On April 17, a lecture on the pioneer experimentation of Christian-Buddhist dialogue of Rev. Dr. Karl Reichelt at Nanjing in the 1920s at the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies (ISCS), Tao Fong Shan (TFS), was given during a study visit by faculty and students from the Divinity School of Chung Chi College, the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Mr. Clement Lo, assistant academic exchange officer of ISCS, began the lecture by providing an overview of the history of Christian presence in China, tracing its development from the early Syriac Church of the East in the Tang dynasty to the modern academic mission of . He particularly highlighted the work of Karl Ludvig Reichelt, the Norwegian missionary who founded the institution that later evolved into ISCS and other units on today's Tao Fong Shan.
The presentation began by noting the early arrival of Christianity in China, specifically the Church of the East (often referred to as Nestorianism), around the seventh century CE. Mr. Lo mentioned that modern scholarship suggests this group is better understood as the Syriac Church of the East, originating from Persia (modern-day Iran and Iraq). This initial wave of Christianity spread through the western regions along trade routes to the Tang dynasty capital, Chang'an (modern Xi'an). A stele commemorates this arrival, erected about 150 years after the initial missionaries came, indicating a period of establishment. This form of Christianity was later identified as one of the three major Persian religions present in Tang China. Its integration into Chinese society faced challenges related to sinicization, and it was still largely perceived as foreign. Few visual remnants exist, such as a painting potentially depicting Christ, styled similarly to Buddhist art.
Subsequently, Catholic missionaries, notably Jesuits, arrived in China during later dynasties (Ming and Qing). They initially adopted an accommodationist policy, attempting to integrate with Chinese culture and engage with the elite, including the emperor. They presented Catholicism as potentially beneficial to China and showed a degree of tolerance towards Chinese ritual practices. However, disagreements arose, particularly concerning the compatibility of Chinese rites with Catholic doctrine (the Rites Controversy). This conflict escalated, leading to an imperial decree banning Christian activities.
Christian missionary work resumed on a larger scale following the Opium Wars in the mid-19th century. This period saw the return of Catholics and the arrival of numerous Protestant denominations. Mr. Lo pointed out that the association of these missionaries with foreign military power created negative perceptions among some Chinese people, linking Christianity with foreign aggression—a perception that, he noted, has persisted to some extent. During this time, the "Three-Self" principles (self-governing, self-supporting, self-propagating) emerged, aiming for the development of an indigenous Chinese church independent of foreign control. Mistrust towards foreign missionaries continued and contributed to events like the government-supported Boxer Rebellion around 1900, which resulted in the deaths of foreign missionaries and Chinese Christians.
It was in this context, shortly after the Boxer Rebellion, that the Norwegian missionary Karl Ludvig Reichelt arrived in China in 1903. The environment was still cautious regarding foreigners. Reichelt initially engaged in typical missionary activities: establishing mission stations, elementary schools, and hospitals. He was also involved in founding the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Shekou, Hubei (which later relocated to Hong Kong).
A significant shift occurred in Reichelt's approach following a visit to a Buddhist monastery with a long history. An encounter and discussion with the abbot led Reichelt to feel that his six years of missionary training were insufficient for engaging deeply with the philosophical and spiritual world of Buddhism. This precipitated a personal and professional crisis. Following this, Reichelt reported feeling a specific calling to establish a mission focused on reaching Buddhists and Daoists. His aim was to enter into dialogue with them, understand their spiritual world, and share Christian concepts using language and frameworks familiar to them. He drew inspiration from passages in the Gospel of John and the Acts of the Apostles, interpreting them as indicating pre-existing elements of truth within Chinese traditions.
Around 1922, Reichelt established his new experimental mission in Nanjing, the capital at the time. He received encouragement from some figures, including Bishop Logan Roots. The mission center was intentionally designed with Chinese architectural and decorative elements, including Buddhist motifs, to create a familiar atmosphere for visiting monks and scholars. Terms and concepts from Buddhist texts were sometimes used within a Christian context. This approach was met with interest by some church leaders and intellectuals, but also generated controversy among both Chinese and foreign Christians due to its unconventional nature. As a result, Reichelt and his work eventually separated from the Norwegian Missionary Society to become an independent mission, the Christian Mission to Buddhists (CMB), relying on funding from supporters in Scandinavia, Britain, and elsewhere. The mission grew, at its peak operating several orphanages and hosting a large community.
In the late 1920s, during civil conflict between Nationalist and Communist forces, the Nanjing center was destroyed by Nationalist troops. Reichelt had to relocate his mission. After traveling and considering various locations, including Shanghai and potentially Taiwan or Singapore, he chose Hong Kong. Using reparation funds received from the Chinese government, he purchased land at Tao Fong Shan, located on the railway line connecting to mainland China, facilitating continued access for Chinese monks interested in dialogue. The Tao Fong Shan centre had to be built entirely from new, starting in the early 1930s. It served as a place for religious dialogue, study, and cultural exchange, hosting theological and philosophical lessons.
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong (lasting three years and eight months), Reichelt, being Norwegian (Norway was not allied with Japan's opponents), was permitted to stay at Tao Fong Shan but was restricted from traveling to the city. After the war, Reichelt retired but later returned to Hong Kong, serving for a few more years until he died in 1952.
Following Reichelt's death, the mission underwent a period of reorientation. Questions arose about the appropriateness of targeting specific religious groups for mission work in light of evolving missiological thought. The institution gradually transformed into the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies (ISCS) and other units on today's Tao Fong Shan.
Mr. Lo mentioned that ISCS functions primarily as an academic and cultural institution. Its activities include publications: translating Christian classics and modern theological works into Chinese, publishing original Chinese theological scholarship, and producing academic journals like Logos & Pneuma. ISCS has published over 400 titles covering various Christian traditions and modern theological perspectives (e.g., environmental, feminist, post-liberal).
Another part is academic exchange: Running a guest professor program where international scholars teach at partner universities in mainland China (over 50 partners), and bringing mainland Chinese doctoral students and scholars to Tao Fong Shan for research stays and exposure to the Hong Kong academic environment.
In the end, Mr. Lo stated that ISCS today does not engage in direct proselytizing, but focuses on mutual understanding, academic research, and facilitating dialogue between Christian thought and Chinese intellectual and cultural traditions. The core question guiding its work has shifted from Reichelt's focus on mutual learning for conversion to how Chinese traditions and global Christianity can learn from each other in an academic and cultural context. The principle is to foster understanding of Christianity within the Chinese context, using the Chinese language and concepts, thereby continuing and transforming Reichelt's original vision in a contemporary academic framework.
