Chinese Public Theology: Generational Shifts and Confucian Imagination in Chinese Christianity

223 Pages·2018·1.481 MB·English

by  Alexander Chow

CHINESE PUBLIC THEOLOGY

Chinese Public
Theology
Generational Shifts and Confucian
Imagination in Chinese Christianity
ALEXANDER CHOW
1
3
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To Edmond and Maryvonne Tang

Acknowledgements
Everybookgoesthroughajourneytobeproduced.Thisonebeganas
IwasnearingthecompletionofmyPhDandwasplanningto travel
to China. My PhD supervisor at the time, Edmond Tang, recom-
mendedImeetwithascholarwhomhesawasbeingpartofthenext
generationofChinese‘culturalChristians’.Thatofferedmeaglimpse
intoapartofChineseChristianityIhadnotreallyexploredthrough
my PhD thesis. After completing my PhD studies, I moved my wife
and nine-month-old son (our kaixinguo) to Beijing, where I began
my postdoctoral fellowship at Renmin University. My colleagues
helpedmeunderstandtheconditionswhichbroughtforththeunique
ChinesephenomenonofculturalChristianity.Italsoleftanimpression
that,formany,tobeanintellectualwasnotenough—thereismoreat
stakethanthepursuitofknowledge.Itwasonlyattheendofmytime
thereandasIwastransitingtotakeupalectureshipintheUniversity
ofEdinburghthattheoverallshapeofthisbookbecameclear.
Thisbookhasgonethroughajourneywithme—fromBirmingham
toBeijing,andfinallytoEdinburgh.Ithaspushedmeinmanyways,
forcing me to read into areas I previously knew little about. I am
therefore so indebted to those friendships which have helped this
projectcometothispoint.ManyfriendsandcolleaguesinChinahave
offered immense help, just for being true to themselves and to be
willing to bear with this laowai (‘foreigner’), such as Yang Huilin,
DingDagang,GaoZhiqiang,HeGuanghu,LiTiangang,LiuPing,Shi
Xiao,SunYi,WangHai,andZhangJing.Manyhavebeensogracious
in reading significant portions of my drafts (Naomi Haynes, Jeremy
Kidwell, Carl Kilcourse, Aristotle Papanikolaou, Joshua Ralston, Shi
Xiao,ChloëF.Starr,JustinK.H.Tse,andGerdaWielander),includ-
ing those who have read and commented on the manuscript as a
whole (James Eglinton, Fredrik Fällman, Andrew T. Kaiser, Yen-yi
Lee, Mark McLeister, and Edmond Tang). All of this has made the
textclearerandtheargumentfarmorerobust.Iamalsothankfulfor
theeditorialteamatOUPandthetwoanonymouspeerreviewers,as
well as the continued encouragements I have received during coffee
breaksandhallwayconversationswithothercolleaguesinEdinburgh,
viii Acknowledgements
suchasSeanAdams,NaomiAppleton,AnjaKlein,MatthewNoven-
son,andBrianStanley.
MywifeBettyandourchildrenhavebeenagreatinspiration.Iam
a better scholar and a better person because of them. Through
indirect ways, they challenge me to think more deeply about my
work—but also to get things done in a timely manner! Betty, thank
youforthemanytimesyouhaveaskedmehowyoucanmakethings
easier for me to get work done. You have sacrificed much and,
literally, travelled the world with me, living in three continents and
fourcountries.Iamalsothankfultomyparentswhohaveraisedme
toappreciatetheChinesecultureIhavecomefrom.
I started my work in the University of Edinburgh the same week
that my PhD supervisor, Edmond Tang, had his retirement party.
Yet, I have pulled him out of retirement to ask for feedback—all for
which I am very grateful. Professor Tang, I have learned much from
you about Chinese Christianity and academic writing, and both you
andMaryvonnehavetaughtmeaboutmanybeautiesoflife.Idedicate
thisbooktothetwoofyou.
AlexanderChow
NewCollege,Edinburgh
May2017
OUPCORRECTEDPROOF–FINAL,12/12/2017,SPi
Table of Contents
NoteonRomanization xi
Introduction 1
PART I. THE GROWING PUBLIC VOICE OF
CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA
1. ATraditionofPublicTheology 27
2. State-SanctionedProtestantism 48
3. CulturalChristianity 70
4. UrbanIntellectualChristianity 92
PART II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHINESE
PUBLIC THEOLOGY
5. ADividedPublicSpace? 117
6. ThePublicasTranscendent 131
7. TheChristianFamilyasaPublicBody 146
Conclusion 160
Appendix:BiographicalBriefs 169
Glossary:ChineseTermsandPhrases 175
Bibliography 179
Index 207