theological Institute of the London Missionary Society [LMS] in Tianjin (which became the Tientsin Anglo-Chinese College [TACC] in 1902) as a case study, examining the shift in its educational intentions, perspectives and approaches from 1863 to 1902, in order to explore the factors that caused this shift and the possible impact it had on the students and the nature of mission education, as well as on the evolution of Christianity in China during this period. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Christian education; Mission school; The protestant missionary movement in China; The theological institute in tianjin; Tientsin Anglo-Chinese College

Authors & Affiliations: Wai H.T., School of Chinese, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Pages: 41 - 79

Abstract: This paper aims at exploring how Confucians of the mid-Qing era viewed Christianity and Western learning. It is widely accepted that the mainstream Confucians before 1840s refused to understand Western religion and learnings because of their steadfast Confucian-centrism or over-emphasis on studying the philology of Confucian classics. However, the rejection or marginalization of Western knowledge was evidently formed in the wake of careful scrutiny instead of predetermined by arbitrary or irrational factors. Significantly, Christianity and Western learning were marginalized by political and academic elites who were active in political reform and were well versed in the art of governance. Our discussion would focus on Huangchao Jingshi Wenbian, or the Collected writings on statecraft from the Qing dynasty, which was compiled by two influential scholarbureaucrats, He Changling and Wei Yuan. The paper would illustrate how mainstream elites understood Western knowledge and eventually decided to marginalize them through the study of the compilation preference and the articles collected. In the last part, we will examine die marginalization of Western knowledge in early 19th century as reflected in Huangchao Jingshi Wenbian and evaluate the importance of this phenomenon to the 19th century cultural and intellectual history of China. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Christianity; Confucians; Huangchao Jingshi Wenbian; Late imperial China; Western learning

Authors & Affiliations: Ge Y., School of Philosophy, Beijing Normal University, China

Pages: 81 - 105

Abstract: Colin Gunton is known for his sustained criticism of Augustine. No adequate response has yet been made to the heart of his accusation, namely that Augustine adopted the Platonic denigration of "many" and matter. This article will argue, however, that in the framework of creation, Augustine developed a theory that differed profoundly from Platonism. According to this theory, "many" is not the opposite of "one," and hence the affirmation of "one" does not entail the denial of "many." In addition, Augustine emphasized that the ultimate source of evil is not the body/matter but the souL It can thus be argued that Augustine did not despise "many" or matter, as Gunton accused, but actually affirmed their value.

Keywords: Augustine; Creatio ex nihilo; Gunton; Matter; One and many; Platonism

Authors & Affiliations: Tiefeng S., Department of Philosophy, School of Humanities, Shenzhen University, China

Pages: 107 - 133

Abstract: Augustine argues that Greco-Roman civic virtue is the product of the servile fear in his The City of God, and that their pursuit of glory is simply the mask for the lust for domination. Defining apatheia as a condition that the mind cannot be touched by any emotion, he also shows that apatheia, a good life Greco-Roman philosophy pursuits, is the worst of all vices rather than goodness. The uniqueness of Augustine's account of fear is his usage of clean fear as signifying the act of will by which the citizens of the city of God could necessarily keep away from sin. For him, the servile fear is a just retribution which the first human beings received for their disobedience, while the clean fear, a gift from God and obedience as its essence, will be eternal. Copyright © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Apatheia; Clean fear; Glory; Passion; Servile fear

Authors & Affiliations: Qinghe X., Department of History, Shanghai University, China

Pages: 135 - 175

Abstract: Tianxue Chuangai (A Survey on the Spread of the Learning of Heaven) written by Li Zubai (?-1665) was an important reason for the breaking out of the Calendar Case in early Qing dynasty. What's said in this book that Chinese ancestors were descendants of ancient Jews caused violently anti-Catholicism activities by Yang Guangxian. The different knowledge on the origins of the world between Sino and West became the core argument of Anti-Catholics and Catholics. This article tries to explore Li Zubai's life, the time to be baptized and the motivation to compose Tianxue Chugai. It argues that Li was baptized in 1622, and entered the Calendar Bureau around in 1631, and changed his native place from Hangzhou to Beijing nearly in 1636. Li should be viewed as one of the Confucian Christians and had experiences on learning Confucianism and preparing for the imperial examinations. The main contents of this book aim to introduce the whole history of Catholicism and the important doctrine on Christology completely and inerrably. However, he didn't concern the differences and tension between Christianity and Confucianism. Thus this book and its statements were easily became the targets of the anti-Christianity during early Qing dynasty. © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Catholicism; History of human in the bible; Li Zubai; Thought of ancestors of human; Tianxue Chuangai

Authors & Affiliations: Xianyue H., School of Political Science, Chengdu University, China

Pages: 177 - 217

Abstract: The Chinese translation and introduction of Trinity had experienced a very long "improvement" procession in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. During the period of Matteo Ricci, there is no formal translation. And around 1615, Trinity was translated into one Ti, three Wei and three Wei, one Ti. With the discovery of the Nestorian Tablet in 1625, three Wei, one Ti gradually became the dominant translation, and formed a title of "Three-One". In the improvements of the translation, because of misunderstanding, Wei became a noun from a classifier and the translation of Persona. In order to distinguishes from Buddhism, missionaries allied with Confucianism and selected one Ti rather than one Xing to refer una Substantia. But in the actual connotation, they made a narrow understanding of one Xing, not only required "the same in nature," but also required "connecting in space." This process of the translation improvement is essentially a process of establishing its own cultural identity in a translingual and transcultural context. © Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Improvement; The Chinese writing; The late Ming and early Qing Dynasties; Translation; Trinity