Authors & Affiliations: Cai T.Y., Department of History, Sun Yat-Sen University, China

Pages: 7 - 39

Abstract: The Italian Jesuit theologian Robert Bellarmine, when teaching at the Jesuit College in Louvain (1570-76), proposed a hypothesis that God might have created the first man in a purely natural state and have not elevated human beings to the supernatural end. The hypotheis should be read in the context of Bellarmine's efforts to correct the Louvain theologian Baius' teaching on Adam's grace. For Bellarmine, the hypothetical man in puris naturalibus helps to explain the gratuity of God's grace granted to Adam at the beginning of his existence. Taking a historical perspective, we find that Bellarmine is not the creator of the theology of pure nature. His theology of pure nature is a synthesis of the theological tradition in the preceding centuries. © Copyright Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Eady modern theology; Natura pura; Robert Bellarmine; Theology of grace

Authors & Affiliations: Yan Y., Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities, Boya (Liberal Arts), College Sun Yat-sen University, China

Pages: 41 - 72

Abstract: As Matteo Ricci interacted with Chinese literati, the celibate life of the missionaries became an obstacle in communication between Confucianism and Christianity. How to appease the tension between celibacy and filial piety became one of the most urgent problems to solve. In chapter 8 of The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven, his first book presenting the basic doctrine of Christianity, Matteo Ricci argued for the celibacy of the missionaries, trying to address the conflict between celibacy and the Confucian doctrine of filial piety. This article will present how Matteo Ricci dealt with the conflict by textual analysis, that is, how Matteo Ricci, in the wodd view of Christianity, reconstructed "self-cultivation, regulating the family, governing the country and establishing peace throughout the world (Xiushen, Qijia, Zhiguo, Pingtianxia)" and "loyalty to family and nation (Zhong Xiao)" in Confucianism, in order to reject the view that "to be childless is the highest impiety among three" and to gain the agreement and respect of Chinese literati. What's more, this article will put the argument of Matteo Ricci under the Late Ming ethos: Matteo Ricci's argument on single life under the framework of XiuQiZhiPing corresponds with pragmaticism of Late Ming, Matteo Ricci's avoiding of referring on Annotations of Filial Piety, the maintenance and service on parents could be explained under the background of Late Ming scholars' admiring Annotations of Filial Piety and Yangming studies emphasis on filial piety as human nature, Matteo Ricci's highlighting the contradiction between great filial piety and little filial piety could be understood under the background of Mengzi's important status and his great filial piety dextrine. © Copyright Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Celibacy; Filial piety; Late ming ethos; The true meaning of the master of heaven

Authors & Affiliations: Yang J., School of Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University, China

Pages: 73 - 89

Abstract: In the beginning year of the New China, the Chinese theologian T. C. Chao was inspired by Paul Tillich, especially by his book The Protestant Era (1948). He told enthusiastically that he agreed totally with what Tillich said in this book. At the same time, he had thought that he would translate the whole book into Chinese, but his plan turned out to be railed and only the first chapter of The Protestant Era was published in the form of translation. Here I try to make it clear that Chao felt inspired by Tillich, on the base of the fact that his idea of '1 am caught" comes truly from Tillich. © Copyright Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Christianity; I am caught; Paul Tillich; T. C. Chao (Ziehen Zhao); The Protestant era

Authors & Affiliations: Siyi C., Department of Philosophy (Religion), Beijing University, China

Pages: 91 - 109

Abstract: The nature of Augustine's conversion, whether it was to Christianity or Neoplatonism, has been a matter of debate for a long time. Following the thread of the dialogue between divine word and human word, this article offers a new interpretation of the literal form and intellectual tendency of the Cassiciacum dialogues, with a view to demonstrating the continuity between the early works of Augustine and the Confessions, the masterpiece that marks the maturity of his religious thinking as well as his manner of writing Based on this continuity, this article concludes that in Milan Augustine was converted to Christianity, not Neoplatonism. © Copyright Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Augustine; Cassiciacum dialogues; Divine word; Human word; Neoplatonism

Authors & Affiliations: Yi H., School of Humanities, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China; Wei X., School of Humanities, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China

Pages: 111 - 141

Abstract: In the influence of Karl Barth, Sino-Christian theology has put forward two kinds of criticism on Schleiermacher: firstly, Schleiermacher rooted his theology on anthropology; secondly, Schleiermacher's theology paid little attention to church. This paper challenges the above criticism. As the paper demonstrates, on the one hand, the root of Schleiermacher's theology is not a kind of general anthropology, but the redemption accomplished by Jesus of Nazareth, on the other hand, Schleiermacher's dogmatics is closely related to the historical church which is both the source of his dogmatics, and its Socratic partner. © Copyright Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Anthropology; Church; Schleiermacher; Sino-Christian theology

Authors & Affiliations: Tan J.K.-T., Taiwan Baptist Christian Seminary, Taiwan

Pages: 143 - 171

Abstract: The question of this article is: "How do human beings know God?" This article bases the answer to this question on Karl Barth's view of revelation, and then introduces Edmund Husserl's transcendental phenomenology as a dialogue partner with Barth's doctrine of revelation.The focus of this article is Barth's "possibility of knowing God." Revelation is the act of the free and omnipotent God. It has become an objective fact in Christ, and therefore it has objective possibility. Furthermore, thanks to the Holy Spirit, revelation has become a subjective fact in believers and the church. And because it is already a subjective fact, of course it has subjective possibility. Therefore, Barth does not use any human natural faculty to develop a proof for the subjective possibility of revelation. He only explains "how" revelation is possible subjectively. The purpose of this article is to use Hussed's phenomenology to further explain the subjective possibility of revelation. Three points of the possibility of knowing God are explicated with Hussed's phenomenological analysis of consciousness. First, incarnation of God's Word is the revelation that appears in human consciousness and becomes an object of intentionality. Second, according to Husserl's analysis of the givenness of consciousness, revelation is understood as first given in the consciousness. Therefore, revelation is understood first as being passively accepted by us. Thirdly, according to the constituting function of intentionality, one must understand revelation in order to really receive revelation. Moreover, one must receive the obedience to God from the Holy Spirit, so that he/she can really understand revelation. © Copyright Chung Yuan Christian University.

Keywords: Edmond Husserl; Givenness; Intentionality; Kad Barth; Possibility of revelation