Patriotism, Science, and the Development of Xu Qian's "Theology of Liberation in China"

This article examines Xu Qian (1871-1940), a prominent figure in the Republican period and the changes in his theological thought. I explain why Xu's theological thought can be called a germinating version of "liberation theology" in China and argue that a number of factors influenced...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Monumenta serica 2023-01, Vol.71 (1), p.187-216
Main Author: Jue 王珏, Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
"Theology of Liberation in China"
patriotism
saving nations
science
Xu Qian
中國「解放神學」
徐謙
愛國主義
救國
科學
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Summary:This article examines Xu Qian (1871-1940), a prominent figure in the Republican period and the changes in his theological thought. I explain why Xu's theological thought can be called a germinating version of "liberation theology" in China and argue that a number of factors influenced his theological thought in the context of his time, his understanding of science being a key factor. I analyze how science interacts with his understanding of Christianity in his Christian journey. I find that Xu's Christian journey is a gradual process of eliminating the supernatural components, culminating in the conclusion that the only function of Christianity is to save the nation, and that this process of change is inseparable from his expanded understanding of "science." The relevance of Xu's example for today is that the expanded understanding of "science" still exists. I conclude with a suggestion for a broader exploration of the meaning of science.
ISSN:0254-9948
2057-1690
DOI:10.1080/02549948.2023.2198411